Shark Fin Soup Stage 6 Comprehension PDF

STAGE 6 Unit focus: Conservation Text focus: Narrative Shark Fin Soup I tap to check the air flow on my regulator and, satisfied it is working, plunge backwards off the boat int...

STAGE 6 Unit focus: Conservation Text focus: Narrative Shark Fin Soup I tap to check the air flow on my regulator and, satisfied it is working, plunge backwards off the boat into crystal clear waters. I surface in a flow of bubbles and tread water whilst the rest of the team join me. With one last equipment check, and a thumbs up to my dive buddy, we plunge into the underwater world that is to be our playground today. Above me, azure blue water is shot through with coruscating rays of light that illuminate and spotlight the wonders of the reef below. Although parts of this magnificent ecosystem are suffering from coral bleaching due to warmer climate-changed waters, here the reef is a rainbow of life. Peachy pink corals are interspersed with creamy anemones and verdant green seaweed winds its slippery fingers round your wrists and ankles. The reef itself is cobbled brown, pockmarked with dark, shadowy caverns which promise an eerie adventure to fool-hardy fish. A shoal of brightly coloured parrot fish stream past my mask, and I gasp in surprise as I feel the movement of their miniature fins on the tip of my nose. Below me, I see a smorgasbord of sea-life as green-backed turtles meander slowly between different fish species. Crabs and starfish crawl towards their next meal on the sandy base of the reef. It is a world few get to experience and even fewer are privileged enough to spend a career in. My buddy taps my arm and we head to the edge of the reef, where the shelf drops off into seemingly endless depths. The water changes from azure to cobalt blue. Shadows gather and it takes my eyes a moment to adjust before I spot them. Below me are three black-tipped reef sharks, two around 1.5m long, the last one a smaller shark – possibly a youngster. They swim round in lazy circles, languorously prowling the depths. An unsuspecting shoal of mullet appears in the distance, and the sharks’ manoeuvring takes on a new purpose. Working together, they corral the fish into a streaming vortex, herding them towards all resources ©2021 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com shallower waters on the top of the reef. Confused, the fish swirl upwards in a whirlwind, their eyes darting to try to detect the danger. The largest shark, the one with a long scar across its belly, is waiting. With ninja-like stealth he dives into the maelstrom and snaps – dinner is served. Hunks of masticated fish fill the water, swirling around the area in a kind of soup and a frenzy of feeding takes place. A distant audience, we watch this underwater theatre for twenty minutes. It is a spectacle I had only dreamed of witnessing and, despite the ferocity and death, I am glad to be here. The streamlined stealth of the sharks was a masterclass in precision; the teamwork was a co-ordinated attack to make any general proud. Apex predator of the deep, the shark is indeed worthy of Steve Backshall’s Deadly 60 list, but also sadly on the list of Endangered Species, due to over fishing for its fins and meat. Our guide motions to our air gauges, it is time to re-surface. As I swim leisurely back to the boat I contemplate the circle of life I have seen in this part of our planet that yet remains the least explored. With a new respect for these much maligned fish, I promise myself I will do what I can to help protect and conserve their many sub-species for all marine enthusiasts to enjoy. all resources ©2021 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com  VOCABULARY FOCUS 1. The author describes life under the waves as a Smorgasbord of sea-life”. What do you think this means? 2. The fish are described as being a “streaming vortex” and are compared to a “whirlwind”. What does this tell you about their movement? 3. Dinner for the sharks is described as a “maelstrom” and a “frenzy of feeding”. What do these descriptions tell us about this moment? 4. How is the description, “streamlined stealth” an apt one for these shark? 5. What does “much maligned” mean? VIPERS QUESTIONS E The author describes what they have witnessed as being like a visit to the theatre. Is this a good description? Why? I Did the author enjoy their swim with the sharks? Explain with reference to the text. R What has caused the shark to become endangered? I Why do you think the text is called “Shark fin soup”? P What will the diver do after they return to land? all resources ©2021 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com