full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Jack Cooper and Catalina Pimiento: Why did Megalodon go extinct?

Unscramble the Blue Letters


Because mdloaeongs were highly mobile predators, their ecoxtniitn had global ceoeeunnscqs. The end of their long-distance travels probably disrupted nutrient transport between different ecosystems. And many animals were suddenly resaleed from the immense predatory pressure of their bite. Interestingly, some marine mammals datraliamlcy increased in size afterwards, which was perhaps partially afforded because they were no longer dealing with such a mega-existential trheat. Knowing that the decline of apex predators can destabilize entire esctysmeos, conservationists are working to prevent today’s sharks from fcnaig a similar fate— this time, because of humans. And meanwhile, the megalodon remains a colossal testament to ecological interdependence and millions of years of bones well-bitten and waters well-wandered.

Open Cloze


Because __________ were highly mobile predators, their __________ had global ____________. The end of their long-distance travels probably disrupted nutrient transport between different ecosystems. And many animals were suddenly ________ from the immense predatory pressure of their bite. Interestingly, some marine mammals ____________ increased in size afterwards, which was perhaps partially afforded because they were no longer dealing with such a mega-existential ______. Knowing that the decline of apex predators can destabilize entire __________, conservationists are working to prevent today’s sharks from ______ a similar fate— this time, because of humans. And meanwhile, the megalodon remains a colossal testament to ecological interdependence and millions of years of bones well-bitten and waters well-wandered.

Solution


  1. released
  2. dramatically
  3. threat
  4. ecosystems
  5. facing
  6. megalodons
  7. extinction
  8. consequences

Original Text


Because megalodons were highly mobile predators, their extinction had global consequences. The end of their long-distance travels probably disrupted nutrient transport between different ecosystems. And many animals were suddenly released from the immense predatory pressure of their bite. Interestingly, some marine mammals dramatically increased in size afterwards, which was perhaps partially afforded because they were no longer dealing with such a mega-existential threat. Knowing that the decline of apex predators can destabilize entire ecosystems, conservationists are working to prevent today’s sharks from facing a similar fate— this time, because of humans. And meanwhile, the megalodon remains a colossal testament to ecological interdependence and millions of years of bones well-bitten and waters well-wandered.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
great white 2
million years 2
apex predators 2


Important Words


  1. afforded
  2. animals
  3. apex
  4. bite
  5. bones
  6. colossal
  7. consequences
  8. conservationists
  9. dealing
  10. decline
  11. destabilize
  12. disrupted
  13. dramatically
  14. ecological
  15. ecosystems
  16. entire
  17. extinction
  18. facing
  19. global
  20. highly
  21. humans
  22. immense
  23. increased
  24. interdependence
  25. interestingly
  26. knowing
  27. longer
  28. mammals
  29. marine
  30. megalodon
  31. megalodons
  32. millions
  33. mobile
  34. nutrient
  35. partially
  36. predators
  37. predatory
  38. pressure
  39. prevent
  40. released
  41. remains
  42. sharks
  43. similar
  44. size
  45. suddenly
  46. testament
  47. threat
  48. time
  49. transport
  50. travels
  51. waters
  52. working
  53. years