Madagascar is not famous only for its lemurs, though the animated films might give you that impression – Read the following passage and do the given activities

Q. 4. (A) Read the following passage and do the given activities

Madagascar is not famous only for its lemurs, though the animated films might give you that impression! The island nation off the east coast of Africa is home to interesting endemic carnivores, too. One of them is the Fossa. Though it is the largest carnivore on the island, the fossa’s habits in the wild are little known since it is so elusive.

Madagascar’s top predator looks like a mix of a monkey, a cat and a weasel! A rich golden brown colour with a whitish belly, a fossa has paws with claws like a cat, a 65-70 cm long thin tail like a monkey and small rounded ears like a weasel! Its tail measures about the same as its sinuous, low-slung body.

Earlier, scientists thought that it was a nocturnal hunter because it was so rarely spotted. However, recent studies have shown that fossas hunt and sleep at any time of the day. It is a superb ambush hunter and eats small and medium-sized prey such as fish, birds, mice and wild pigs. However, its main food is lemurs.

Fossas are equally at home on tall trees and on the ground. The long tail helps them to maintain their balance on narrow branches. Retractable claws and flexible ankle joints enable them to climb down tree trunks head first!

The den is made in an old termite mound, the hollow of a tree or a rock crevice. There are two to six pups to a litter and they are born toothless and with white fur. They are dependent on the mother till they are eight months old.

A1. Complete the web

The food of the fossa

Answer :

1. wild pigs
2. fish
3. lemurs
4. birds/mice

A2. Describe the physical appearance of fossa

The fossa is a large carnivore and looks like a mix of a monkey, a cat and a weasel. It has a rich golden brown colour, a white belly, claws like a cat, a thin tail like a monkey and small rounded ears like a weasel. It has a sinuous, low-slung body, with retractable claws and flexible ankle joints.

A3. Vocabulary

Find out the words from the passage and write them in the boxes provided.

1. Animals feeding on other animals. →carnivores
2. Turning and twisting when moving →sinuous
3. Awake and active at night →nocturnal
4. Surprise attack from a hidden position →ambush

A4. Grammar

The animals are solitary and silent.
(Use not only … but also … .)

Answer: The animals are not only solitary but also silent.

However, recent studies have shown that fossas hunt and sleep at any time of the day. (Find any two determiners.)

Answer: determiners – any, the

A5. Describe any other mix breed animal or bird you are aware of.

Answer : The mixed breed animal that I know of is the mule. A mule is the offspring of a donkey and a horse. It is bigger than a donkey but smaller than a horse. Mules can withstand severe hardships and work under extremely difficult conditions. They are called ‘beasts of burden’ and used for transporting goods, as they are very patient and sure-footed.

Q. 4. (B) Summary Writing

Read the passage given in Q. 4. (A) and write a summary of it in a paragraph. Suggest a suitable title.

Answer :

Madagascar’s Fossa

  The Fossa is the largest carnivore on the island of Madagascar. In looks, it is a mix of a monkey, a cat and a weasel. The fossa is not a nocturnal hunter as was thought before, but can hunt and sleep at any time of the day. It is a great ambush hunter and its main food is lemurs. Blessed with a sinuous and flexible body, it can live in the trees as well as on the ground. It makes its den in a variety of places. It gives birth to two to six pups at a time, and they depend on their mother till they are eight months old.