Lesson made on April 17, 2025
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Reading Lesson:
Scientists have filmed a young colossal squid alive in the ocean for the very first time. This amazing moment happened deep in the South Atlantic Ocean. The squid was seen 600 meters below the surface and was about 30 centimeters long. Even though this one was small, adult colossal squids can grow up to 7 meters long and weigh as much as 500 kilograms.
A team of scientists spent 35 days on a ship exploring the deep ocean. They used a remote-controlled underwater vehicle to search for new sea creatures. The place they explored was so far away that the closest people were actually astronauts on the International Space Station!
The squid looks so clear that it is almost transparent, which is normal for young ones. Colossal squids have hooks in the middle of their eight arms, which is one of the ways scientists can tell them apart from other squids.
When the team first saw the squid, they didn’t know what kind it was. But it was so unusual and beautiful that they made sure to film it. Later, a squid expert confirmed that it was a juvenile colossal squid. Before this, most of what we knew about these animals came from remains found in the stomachs of whales and seabirds.
Scientists say there’s still a lot we don’t know about colossal squids, like how many there are or how they live. They are so rarely seen that they almost seem like creatures from a legend. In fact, this special sighting happened exactly 100 years after colossal squids were first discovered and named.
Comprehension Quiz:
Speaking and Writing Activities:
– Discuss these questions with a partner or a small group.
– Choose one topic and write a response to it. Show your writing to a classmate or teacher.
1. Have you ever heard a story or legend from your country about a strange animal or monster? Explain what you know?
2. Do you think science will ever discover all the animals on Earth? Why or why not?
3. Have you ever seen a strange or beautiful animal in real life? What did it look like?
More Reading Practice:
Colossal Squids
Colossal squids are very large sea animals that live deep in the ocean. They have soft bodies, big eyes, and long arms with sharp hooks. These squids are hard to find because they live far below the surface, where it is very dark and cold.
Colossal squids can grow as long as a bus and weigh as much as a small car. Their eyes are some of the biggest in the animal world. This helps them see in the dark water. They use their arms and hooks to catch fish and other sea animals.
People did not know much about colossal squids until recently. Most of what we know comes from dead squids found by fishing boats. Scientists are still learning about them, because it is difficult to study animals that live so deep in the ocean.
Mythical Sea Monsters
Many cultures around the world have stories about sea monsters. These are large, scary creatures that people believed lived in the ocean. Long ago, people did not understand the sea very well. They made up stories to explain strange things they saw or heard while sailing.
In Norse stories from Northern Europe, there was a monster called the Kraken. It was said to be a giant squid or octopus that pulled ships under the water. Sailors were afraid of it, especially during storms.
In Japan, people told stories about a sea creature called the Umibōzu. It looked like a big black figure rising from the water. Sailors believed it appeared suddenly to destroy ships or cause bad weather.
In Greek mythology, there was a monster named Scylla. It lived near a narrow sea passage and had many heads. When ships tried to pass, it would grab sailors and eat them. Another monster, called Charybdis, lived on the other side. It made a huge whirlpool that could sink ships.
Some stories came from fear, and others were told to teach lessons or warn people to be careful. Today, we know sea monsters like these are not real, but the stories are still interesting and show how people used to think about the sea.
Photos of the baby colossal squid
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