1.

Fill in the gaps:

This is not another ________________. It is the North Pole, a place where ________ ______
______ are covered in ice.
Life in this part of the world is __________ ______________. Freezing winds and temperatures of
up to _________ _________degrees Celsius prevail. In such a climate, there is nowhere for
animals to _____________.
The North Pole is the _____ ______________of our world.
A new iceberg forms __________ _____________ here.
On average, these icebergs are the size of a ______ - ___________ _____________.
You may think that there is nothing but icebergs here.
Yet there is actually a ________ ____________ of life here, despite the difficult ______________.
In this film you will ______________ creatures which survive quite easily in polar ____________
which at first sight might seem totally _____________ to life, and will examine their
________________, each one of which is a ____________ of creation.
The polar bear. A happy family. A polar bear mother with her ____________.
But how is it that they manage to _____________ in such difficult conditions?
When we look at these animals ________________, we see that they have been specially designed
to live in a _______ __________________.
An __________ polar bear is on average 2.5 meters long and 800 kilos in ____________.
Hollow spaces between its toes create a _________ effect, allowing it to grip to __________ easily.
The web structure between its ___________ allows it to swim easily.
A bear can swim at speeds of up to 10 km ____ __________, and it can travel up to 100 kilometres
__________ needing a rest.
The bear does not hesitate to enter ____-_________ water, and it has yet another secret: its ______.
The cold here would kill a ______ _________in a few minutes unless he is wearing protective
___________.
But the polar bear faces no such problem: it owes this to its __________ thick fur. Despite
appearing to be white, its fur is actually _____________. The fibre optic properties of this fur
prevent _______ loss and also transfers heat from the sun's rays to the ________ hairs underneath
it.
Immediately under the fur is a 10-cm thick ________ of fat, thus completely insulating the bear
from the cold.
This fur is also well-suited to _________.
Underwater, the hairs _____ __________. It is as if the polar bear is wearing a special _______ suit.
These properties of the fur allow the bear to ___________ its 37-degree body temperature for long
periods, whether in the water or above it.
There are even times when, instead of being cold, its body becomes too warm.
It is for these reasons that polar bears frequently _____ ____ ____ _______, to bring down their
body temperatures.
The polar bear has to travel long distances in order to ________ in this desert of ice. At this point, it
_________ on its sense of smell. The Polar bear's nose is ___________ sensitive and can detect a
__________ more than 30 km away. The secret behind the reasons why polar bears are able to live
________ ___________in this world of ice is the way they had been specially created ____
________ with these conditions.
As with all creatures, the Almighty God has created the polar bear with the most perfect design in
the light of its needs.

2. Make a list of the characteristics that help the polar bear survive:

3. Fill in the gaps with a word derived from the one in capital letters:

Explorers who aim for the Antarctic encounter all manners of _________ (1),
from primary threats like cold and wild animals to _____________ (2) ones
like disease or lack of medicines.
Once an expedition reaches the desert of ice, some sort of ___________(3)
made of ice and tent canvas is put up. _____________ (4) proper conditions is
not easy, but ___________ (5) possible with the right specialists and materials.
A proper ____________ (6) of the weather and dangers of the area will ensure
that the explorers survive and manage to fulfil their goals.
_____________ (7), a team would consist of 20 to 30 members, who, for the
_____________(8) of their stay, would have certain well-determined roles.
Whenever explorers venture outside the shelters, they need to wear
______________ (9) clothing and carry equipment that is ____________ (10)
enough to pick up signals.

1. DIFFICULT
2. SECOND
3. BUILD
4. CREATE
5. TOTAL
6. EXAMINE
7. CHARACTER
8. LONG
9. PROTECT
10. SENSE

3. Rephrase the sentences, using the word given:

a. In such a climate, there is nowhere for animals to shelter.
YET
In such a climate, the polar bear is ________________________ shelter.
b. You may think that there is nothing but icebergs here.
DWELL
You may ________________________ there is nothing but icebergs here.
c. When we look at these animals close-up, they seem miraculous.
TAKE
When we _____________________ animals, they seem miraculous.
d. The cold here would kill a human being in a few minutes.
SPELL
The cold here would _____________________ in a few minutes.
e. Despite appearing to be white, its fur is actually transparent.
APPEARANCE
In ____________________________, its fur is actually transparent.
f. The polar bear has to travel long distances in order to hunt.
SO
The polar bear has to travel long distances ____________________ hunt.
4. Give synonyms to the following:
a. prevail
b. shelter
c. inhospitable
d. characteristics
e. environment
f. grip
g. transparent
h. bring down
i. detect
j. in line with

5. Read these fun facts and decide on the most interesting for you. Give reasons for your
choice.
1. Female polar bears would rather build their dens in "old snow" from previous years rather
than the freshly fallen snow.
2. Polar bear cubs learn to freeze and remain still while their mother hunts. If they move, the
mother disciples them, with a whack to the head.
3. Some female polar bears deviate from the one room den. They build dens with multiple
rooms and even a ventilation system in the roof.
4. Adult females often weigh between 500 and 600 pounds (227 and 272 kilograms).
5. Female polar bears do not start having cubs until they are about 4 or 5 years old.
6. Polar bear babies weigh a little more than a pound when they are born.
7. Paw pads with rough surfaces help prevent polar bears from slipping up on the ice.
8. Polar bears swim using their large front paws to propel themselves through the water and
their back legs to steer
9. A polar bear's fur is not white!! It is hollow. The fur reflects light. The hollow fur also traps
the suns heat to help keep the polar bear warm.
10. Polar bears' fur is oily and water repellant, allowing them to shake dry after swimming.
11. When curled up, a polar bear may cover its muzzle with a paw to help conserve heat.
12. Polar bears mainly hunt seals.
13. Humans are polar bears' only predator.
14. Polar bears tend to overheat more than to be cold.
15. Adult males can grow to be 10 feet tall and weigh over 1400 pounds.
16. Man made pollution is a cause of death for polar bears.
17. A polar bear is so strong, that it can kill an animal with one blow from its paw.
18. Polar bears mate March through July, however the fertilized egg does not start to develop
until September.
19. Polar Bears do not hibernate. Female polar bears will den with their young. All polar bears
may den for a short time to avoid bad weather.
20. Polar bears can swim up to 100 miles (161 kilometres at a time). Polar bears can swim an
average of 6 miles per hour.
5. In pairs, write a short text about a polar bear, using the following words (in this order
and exactly the given form):
canvas, beans, chair, Oh God!, cat, mashed potatoes, sack, hot, fishing rod, Lady Gaga, iceberg.