Just Back: The Tears of a Rhino

(Read Nicky Thomass moving encounter with one of Africa's endangered animals) By Nicky Thomas (The Daily Telegraph) Read the text carefully, paying attention to the underlined words. Can you figure out their meanings just by looking at their context? Have a look at the explanations below. Look at each words pronunciation and meaning (and the example in a sentence). Try to make a sentence with each new word. Why not, write a short composition using these words (you can re-tell the story or invent a new story).

We come around the corner of the rutted dirt track, and see him standing proudly in the dusk by the lake. A rhinoceros, I exclaim, but then, what happened to his horn? The ranger quietly replies, He was dehorned to stop poachers. We ask no more questions and the drive continues past termite mounds and a herd of kudu grazing. That night we dine outside in the soft darkness of an African winter, by a large campfire under trees festooned with lights. Our plates are laden with game stew and sosaties (kebabs), followed by rich, creamy desserts.

Next morning, driving in the crisp early light, we spot zebras warming themselves in the suns rays, herds of eland and giraffes grazing on distant trees. We pass through double gates into a land of grass, thorn bushes and trees the predators side of the reserve. The ranger stops and cautiously moves the vehicle forward. Three lions laze on the grass with cubs tumbling around, clambering over their father and pestering their mother to play. They look like Andrex puppies until one pads past us. Moving past the lions, we spot a solitary bull elephant, tearing greedily at acacia trees. This reminds us it is several hours after we washed muffins down with hot coffee before

setting off and now it is breakfast time. Later, in the curio shop, I spot glass and silver earrings for sale, labelled Rhino Tears. The packet tells how the poaching of two rhinos inspired a crafter to make jewellery and offer what he can to fight this evil crime. Turning the packet over I see the cardboard is a part of a recycled cereal packet. That afternoon, we drive in bright sunlight on the tracks, through streams and across grass plains. As we approach a small group of rhino, our ranger pauses and turns to us. I must explain, he says. The face of the female rhino. He pauses again. Our rhino were poached two years ago, and their horns hacked out of their faces. One was killed but one survived. The bull died a few weeks later from his injuries, but the female survived. Her face looks strange. The rhino turns towards us. The great flat scar stretches across her face but she pulls contentedly on the grass. A young rhino stands nearby. Six months after the attack, the female had a baby. We didnt know she was pregnant. The father must be the dead bull. The herd browses calmly before moving off in the early evening warmth. Vocabulary: rut [rat] = n. a sunken track or groove made by the passage of vehicles ranger = n. 1. a warden employed to maintain and protect a natural area, such as a forest or park 2. a wanderer; a rover 3. a member of an armed troop employed in patrolling a specific region poacher = n. one who hunts or fishes illegally on the property of another mound = n. movila; 1. a pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris heaped for protection or concealment. 2. a natural elevation, such as a small hill kudu = n. an African antelope festoon [festu:n] = n. a string or garland, as of leaves or flowers, suspended in a loop or curve between two points. v. festooned, festooning, festoons = to decorate with or as if with festoons; hang festoons on to lade [leid] = v. laded, laden (leidn) or laded, lading, lades 1. To load with or as if with cargo. 2. To burden or oppress; weigh down. laden = (past participle of lade) = impovarat 1. weighed down with a load; heavy: "the warmish air, laden with the rains of those thousands of miles of western sea" (Hilaire Belloc). 2. oppressed; burdened: laden with grief stew [styu] = v. to cook (food) by simmering or boiling slowly n. a dish of meat, fish, or other food, cooked by stewing

eland = n. a large African antelope to graze [greiz] = v. a paste; to feed on growing grasses and herbage to laze [leiz] = v. a lenevi; to be lazy; loaf: laze around the house; He lazed the afternoon away in a hammock. to clamber up [klmb] = v. a se catara to climb with difficulty, especially on all fours: We clambered up the hill. to pester = v. a bate la cap; to harass with petty annoyances; bother The children pester me all the time to give them sweets. greedy [gri:di] = a. lacom 1. excessively desirous of acquiring or possessing, especially wishing to possess more than what one needs or deserves 2. wanting to eat or drink more than one can reasonably consume; gluttonous 3. extremely eager or desirous: greedy for the opportunity to prove their ability. to set off = v. a porni la drum to label [leib l] = v. a eticheta (un ambalaj); a eticheta pe cineva 1. to mark with a label 2. to describe or classify in a word or phrase to label someone a liar crafter = n. a creator of great skill in the manual arts: The jewelry was made by internationally famous craftsmen. jewellery (British English) = jewelry (American English) = bijuterii to hack = v. 1. to cut or chop with repeated and irregular blows: He hacked down the saplings. 2. to gain access to (a computer file or network) illegally or without authorization: He hacked the firm's personnel database. to browse[ brouz] = v. 1. to inspect something leisurely and casually: We browsed through the map collection for items of interest.

2. to read something superficially by selecting passages at random: They browsed through the report during lunch. 3. to look for information on the Internet. Grammar: Look at the verbs in the above text; the narrator uses Present Tense Simple to express actions that happen in the present. Look at the adverbs of frequency used with Present Tense Simple: often, seldom, sometimes, frequently, etc. Now try to fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verbs in simple present tense (do not forget to put an s for the 3 rd person singular (look looks; say says; play plays; fly flies; cry cries, watch watches):

1) Julia (sometimes, sell) _______ _______ lemonade on hot days. 2) Thomas (often, play) _______ _______ baseball after school. 3) My neighbor (never, paint) _______ _______ his house; it looks terrible! 4) The students (eagerly, leave) _______ _______ their classrooms when the bell rings. 5) Mrs. Gomez (quickly, water) _______ _______ the plants when she (get) _______ home at five o'clock. 6) Each night, Serena (kindly, help) _______ _______her little sister with geography homework. 7) Stuart (happily, play) _______ _______video games with his friends on Saturdays. 8) Joan and Nate (patiently, wait) _______ _______ for the bus to arrive each day. 9) The jazz musicians in our town (frequently, win) _______ _______ competitions. 10) The merry-go-round (slowly, come) _______ _______ to a stop every five minutes. Answer Key: 1) sometimes sells 2) often plays 3) never paints 4) eagerly leave 5) quickly waters, gets 6) kindly helps 7) happily plays 8) patiently wait 9) frequently win 10) slowly comes.