The Polar Bear
by Sarath Ghosh (Roots)
Start Here
Do you know these animals? Match the pictures to their names.
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Comprehension
Read and answer
1. Read the following statements. Tick the ones that are true.
a. Polar bears run after their prey. [X]
b. Polar bears eat fish and seal. [✓]
c. Polar bears live in Australia. [X]
d. Polar bears have smaller heads than other bears. [✓]
2. None of the following would make a good home for a polar bear. Give one different reason for each.
Polar bear can not live in the first place because their white colour can be easily traceable among the green background.
Polar bear can not live in the second place because of the extreme heat. They already have coat of thicker hair thick lining of fat in their body.
Polar bear can not live in the third place because they can not find any food for them. In the mountains, there lives very few animals and no edible fruits can grow in that height.
Reference to context
3. "In order to catch his prey, the polar bear makes a hole in the ice."
a. What is the polar bear's prey?
= Fish and seal are the polar bear's prey.
b. What does the polar bear do next?
= He sits down very quietly by the edge of the hole and waits for a fish or a seal to swim past it. When that happens, the bear pounces very quickly with his paws or his jaws and catches his prey.
c. What does the polar bear do when the ice is too thick to make a hole?
= If the ice is too thick for the bear to make a hole, he has to try another way. He comes right down to the part of the sea where some of the ice has broken off. There he chooses a place at the edge of the ice and he waits for a fish or a seal to swim past. Then he pounces on it and catches it.
4. "His coat of hair is much thicker than the coat of any other bear."
a. What colour is the polar bear's coat? Is there any reason behind the colour?
= The polar bear's coat is all white - like the colour of everything around him.
Because when the polar bear sits down very quietly, nobody can see him even from a short distance. And that is why neither the fish nor the seal can see him and they get caught.
b. Why is the polar bear's coat thicker than the coat of other types of bears?
= The polar bear's coat is thicker than the coat of other types of bears because he lives in a colder place than any other bear.
c. How does the coat protect the polar bear when it gets wet while swimming?
= The polar bear sometimes has to swim through the icy water to get to a floating field of ice, so that he can catch fish. Then, although his hair gets wet, he has a thick lining of fat inside his coat to keep him warm.
5. "The soles of the feet of other bears are smooth, just like the feet of all other animals that walk on the ground."
a. How are the soles of other bears different from that of polar bears'?
= The soles of the feet of other bears are smooth, just like the feet of all other animals that walk on the ground. But the soles of the polar bear are covered with long hair, just like his body.
b. What is the reason behind the difference?
= Polar bear has to walk on ice, which is very slippery, and he needs to have the soles of his feet covered with hair. Otherwise he would slip on the ice.
c. Are there any other features of the polar bear that differs from other types of bears?
= Yes, the polar bear has a smaller head than any other kind of bear to make it easier for him to put his head through the hole in the ice, when he is catching fish.
They also have a longer neck than any other kind of bear to give him a longer reach while catching fish.
6. "... so they do not need to have a small head."
a. Who are 'they'?
= 'They' are the other kinds of bears except polar bear.
b. Why do 'they' not need a small head?
= 'They' do not need a small head because they do not have to put their heads into a hole to get anything to eat.
c. How do you think they catch their prey?
= I think they catch their prey with their hands and legs.
Reflect and answer
7. What qualities does the polar bear display while waiting for its prey?
= While waiting for its prey, the polar bear is very calm and quiet. He is very swift to catch the prey once it sees any fish or seal. They are very quick in moving their head and paws to catch their prey. They can skilfully swim in the cold water of the North Pole.