IELTS Reading: The Kākāpō
The kākāpō
The kākāpō, also known as the owl parrot, is a large, forest-dwelling bird… (Q1) It is the world’s only flightless parrot. It is possibly one of the longest-living birds, with a lifespan of up to 100 years.
Kākāpō are entirely vegetarian, with their diet including leaves, roots and bark of trees as well as (Q7) bulbs, and fern fronds.
Kākāpō breed in summer and autumn, (Q2) but only in years when food is plentiful. Males play no part in incubation or chick-rearing… (Q3) females alone incubate eggs and feed the chicks. The 1-4 eggs are laid in (Q8) soil.
For early Polynesian settlers, the kākāpō was easy prey. They ate its meat and used its (Q9) feathers to make soft cloaks. By the early 1800s, European colonisation accelerated the fall in numbers. Introduced species such as (Q10) deer depleted the forests of food.
In 1977, a large population was spotted in Rakiura… and in (Q11) 1980 it was confirmed females were also present.
(Q5) Unfortunately, predation by feral cats on Rakiura Island led to a rapid decline… As a result… the surviving population was evacuated to three island sanctuaries.
In 1996, a new Recovery Plan was launched… together with a (Q12) higher amount of funding. (Q6) This involved… rescuing and hand-raising any failing chicks.
Today, key goals are to… ensure (Q13) stakeholders continue to be fully engaged in the preservation of the species.
1. There are other parrots that share the kakapo’s inability to fly.
2. Adult kakapo produce chicks every year.
3. Adult male kakapo bring food back to nesting females.
4. The Polynesian rat was a greater threat than Polynesian settlers.
5. Kakapo were moved from Rakiura because of feral cats.
6. Caring for struggling young birds helped increase population.
7. Diet consists of parts of tree and:
8. Eggs are laid in:
9. Polynesian settlers used kakapo: for clothes.
10. European colonisers introduced: that ate food sources.
11. Year female confirmation on Rakiura:
12. Recovery Plan included increase in:
13. Current goal involves participation of:
20 Useful Vocabulary (The Kākāpō)
1. Forest-dwelling (Adjective)
Sống ở trong rừng.
"The kākāpō, also known as the owl parrot, is a large, forest-dwelling bird..."
2. Flightless (Adjective)
Không biết bay (nói về chim).
"It is the world's only flightless parrot."
3. Lifespan (Noun)
Tuổi thọ, vòng đời.
"It is possibly one of the longest-living birds, with a lifespan of up to 100 years."
4. Vegetarian (Adjective)
Chỉ ăn thực vật, ăn chay.
"Kākāpō are entirely vegetarian, with their diet including leaves, roots..."
5. Bulb (Noun)
Củ (của cây), phần thân phình to dưới đất.
"...diet including leaves, roots and bark of trees as well as bulbs..."
6. Frond (Noun)
Lá lược (lá của cây dương xỉ hoặc cọ).
"...diet including leaves, roots and bark of trees as well as bulbs, and fern fronds."
7. Breed (Verb)
Sinh sản, sinh đẻ (động vật).
"Kākāpō breed in summer and autumn..."
8. Plentiful (Adjective)
Dồi dào, phong phú, nhiều.
"...but only in years when food is plentiful."
9. Incubation (Noun)
Sự ấp trứng.
"Males play no part in incubation or chick-rearing..."
10. Rear (Verb)
Nuôi dưỡng, chăm sóc (con non).
"Males play no part in incubation or chick-rearing..."
11. Settler (Noun)
Người định cư (đến sống ở vùng đất mới).
"For early Polynesian settlers, the kākāpō was easy prey."
12. Prey (Noun)
Con mồi.
"For early Polynesian settlers, the kākāpō was easy prey."
13. Cloak (Noun)
Áo choàng.
"They ate its meat and used its feathers to make soft cloaks."
14. Colonisation (Noun)
Sự thực dân hóa, sự chiếm làm thuộc địa.
"By the early 1800s, European colonisation accelerated the fall in numbers."
15. Accelerate (Verb)
Thúc đẩy, làm tăng tốc, làm cho nhanh hơn.
"By the early 1800s, European colonisation accelerated the fall in numbers."
16. Deplete (Verb)
Làm cạn kiệt, làm suy giảm nghiêm trọng.
"Introduced species such as deer depleted the forests of food."
17. Predation (Noun)
Sự săn mồi, sự ăn thịt (động vật khác).
"Unfortunately, predation by feral cats on Rakiura Island led to a rapid decline..."
18. Feral (Adjective)
Hoang dã (thường chỉ động vật nhà đã trở lại sống hoang dã).
"Unfortunately, predation by feral cats on Rakiura Island led to a rapid decline..."
19. Evacuate (Verb)
Sơ tán, di tản (để tránh nguy hiểm).
"...the surviving population was evacuated to three island sanctuaries."
20. Sanctuary (Noun)
Khu bảo tồn (thiên nhiên), nơi tôn nghiêm/trú ẩn an toàn.
"...the surviving population was evacuated to three island sanctuaries."