INSTRUCTIONS TO WORK ON THE VIDEO :

Since their emergence over 200,000 years ago, modern humans have established homes and communities all over the planet. But they didn’t do it alone. Whatever corner of the globe you find homo sapiens in today, you’re likely to find another species nearby: Canis lupus familiaris. Whether they’re herding, hunting, sledding, or slouching the sheer variety of domestic dogs is staggering. But what makes the story of man’s best friend so surprising is that they all evolved from a creature often seen as one of our oldest rivals: Canis lupus, or the gray wolf. When our Paleolithic ancestors first settled Eurasia roughly 100,000 years ago, wolves were one of their main rivals at the top of the food chain. Able to exert over 300 lbs. of pressure in one bone-crushing bite and sniff out prey more than a mile away, these formidable predators didn’t have much competition. Much like human hunter-gatherers, they lived and hunted in complex social groups consisting of a few nuclear families, and used their social skills to cooperatively take down larger creatures. Using these group tactics, they operated as effective persistence hunters, relying not on outrunning their prey, but pursuing it to the point of exhaustion. 

But when pitted against the similar strengths of their invasive new neighbors, wolves found themselves at a crossroads. For most packs, these bourgeoning bipeds represented a serious threat to their territory. But for some wolves, especially those without a pack, human camps offered new opportunities. Wolves that showed less aggression towards humans could come closer to their encampments, feeding on leftovers. And as these more docile scavengers outlasted their aggressive brethren, their genetic traits were passed on, gradually breeding tamer wolves in areas near human populations. 

Over time humans found a multitude of uses for these docile wolves. They helped to track and hunt prey, and might have served as sentinels to guard camps and warn of approaching enemies. Their similar social structure made it easy to integrate with human families and learn to understand their commands. Eventually they moved from the fringes of our communities into our homes, becoming humanity’s first domesticated animal. 

The earliest of these Proto-Dogs or Wolf-Dogs, seem to have appeared around 33,000 years ago, and would not have looked all that different from their wild cousins. They were primarily distinguished by their smaller size and a shorter snout full of comparatively smaller teeth. But as human cultures and occupations became more diverse and specialized, so did our friends. Short stocky dogs to herd livestock by nipping their heels; elongated dogs to flush badgers and foxes out of burrows; thin and sleek dogs for racing; and large, muscular dogs for guard duty. With the emergence of kennel clubs and dog shows during England’s Victorian era, these dog types were standardized into breeds, with many new ones bred purely for appearance. Sadly, while all dog breeds are the product of artificial selection, some are healthier than others. Many of these aesthetic characteristics come with congenital health problems, such as difficulty breathing or being prone to spinal injuries. 

Humanity’s longest experiment in controlled evolution has had other side effects as well. Generations of selection for tameness have favored more juvenile and submissive traits that were pleasing to humans. This phenomenon of selecting traits associated with youth is known as neoteny, and can be seen in many domestic animals. Thousands of years of co-evolution may even have bonded us chemically. Not only can canines understand our emotions and body language, but when dogs and humans interact, both our bodies release oxytocin; a hormone commonly associated with feelings of love and protectiveness. 

It might be difficult to fathom how every Pomeranian, Chihuahua, and Poodle are descended from fierce wolves. But the diversity of breeds today is the result of a relationship that precedes cities, agriculture, and even the disappearance of our Neanderthal cousins. And it’s heartening to know that given enough time, even our most dangerous rivals can become our fiercest friends.

Questions:

According to the video, are these statements true or false?

1. Our species has become aware of the existence of dogs in a recent past.
2. Dogs belong to the same species that wolves do.
3. Dogs were always “men’s best friend”.
4. Wolves understood that they could benefit from human interaction.
5. Dog breeds are a consequence of evolution.
6. Dogs are not capable of feeling love and protectiveness, however they understand human emotions and body language.
7. The variety of dogs that currently exists has an immense background.

1. F
2. T
3. F
4. T
5. F
6. F
7. T

Answers:

1. at
2. from
3. in
4. was
5. may
6. to
7. can
8. if
9. that
10. sending
11. look

Traduire les phrases suivantes en anglais, issues du texte, puis retrouver ces phrases dans les deux premiers paragraphes du texte en anglais:

1. Qu'importe l'endroit du monde où l'on trouve l'homo sapiens aujourd'hui, il y a de forte chances de trouver une autre espece proche: Cani Lupus Familiaris.

2. Les loups qui se montraient moins aggressif envers les humains pouvaient s'approcher des camps et se nourrire des restes..

Essential Grammar in use p 157-158

unit 75 some / any

Put in some or any.

1. I bought ... cheese but I didn't buy ... bread.
2. I'm going to the post office. I need .... stamps.
3. There aren't ... shops in this part of town.
4. Georges and Alice haven't got ... children.
5. Have you got ... brothers or sisters?
6. There are ... beautiful flowers in the garden.
7. Do you know .... good hotels in London ?
8. "Would you like ... ?"  "Yes please."
9. When we were on holiday, we visited ..... interesting places.
10. Don't buy .... rice. We don't need .... .
11. I went ou to buy .... milk but they didn't have ... in the shop.
12. I'm thirsty? Can I have .... water please ?

1. some        any
2. some
3. any
4. any
5. any
6. some
7. any
8. some
9. any
10. any     any
11. some     any
12. some

(please note that this definitions are according to the context)

Herding (-ing form of the verb to herd) - move in a group.

Slouching (-ing form of the verb to slouch) - stand, move, or sit in a lazy, drooping way.

Sheer (adjective) - nothing other than; unmitigated (used for emphasis)

Staggering (adjective) - deeply shocking; astonishing.

Outrunning (-ing form of the verb to outrun) - run faster or further than.

pitted against (past and past participle of the phrasal verb to pit against) - to cause (someone or something) to fight or compete against.

Scavengers (noun, plural of scavenger) - an animal that feeds on carrion, dead plant material, or refuse.

Brethren (noun) - archaic plural of brother.

Fringes (noun, plural of fringe) - the outer, marginal, or extreme part of.

Peseshet is a doctor and a teacher. The video describes a typical day of her life.

Now it is you turn. Write a text :

- Present yourself.

- Describe your profession.

- Tell what you did to get this job.

- Describe a typical day of your life : what usually happens when you are at work?

You can book a one to one class with a teacher who will correct your writing exercise.  One to one classes can be online, with a video call, anytime of the day. 

This gives you full flexibility for your timetable.

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