Name: edHelper A Lost World Found At a time when many of Earth's plant and animal species are in crisis, groups of new species have been discovered in both Australia and Indonesia. Scientists went to the reefs of Australia to count the different species there. They were surprised to find several new ones. A scientist from the Australian Institute of Marine Science says, "There are literally hundreds and hundreds of new species that no one has ever collected or described." Scientists found about 130 new species of soft corals and several crustaceans in the Australian waters. Another group of Australian scientists also found 850 previously unknown species living in underwater caves and micro-caverns in the Australian Outback in 2009. Most of the new species are insects, worms, spiders, and crustaceans. Most are also blind, and many have no eyes at all. They are also pale because they have been living their entire lives without exposure to light. Two species of blind fish and two species of blind eels were also found. Scientists also discovered what they called a "lost world" in the Foja Mountains of Indonesia in December of 2005. More than two million acres of old growth tropical forest that had never been explored was found there. Among the species found in these mountains was the golden-mantled tree kangaroo. It had never been seen in Indonesia. Also found was a primitive, egg-laying mammal once thought to be extinct. It is called the long-beaked echidna. The Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise was thought to be nearly extinct but was found again in the Foja Mountains. Twenty new species of frogs, four new butterflies, and several new plant species were also found here. These findings must be reviewed before they can be officially classified. The process can take up to several years, but they believe they have only "scratched the surface." A Lost World Found Questions 1. What kinds of animals were found in the Outback caves in Australia? A. crippled animals B. deaf animals C. blind animals D. mute animals Name: edHelper 2. When was the "lost world" in Indonesia discovered? A. 2000 B. 2009 C. 2006 D. 2005 3. How large was the Foja Mountain area they found? A. two million acres B. three million acres C. a million acres D. a hundred million acres 4. Which primitive mammal was discovered in Indonesia that was once believed to be extinct? 5. How many new frog species were discovered in the Foja Mountians? A. 10 B. 3 C. 5 D. 20 6. What is the name of the nearly extinct bird re-discovered in Indonesia? What is the area of a Round 98,525 to the nearest rectangle with sides 4 cm 14, 16, 18, 20, , hundred. and 11 cm? 24, 26 34 + n = 47 How many minutes is it from Estimate quickly the 9:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.? difference. 7,700 - 1,270 word root tract can mean pull traction, tractor edHelper Name: One of the Indonesian scientists said, ""There was not a single trail, no sign of civilization, no sign of even local communities ever having been there." But now that the area has been discovered, what do you predict will happen to this pristine wilderness and all the new species living there? Don't stop writing. Use a blank piece of paper to continue. Name: edHelper Hurricane Katrina, August 2005 At the top of the list of the costliest natural disasters in the history of the United States is Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina was the third strongest hurricane ever to hit the U. S. It affected 90,000 square miles in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama. The hurricane formed over the Bahamas and turned into a Category 1 hurricane by the time it hit the southeastern tip of Florida. It got stronger as it traveled across the Gulf of Mexico. It made its second landfall off the coast of southeast Louisiana on Monday, August 29, 2005. It had become a category 4 hurricane by then. The storm surge that followed caused destruction from central Florida to Texas. New Orleans, Louisiana, experienced even more damage because its levees were breeched, letting water flood a large portion of the city. The National Weather Service warned people of the tropical monster that was heading towards the southern coast. Residents were told to expect power outages. They were told they might lose their rooftops and to expect water shortages. The National Hurricane Director was very concerned. He personally called the governors of Louisiana and Mississippi. He even called President Bush at his ranch in Texas. He spoke directly with New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin. Nagin issued an evacuation order for his city. Most people left. About eighty percent of the population evacuated. The estimate was that around 100,000 people remained in the metro area. Some were stranded tourists; others did not own a car and had no way out. Those who were not able to leave were instructed to go to the New Orleans Convention Center and the Superdome. There were fourteen deaths in Florida as a result of the hurricane. Two people were killed in Alabama. Mississippi was hit hard. Two hundred thirty-eight deaths were reported in Mississippi. The state received severe property damage. Water reached inland twelve miles from the shoreline in some places. Ninety percent of the seaside communities of Biloxi, Gulfport, and others were flooded in the state of Mississippi. When the storm hit New Orleans, the winds speeds rose up to 145 mph. The storm surge that followed was even worse. The levee system in New Orleans gave way under the force of the storm surge. Water began to fill the city streets. Low-lying neighborhoods were flooded. People who stayed behind had to find high ground to keep from drowning. Many did not survive this final blow. In the end, nearly eighty percent of the city of New Orleans was flooded. Many deaths were reported; the number varies from 986 to more than 1,500 by different sources. By Tuesday, the entire nation was shocked by the television footage of the most damaging hurricane in U.S. history. More than 50,000 people were stranded in the Convention Center without water, proper toilet facilities, or food. The situation was becoming even more desperate. They were cooped up like this until Saturday, September 3, when the buses finally began to leave town. Name: edHelper Around 1,800 deaths from the effects of Katrina were counted across seven states. Unclaimed and unidentified bodies lay in makeshift morgues for weeks, even months. The damage was estimated to top $108 billion. Many survivors believe that it was more than the levee system that failed in this disaster. The government's mismanagement and lack of leadership after the disaster was deemed inexcusable by many of the area's residents - not just in New Orleans - but along the entire path of the killer hurricane. Hurricane Katrina, August 2005 Questions 1. Where did the hurricane begin forming? A. near Mexico B. near the Bahamas C. near Hawaii D. near Cuba 2. By the time the hurricane hit Louisiana, how strong was it? A. Category 4 B. Category 1 C. Category 3 D. Category 2 3. What percent of New Orleans population left the city before the storm? 4. People in New Orleans who were stranded were directed to go where? 5. How many states lost lives to Hurricane Katrina? A. five B. seven C. four D. six 6. How much of New Orleans flooded? edHelper Name: The sentence, "Many survivors believe that it was more than the levee system that failed in this disaster," is a reference to the failure of federal and local authorities to communicate and assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Do you think a mandatory evacuation is the answer to saving lives in a disaster such as this? Does your community have a disaster plan in place? What kind of disaster plan do you have in place in your home in case of fire or other emergency? Don't stop writing. Use a blank piece of paper to continue. Name: edHelper Brown Bears Brown bears have the widest range of habitats of all bear species. They live in northern North America, Europe, and Asia. Their broad range of living spaces -- including open plains, tundra, meadows, mountain forests, and coastlines -- is why brown bears have an "identity crisis." Well, there is no confusion that brown bears are bears. The underlying issue is "what exactly are brown bears?" By definition, brown bears have two unique physical features that some other bear species lack. The two features are prominent shoulder humps and dished-in (concave) facial profiles. Grizzly bears (or, simply, grizzlies), Kodiak bears, Alaskan bears, Siberian bears, Manchurian bears, Hokkaido bears, and several others all fit the description. Scientists have debated for years whether all these bears are separate, independent species or just subspecies of brown bears. Although a consensus has yet to be reached, most scientists are leaning toward the subspecies theory. If you think the classification (or taxonomy) of brown bears is confusing, you will find the coloration of brown bears even more perplexing. Contrary to their names, brown bears are not necessary brown. For example, grizzly bears have fur colors ranging from black to various shades of brown to blond. The grizzled effect given off by their silver-tipped hairs is how grizzly bears got their name. Feeding on both plants and animals, brown bears are omnivorous. Their diet includes berries, roots, bulbs, fish, rodents, insects, or even carrion (decaying animal flesh).