| research | investigate | examine | study |
| to study a subject in detail, specially in order to discover new facts, or test new ideas | to try and find out the truth about something such as a crime, an accident, a scientific problem | to look at something carefully, in order to make a decision, find something or check something; to ask someone questions in a test | to watch and examine something carefully over a period of time in order to find out more about it; to spend time reading, going to classes etc. in order to learn about a subject |
a) He is a zoologist. At present he... the difference in behaviour patterns of domestic and wild animals in similar situations.
b) Wild animals intended for keeping at home need to … by a veterinarian that has special knowledge and training in wildlife medicine.
c) Animal control specialists … the attack on a two-year-old boy by a wild bobcat.
d) Jane Goodall is famous for her works on the behaviour of chimpanzee. She … them in the wild for decades.
2.11. Define the main idea of the text and answer some questions then write the review of the text below (See appendix 1).
Do you agree with the author's point of view on the species, its origin and development? Can you give any example of new species origin?
SPECIES CONCEPTS
Biologists are often asked what the definition of a species is. Before dealing with this question is important to consider the differences between what a species is and how species come into being. The " what" question deals with the main subject of this essay how you define a species. The " how" question deals with processes and mechanisms. I would like to write about this part first; partly because it is the really contentious and interesting part of the question and partly to clear up any misunderstanding between definition (what) and mechanisms (how).
Species, at their most abstract, can be thought of individual historical entities. This is to say, like the most basic story outline, they have a beginning middle and an end. Or, if you prefer, a birth lifespan and a death. Just as all people do. So species, like people, exist at certain places and certain times.
How the species comes about is a question of mechanism(s) that I will not go into in very much detail, but the key image to have is the notion of a single homogeneous population (group of individuals) that eventually gives rise to two distinct populations that can no longer combine their genetic material to give rise to more of their kind. The most widely accepted method by which this can come about is the subdivision of a single population into two subpopulations by the appearance of a geographic barrier (a mountain range, a new river) that can no longer exchange genes. As time passes then the genetic make-up of the two subpopulations could evolve enough to generate sufficient differences that would mean they are no longer two subpopulations, but are in fact different species. It should be clear that at least some time has to pass for enough differenced to accumulate for the two subpopulations to become separate species, but the most amount of time varies, due to a wide range of factors.
Despite what many people believe scientists HAVE witnessed the evolution of new species. (http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-speciation.html) but the difficulty in communicating these findings to non-specialists is that the MECHANISM is often quite difficult to understand (self-fertilization and chromosome duplication in plants) or evolves organisms such as bacteria that do not conform to most peoples' ideas of animal species that they are familiar with.
(Alistair McGowan - www.askabiologist.org.uk/from_the_lab/species-concept)
SPEAKING
2.12. Compose short dialogues and discuss in pairs the following imaginary situations:
1. A group of schoolchildren have come to visit our institute. They have seen the poster "The Beagle" and got interested in its title. Tell them what this title means.
2. Your friend doesn't believe in evolution. With the help of a time-machine you have managed to take him to the primitive age (several million years back). You see only amphibians around. Trace the development of life on earth. Discuss it.
2.13. In small groups discuss the following statements:
1. All living things are descended from common ancestors.
2.Natural selection can create nothing by itself.
