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KrumetoName ____________________Date __________

Researchers film colossal squid in its natural habitat for the first time

B2 · 253 words · ≈ 2 min

  1. On Wednesday, April 16, the University of Essex, England, reported that researchers had, for the first time, recorded footage of a colossal squid, a member of the glass squid family (Cranchiidae), living in the deep sea. The sighting of the 30-centimeter juvenile squid took place on March 9 near the uninhabited South Sandwich Islands, part of a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. Researchers obtained the footage roughly 600 meters beneath the ocean’s surface.
  2. The sighting marked 100 years since the colossal squid was formally recognized and named. The remotely operated vehicle called "SuBastian" that captured the photographs and video was launched from the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vehicle Falkor (too). It was part of a 35-day Ocean Census flagship expedition searching for new marine life.
  3. According to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the 35-day voyage aboard the R/V Falkor (too) was part of an international effort to discover new marine species. The expedition brought together researchers from several institutions and initiatives, including the Ocean Census project and GoSouth, with Dr Michelle Taylor from the University of Essex leading the scientific team. Dr Taylor said, "It’s incredible that we can leverage the power of the taxonomic community through Falkor (too) telepresence while we are out at sea."
  4. Deep-sea biologist Kat Bolstad of Auckland University of Technology, who did not take part in the expedition, helped identify the species shown in the footage. "We're finally seeing confirmed footage of this animal that some of us have been studying and dreaming about for decades."

Words to know

footage
film of a particular event — Filmmaterial — imágenes — métrage — materiale filmato — materiał filmowy — material — отснятый материал, метраж, футаж — metraj — відзнятий матеріал, відзняті кадри
juvenile C1
young; not yet adult — jugendlich, kindisch, jung — juvénile — młody, młodociany, małoletni — малолетний, юношеский — малолітній
uninhabited
with no people living there — unbewohnt — deshabitado — inhabité — disabitato — niezamieszkany, bezludny — desabitado, inabitado — необитаемый, безлюдный, ненаселённый — безлюдний, незаселений, ненаселений
formally B1
officially — formalmente — formellement — formalmente — formalmente — формально
remotely C1
from a distance, without a person on board — entfernt, annähernd, schwerlich — remotamente — à distance — da remoto — remotamente
flagship
the most important of a group — Flaggschiff — buque insignia — vaisseau amiral — principale — okręt flagowy — navio-almirante — флагман, флагманский корабль — amiral gemisi — флагман, флагманський корабель
expedition B2
a journey made for scientific research — Expedition — expedición — expédition — spedizione — ekspedycja, wyprawa — expedição — экспедиция — sefer
voyage B1
a long journey by sea — Reise — viaje — voyage — viaggio — rejs — viagem — путешествие, рейс, вояж — seyahat — рейс, плавання, подорож
initiative B2
new plans or projects to achieve something — Initiative — iniciativa — initiative — iniziativa — inicjatywa — iniciativa — инициатива, почин — girişim — ініціатива, почин
taxonomic
about naming and classifying living things — taxonomisch — taxonómico — taxonomique — tassonomico — taxonômico — таксономический

Text: Wikinews, “Researchers film colossal squid in its natural habitat for the first time”, https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Researchers_film_colossal_squid_in_its_natural_habitat_for_the_first_time · CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) · shortened · Translations: English Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) · Worksheet: https://krumeto.com/read/colossal-squid-filmed

KrumetoResearchers film colossal squid in its natural habitat for the first timeName ____________________

A. Choose the right answer

  1. How long was the squid that was filmed? B2
    1. a) About 35 centimetres
    2. b) About 30 centimetres
    3. c) About 100 centimetres
    4. d) About 600 metres
  2. How deep was the squid when it was filmed? B2
    1. a) Just below the surface
    2. b) About 30 metres below the surface
    3. c) About 6,000 metres below the surface
    4. d) About 600 metres below the surface
  3. Why was the timing of the sighting special? C1
    1. a) It came 100 years after the species was formally named.
    2. b) It was the first time any squid was filmed.
    3. c) It was the first squid ever seen near the islands.
    4. d) It happened on the last day of the voyage.
  4. What filmed the squid? B2
    1. a) Divers from the University of Essex
    2. b) A remotely operated vehicle called SuBastian
    3. c) Cameras on the hull of the ship Falkor (too)
    4. d) A drone launched by Dr Michelle Taylor
  5. What was the main aim of the 35-day voyage? B2
    1. a) To film the colossal squid
    2. b) To test the vehicle SuBastian
    3. c) To map the South Sandwich Islands
    4. d) To discover new marine species
  6. What was Kat Bolstad's role? B2
    1. a) She led the scientific team on board the ship.
    2. b) She drove the remotely operated vehicle SuBastian.
    3. c) She announced the discovery for the University of Essex.
    4. d) She helped identify the species without joining the trip.
  7. In paragraph 1, the squid is called a "juvenile". This means it was… B2
    1. a) a species nobody had named
    2. b) already dead when it was found
    3. c) young and not fully grown
    4. d) unusually large for its kind

B. Answer in full sentences

  1. Why do you think the deep sea is still so little known, compared with space? Discuss.
  2. Write a short news report about a discovery you would like scientists to make.
KrumetoResearchers film colossal squid in its natural habitat for the first timeAnswer key

Answer key

  1. b) About 30 centimetres — Paragraph 1 describes a 30-centimetre juvenile squid.
  2. d) About 600 metres below the surface — Paragraph 1 says the footage was obtained roughly 600 metres beneath the ocean's surface.
  3. a) It came 100 years after the species was formally named. — Paragraph 2 says the sighting marked 100 years since the colossal squid was formally recognised and named.
  4. b) A remotely operated vehicle called SuBastian — Paragraph 2 says the remotely operated vehicle "SuBastian" captured the photographs and video.
  5. d) To discover new marine species — Paragraph 3 says the voyage was part of an international effort to discover new marine species.
  6. d) She helped identify the species without joining the trip. — Paragraph 4 says she did not take part in the expedition but helped identify the species.
  7. c) young and not fully grown — Paragraph 1: juvenile means young; it was only 30 centimetres long.

Text: Wikinews, “Researchers film colossal squid in its natural habitat for the first time”, https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Researchers_film_colossal_squid_in_its_natural_habitat_for_the_first_time · CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) · shortened · Translations: English Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) · Worksheet: https://krumeto.com/read/colossal-squid-filmed

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