CROSSROADS Language StudioÊs Newsletter July
July,ly , 2022

From the brink of extinction in the mid1990’s, the Kakapo is making a comeback!
Kakapo, a jolly, rotund parrot once
inhabited all of New Zealand, but today lives
on only two or three small islands off themainland’s coast. Their total population had
once declined to only about 40, but todaythat number is up to around 200 and has thepossibility of reaching 250 at the end of thecurrent breading season.
Kakapos are unique in so many ways.
Although they have wings, they are theworld’s only flightless parrot – they use theirwings for balance and support as they scurrythrough the jungle. At about 60cm tall andweighing between 2 and 4kg they are also
the world’s heaviest parrot. When startled,
their only defence is to freeze, hoping toblend in with the surrounding foliage. This
was a useful strategy when their only
predators were eagles that use sight to hunt.
The fact that they are nocturnal also
contributed to their survival - they roostinElla
trees or on the ground during daylight hours– until recently. It only took a few hundredyears for humanity to all but wipe out 50
Janismillion years of their evolution in New Zealand!
Before the 13th century, New Zealand waslargely uninhabited with no native mammals
living on the islands;
the Kakapo thrived.
Then the Mãori people
arrived along withmammals and diseases.
Next, the Europeanslanded in the 18thcentury and things got
a lot worse for theessentially defencelessKakapo.

The introduction ofdogs, cats, rats and othermammals that prey on theKakapo has beendevastating. Humans
too have hunted
them for food inthe past. Yet, inspite of all thismistreatment, thesebirds
remainfriendly towards
people even, in somecases, forming strong attachments. GeorgeEdward Grey, an English ornithologist
wrote in his 1845 journal, that his pet
kakapo’s behavior was “more like a dog thana bird.” According to the specialists that
regularly work with them now, they arehighly intelligent with each bird having a
distinct personality. And… they have apleasant “musty-sweet” odour as well...
Another interesting characteristic is thatthey are very long-lived with a life expectancyof over 90 years. Some estimates suggest they
could live up to 120 or so!
The Kakapo is strictly vegetarian feedingon seeds, nuts, fruits and flowers.
There has been a lot oftime, effort and money
dedicated to preserving
this unique NZ parrot.
The few small islands
they presently inhabit
have been cleared ofany and all potential
predators and they are
now surviving!

Department of Conservation
worker with chicks

NET LESSONS: Too busy to come to CROSSROADS?
…. Try our lessons on the net!
Go here for some more info about these parrots:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/kakapo-files

Joshua Says: It’s been 6 months since we moved into our new building and
we seem to have settled in nicely; even our plants have passed the crisis (myfault, I left them outside in the cold during last December) and all havesurvived, or are reviving after, the change. I am especially happy to note thatnone of our students quit because of the change and I thank our loyal students
for that. Now if only we can get past this Corona thing…
Junko Says: As you know, reading English helps you increase your vocabulary,phrasing, and if you read for pleasure to the extent that you lose yourself in thestory, you’ll start to absorb English like a sponge. Here are two sites where you
can read English stories for free online: 1. https://www.classicshorts.com : here
you can chose a book by title or author; and 2. https://learnenglish-new.com :here 100 books are graded from beginners to advanced.
Marek Says: The recent assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abecame as a shock to many people around the world, especially in Europe, where Mr.
Abe was held in high regard as a politician and a popular persona of Japan. This
unprecedented event may possibly embolden others to commit equally heinous acts
such as this. Modern day Japan has always been seen as an exceptionally safecountry with welcoming society, and I do hope it continues to be so.
Mandcy dit: "Le saviez-vous ? Non seulement le pain est l'aliment principal des français mais
il est aussi divin. C'est à dire que selon la religion catholique, le pain est la chair du Christ. Donc,si vous dînez avec des français, il faut faire attention que le pain ne soit pas poser à l'envers sur latable. En effet, le pain à l'envers est signe du malheur. Si le pain est à l'envers, alors le Diable vavenir et il faut dessiner une croix sur le pain pour conjurer la malédiction. J'ai déjà vu beaucoup defrançais se mettrent en colère. Alors, n'oubliez pas de faire attention au pain et bon appétit !!!"
1ACROSS
2 no longer existing3
4 surprised suddenly
6 fat, round shape
8 suddenly stop moving
10 return to an earlier condition
11 grow vigorously
13 a cluster of plant leaves
14 settle down, sit or stay
15 devoted to11
17 moving, rushing about hurriedly
18 a zoologist who studies birds
19 one of a kind
20 animals that prey onother animals
DOWN
1 active at night
3 exist or be situated in
5 grown worse or less7 having a completely
destroying effect
9 up to the limit
12 basically, fundamentally
16 easily recognizable (print version here)

2

4

56

7

8
9

10
12
13
14
15

16

1718

1920

What’s it called? Not only do the British and Americans spell some words
differently, they also have completely different fords for certain
things. The lists below are for items in UK English and in US English. See
if you can link the words that have the same meaning:
UKUS
UK
US
aubergine
autumn
bill
bin
boot
bonnet (of a car)chips
cookerchemist’s (shop)CVflat
gardendustbinflatmate
fortnight
full stop
holiday
indicator (on a car)letter box
lift
lorry
luggagetrunk
roommatedrugstore
apartmentyard
two weeks
eggplant
mail box
fall
periodtrash canresumeFrench fries
elevator
hoodtruckstovecheckbaggage
garbage canblinkervacation

F E R M E N T A T I O NSPSUAFTTPNHLV I R A L
EPAOOEMRREP A R T I C U L A R L YIE N Z Y M E SAZLLSIEB
F A T I G U E
SL A C KMRBII S O L A T E
A L B E I TNWNGM I C R O B E S
DRP O T E N TINC OM P R E S S E DS
Dmotorway
nappypavementpetrol
post
postcode
primary schoolqueuerubberrubbishsecondary schooltrunk (of a car)solicitor
startersweetstaxi
tram
trousers
undergroundvest
waistcoatwardrobe

mailelementary school
high schoolbootappetizer
candy
vest
diaperfreeway/highway
subwaystreetcar/cable carcab
gas/gasoline
closetpants
garbageline
zip code
undershirt
sidewalk
lawyereraserLast Month’s Puzzle Solution

ACROSS
1 breakdown of sugar toalcohol
8 relating to, or caused by avirus
10 distinctly, uniquely different
11 proteins produced in bodycells13 loss of energy and strength
15 needing or missing
something
16 separate
17 even though
18 tiny life forms
19 having a strong physical orchemical effect
20 pressed tightly together

DOWN
2 best, most favorable
3 bringing under control
by force
4 incapable of reproducing
5 lack of red blood-cells inthe blood
6 plant life
7 used in the production ofbeer
9 inflammatory conditionof the skin
12 companies that producebeer
14 stopped given up

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