Lesson 11 Close Encounters of the Wild Kind

Rohr, L.

Warning! You never know what is lurking behind the next tree or beneath the next wave.

Most wild animals want to stay well away from us. Perhaps they sense that people are the deadliest animal of all. But sometimes they do attack. If that happens, survival can be a matter of staying calm, thinking quickly… and having a lot of luck.

If you do have a close encounter [1] with a wild animal, it always pays to keep your head. Staying calm can mean you live to tell the story.

The first story is from Barbara Moore who succeeded in avoiding trouble with a grizzly [2] bear. Keeping her head played a big part in saving Barbara Moore’s life. She was walking in Yellowstone National Park—bear country—when she came across a dead bison. Barbara was a park ranger.She knew it was dangerous to come between a bear and its dinner. But before she could get away she saw a huge grizzly bear charging at her. Most bear charges are a bluff [3],so Barbara stood still as the bear rushed closer. But this charge was no bluff. She was knocked to the ground.

Barbara’s heart raced as the bear clawed her. She curled up and pretended to be dead. The bear rolled her over three times. Each time she kept rolling until she was face down. At last, the bear wandered away with its cubs [4]. Barbara had convinced it that she was no threat.

Barbara gives us some survival tips to avoid grizzly bear attack.

Close Encounters of the Wild Kind Lesson 11Grizzly bears are brown bears. Brown bears attack if they feel their cubs, their territory [5] or their dinner are in danger. Playing dead can be a good tactic [6]. It takes courage to lie still while a wild animal gives you the once-over. You can lie face down flat on the ground. Lock your fingers behind your head, with your arms protecting the sides of you head. Or you can lie on your side curled into a ball. Bury your head in your knees. Wrap your arms around you legs. But make sure not to play dead if you happen to meet a black bear. They eat dead things they find lying about!

Can you image being attacked by a great white shark? The second story is from Rodney Fox who survived after it. Rodney Fox was a champion at his favorite sport,spearfishing [7]. But on this day, the hunter became the hunted. As Rodney took aim with his spear, a great white shark hit him from behind. The force of the attack knocked the spear gun from his hand and the mask off his face. The shark’s jaws clamped [8] around his back.

He clawed at the shark’s eyes. It released its grip [9]. He wrapped his body around the shark so it couldn’t get at him. But he needed air, badly. He let go and floated to the surface. Looking down through the bloody sea, he saw open jaws and teeth coming at him again. He tried to kick them away.

Suddenly, the shark turned and grabbed the fish on Rodney’s belt rope. It pulled the fish—and Rodney—down. Then the rope snapped [10]. Rodney made it back to the surface and was quickly pulled into a boat. He was barely alive.

As Rodney was lifted from the boat to a waiting car, his side gaped open and coils [11]1of his intestines [12] slid out. A friend pushed them back in. Then the car sped off to the hospital, 65 kilometers away.

Rodney needed hundreds of stitches [13]—465 on his upper body alone. His left lung had been punctured [14], and his spleen [15] and a major artery [16] were exposed [17]. But he shocked everyone by surviving.

Rodney was nervous about going back into the sea. When he did, he killed many sharks. Then he realized that fear was not a good reason to kill. He set out to learn more about sharks and their behavior. Today, he campaigns to save the animals that nearly took his life.

Rodney also gives us some survival tips when facing shark attack.

Sharks are predators [18]. They will usually only attack if they think they can win. So you have more chance of surviving an attack if you let the shark know that you are not defenseless [19]. The parts of a shark’s body most sensitive to pain are its eyes and gills [20].Hit the gills or eyes with your fist, camera or anything else you have.

(755 words)

Exercises

Ⅰ. How well did you read?

1. [Check the details] The grizzly bear rolled Barbara over three times. Each time she kept rolling until she was________ .

A. lying on her back B. lying on her face C. lying on her side

2. [Give the reason] Rodney campaigns to save sharks because________ .

A. he realized that fear was not a good reason to kill

B. he is too scared to kill them

C. he loves sharks

3. [Draw a conclusion] What plays an important role in survival from the close encounters of the wild kind?

A. Staying calm & thinking quickly.

B. Having a lot of luck.

C. Both A & B.

Ⅱ. Read for words

1. Choose one best paraphrase for the underlined word.

Most bear charges are a bluff, so Barbara stood still as the bear rushed closer. (Para. 4)

A. all the same B. without moving C. far away

2. Choose one best paraphrase for the underlined expressions.

(1) If you do have a close encounter with a wild animal, it always pays to keep your head. (Para. 3)

A. stay calm B. lower your head C. protect your head

(2) But before she could get away she saw a huge grizzly bear charging at her.(Para. 4)

A. staring at B. rushing to C. smiling at

(3) As Rodney took aim with his spear, a great white shark hit him from behind.(Para. 8)

A. aimed B. took out C. threw away

(4) He set out to learn more about sharks and their behavior. (Para. 13)

A. set off to B. planned to C. started to

Ⅲ. Writing practice

1. What should you do to avoid grizzly bear attack?

2. Please list some survival tips when facing shark attack.

3. Use your own words to retell Barbara’s and Rodney’s stories.

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