5-minute listening: Myrtle, a 95-year-old turtle at a Boston aquarium, is in the pink of health
- The 225kg reptile is in robust condition despite her age; veterinarians performed the check-up after she was hoisted from a tank
- Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page
New England Aquarium staff and visitors look at Myrtle as the massive sea turtle rests in a crate after being hoisted out of a giant tank before a medical examination. Photo: APQuestions
1. What does the word “ancient” say about Myrtle?
A. She is very old.
B. She is a friendly turtle.
C. She is new to the aquarium.
D. She is green in colour.
2. How much does Myrtle weigh?
A. less than 25kg
B. about 100kg
C. more than 200kg
D. exactly 500kg
3. Which word can replace “humungous” in the podcast?
A. tremendous
B. gigantic
C. monstrous
D. vast
4. How was Myrtle removed from the tank?
A. She swam out on her own.
B. She was carried by 10 people.
C. She was transferred into a sling.
D. She was hoisted up in a crate.
5. How old is Myrtle approximately?
A. a little over 70 years old
B. close to 90 years old
C. almost 50 years old
D. more than 100 years old
6. If an animal is in “robust condition”, it …
A. is in good physical health.
B. has just recovered from a serious illness.
C. needs to receive some basic medical treatment.
D. none of the above.
7. How does Myrtle behave when she is around humans?
A. She can be aggressive.
B. She is very shy.
C. She is friendly.
D. She ignores them.
8. Where was Myrtle before she arrived at the New England Aquarium?
A. in the ocean
B. at a rescue centre
C. at a breeder’s house
D. at another aquarium
9. What is happening to the population of wild green sea turtles according to the podcast?
A. They are increasing rapidly in number.
B. They are decreasing in number.
C. The population has remained stable over the last decade.
D. Their numbers rise and fall repeatedly.
10. How is Myrtle different to Carolina and Retread?
A. They are of different species.
B. Myrtle is twice as old as Carolina and Retread.
C. Carolina and Retread are half of Myrtle’s size.
D. all of the above.
11. Arrange the following steps that describe the process of Myrtle’s examination in chorological order from 1 to 5.
A. Myrtle is brought to a special deck.
B. Myrtle is examined by a team of specialists.
C. Crate is lifted out of the water.
D. Myrtle goes back to her ocean tank.
E. Divers guide Myrtle into a special crate.
Answers
1. A
2. C
3. B
4. D
5. B
6. A
7. C
8. D
9. B
10. D
11. (1) E; (2) C; (3) A; (4) B; (5) D
Script
Adapted from Associated Press
Voice 1: Visitors at the New England Aquarium in the US city of Boston were treated to a rare sight earlier this month when Myrtle, an ancient green sea turtle, had her check-up. Vets performed Myrtle’s check-up after hoisting the 225kg reptile from a giant tank in an enormous crate. The humungous turtle was then lifted from the tank in a way that resembled how a piano can be lifted outside a building.
Voice 2: Myrtle has been a resident of the aquarium for more than 50 years. She is thought to be up to 95 years old, placing her just beyond the upper boundaries of how long the species usually lives. According to Mike O’Neill, manager of the ocean tank, the giant turtle is in robust condition despite her advanced age.
Voice 1: Giving the massive sea turtle a physical exam is no small feat, and it happens about twice per year. First, a team of divers shepherded Myrtle into the underwater crate, which was lifted from the water by a winch. The process took place during operating hours at the aquarium, and dozens of onlookers watched as Myrtle was brought to a deck for the exam.
Voice 2: Next, a team of vets and aquarists worked together to draw blood from Myrtle, check her flippers for range of motion and make sure her eyes, mouth and nose were in working order. Aquarium staff assured curious children that the turtle was in no danger – and that the vets were trained professionals safe from her powerful jaws. Myrtle then received an ultrasound, and her weight was taken before she was returned to the ocean tank.
Voice 1: Over the decades, Myrtle has been visited by about 50 million people and is now used to humans. The aquarium’s website boasts that Myrtle, who arrived from another aquarium in 1970, loves having her shell scratched. Myrtle shares space with loggerhead sea turtles named Carolina and Retread, who are about half her age and size. The aquatic roommates received physicals on the same day and are all doing well.
Voice 2: Green sea turtles are the second-largest species of sea turtles living in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists them as endangered and decreasing in population.