Page 144 - Think 4. Teacher's Book B2

Student’s Book Audioscript

My next species is small and furry. For 12.08 And last but not least, there are
the first time in 80 years, a new rat You will hear a woman called Frances geological oceanographers, like me.
species has been found in the South Williams talking about her work as an What we do research into is the ocean
Pacific. In 2010, Tyrone Lavery heard oceanographer. For questions 1-10, floor and how its mountains and valleys
rumours about a giant rat that could complete the sentences with a word or a were formed. My particular area of
crack coconuts. It lived in the trees on short phrase. expertise is in the study of undersea
Vangunu Island. There were even songs Thanks for the invitation to talk to you volcanic activity. I’ve always found this
and children’s rhymes about these rats. today. I’m a geological oceanographer, really fascinating.
But Lavery couldn’t find it. Then, in 2015, and when I mention this to people There are lots of new discoveries being
a ranger caught one of the rats as it I usually see that they have no idea made all the time. A recent study
ran out of a tree which was cut down. what it entails. So first, let me give mapped about 20% of the sea floor
“As soon as I examined it, I knew it was you a brief introduction to the field of of the Pacific Ocean, which led to the
different,” Lavery said. It was indeed a oceanography. As the name suggests, discovery of several new species. But
new species. it’s the science of studying the world’s 95% of the world’s ocean floors are still
The next new species is this cute gibbon oceans. This is of huge importance given to be explored – which is really exciting.
which was discovered in the forests of the challenges the world faces because It’s only recently that we’ve had the
the Gaoligong mountains in southwest of rising sea temperatures caused by technology to explore the deepest
Asia. It’s been named after the famous climate change. Oceanographers are parts of the ocean, such as the so-
Star Wars character, Luke Skywalker. This doing essential research in order to find called Challenger Deep, a place that
is because of the gibbon’s high treetop solutions to this problem. is almost 11,000 metres under the
home and the mysticism surrounding it in There are many different types of sea. It’s significantly deeper than the
Chinese history. The Skywalker gibbons’ oceanographers. Marine biologists look height of the highest mountain, Mount
eyebrows are thinner and farther apart, into the effect of changing conditions Everest, which is about 9,000 metres.
and the shape of their skulls and teeth on plants and all types of fish and other People always thought that the deepest
are different from other hoolock gibbons. sea creatures and they collect data parts of the oceans were totally silent.
Sadly, although it has just been found, about them. Because of course it’s not Well, in our research we have found
the Skywalker is already on the list of just humans that are being affected by that the opposite is the case. With the
endangered species. climate change. There are a number help of microphones that are fixed to
My final new species today, is a very of shark species that are in danger of special submarines that can go to these
eye-catching yellow and green frog that becoming extinct – to give just one depths we have recorded high volume
was discovered recently in Ecuador’s example. sounds. These sounds are evidence of
cloud forests. According to a new study, Then we have chemical oceanographers. the enormous amounts of energy there
it is a new species of rainfrog. Ecuador They look into the ways in which are at work down there – there are
is home to 570 frog species. It’s really pollution is having an effect on the rumbling sea-quakes, the equivalent
beautiful. It too is already considered to chemistry of the ocean waters. They of earthquakes as we know them, and
be endangered. also study the critical role the ocean extremely violent currents that have
So, the good news is that we’re finding plays in regulating the earth’s climate by a similar effect on the seafloor that
new species all the time. We don’t know removing carbon from the atmosphere extreme winds such as hurricanes or
how many more species are still out and providing oxygen. And they might tornadoes have on the surface of our
there. What we do know is that more will be involved in exploring what kind of planet.
be found. materials found in oceans could be used
What’s not so good, of course, is that in the development of medicines.
all these animals are endangered. Their Physical oceanographers, in turn,
habitat, that is the places where they do research into all kinds of physical
live, is being destroyed rapidly, and it movements of the oceans, including
is human beings who are doing this. If waves, currents and tides and how
we don’t act now to stop habitats being these movements affect coastlines. For
destroyed, many animals will disappear example, how sand is transported by the
and future generations will only see them sea on and off the coast.
in books. I think it’s vital for humans
to find ways to live well and without
harming other living creatures, don’t
you?

Student’s Book Audioscript T129