Explore Canada's incredible wildlife, amazing sports, and stunning natural environment — practise present tenses and the present perfect along the way.
Read the text carefully, then answer the comprehension questions using the dropdown menus.
Canada is the second-largest country in the world, and its northern regions are home to some of the most remarkable animals on the planet. The Canadian Arctic stretches across thousands of kilometres of frozen tundra, icy seas, and remote islands — and despite the harsh conditions, wildlife thrives there.
The polar bear is perhaps Canada's most famous Arctic animal. More than two-thirds of the world's polar bears live in the Canadian Arctic. These powerful animals are excellent swimmers and can cover long distances in freezing water. Their fur looks white, but it is actually transparent — it only appears white because it reflects light. Underneath their fur, polar bears have black skin, which helps them absorb heat from the sun. A thick layer of fat called blubber, up to ten centimetres thick, keeps them warm in temperatures that can drop below minus forty degrees.
Polar bears mainly hunt ringed seals. They have an incredible sense of smell and can detect prey from up to 32 kilometres away. They often wait patiently at holes in the sea ice, sometimes for hours, until a seal comes up to breathe.
Other fascinating Arctic animals include the caribou, which migrates in enormous herds across the tundra each year, and the Arctic fox, which changes the colour of its fur from brown in summer to white in winter as camouflage. The beluga whale, sometimes called the "canary of the sea" because of its wide range of sounds, lives in the icy waters off Canada's northern coast.
Sadly, climate change is a serious threat to all these animals. As global temperatures rise, Arctic sea ice melts earlier each year and freezes later. For polar bears, less ice means fewer opportunities to hunt seals. Scientists have observed that some polar bear populations are losing weight and producing fewer cubs. Conservation groups and the Canadian government are working to protect these species, but the challenge grows as the climate continues to change.
1 More than two-thirds of the world's polar bears live in .
2 Polar bear fur is actually .
3 The thick layer of fat that keeps polar bears warm is called .
4 Polar bears can detect prey from up to away.
5 The Arctic fox changes its fur colour for .
6 The beluga whale is sometimes called the "canary of the sea" because of its .
7 Climate change causes Arctic sea ice to .
8 Because of less sea ice, polar bears have fewer chances to .
Complete the sentences about daily life and nature in Canada. Choose the correct present tense form: simple present, present progressive, or present perfect.
1 Every winter, thousands of caribou across the Arctic tundra.
2 Look! A polar bear towards the ice.
3 Canadian students usually school at 8:30 in the morning.
4 Right now, scientists the effects of climate change on Arctic wildlife.
5 The Arctic fox the colour of its fur twice a year.
6 It heavily outside — we can't go for a walk today.
7 Many Canadians outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, and canoeing.
8 Temperatures in the Canadian Arctic sometimes below minus fifty degrees in winter.
Complete the sentences about sport in Canada using the present perfect. Choose the correct form.
Canada's two official national sports are ice hockey and lacrosse. Ice hockey is by far the most popular sport in the country — there are over seven thousand ice rinks across Canada. The first organised ice hockey game took place in Montreal in 1875. Since then, the sport has become a central part of Canadian culture and identity.
Curling is another beloved Canadian sport with roots going back to Scottish immigrants in the 18th century. Since the sport returned to the Olympics in 1998, Canadian curling teams have won multiple medals. Canada also has a strong tradition in other winter sports, including skiing, snowboarding, and figure skating.
1 Ice hockey Canada's most popular sport since 1875.
2 Canadian athletes many Olympic medals in winter sports over the years.
3 My cousin in Toronto ice hockey since he was five years old.
4 The Canadian women's curling team in every Winter Olympics since 1998.
5 I curling, but I would love to learn.
6 Canada the Winter Olympics twice so far — in Calgary (1988) and Vancouver (2010).
7 Millions of children across Canada to skate on frozen ponds and outdoor rinks over the decades.
8 Our school a new ice hockey club — you should join!
Write a paragraph (80–120 words) about why it is important to protect Canada's natural environment and wildlife. Use at least two examples of the present perfect and two examples of the simple present in your text.
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