2020-2021学年度第45期总第837期
Adding a new ocean (P6)
山东省烟台第二中学 赵娜娜

Lead-in
How many oceans are there on Earth?

The Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific are the four oceans we learned about in geography class.

But now we have a new ocean: the Southern Ocean in Antarctica.
The Southern Ocean includes most of the waters surrounding Antarctica out to 60 degrees south latitude.

Title prediction

Adding a new ocean

What will be introduced about the new ocean?
the name
the unique features
the significance

Read for main idea
The Southern Ocean will be recognized as the fifth official ocean.

Read for structure  

Read for details
Read the text carefully and answer the following questions.

1. What are the distinct features of the Southern Ocean?

It is characterized by a current.

Unlike the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans – which are defined by the continents that bound them – the Southern Ocean is instead characterized by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC).
Rimmed by the formidably swift ACC, it is the only ocean to touch three others and to completely embrace a continent rather than being embraced by them.

It has a distinct environment.

The glaciers are bluer, the air colder, the mountains more intimidating and the landscapes more captivating than anywhere else you can go.

It’s home to thousands of unique species.
It has wider ecological effects.

For example, humpback whales are known to feed on small shrimp off Antarctica during the summer before migrating north to the warmer climates of Central and South America for the colder winter months.
 
•2. What are the reasons for adding the new ocean?

It brings public awareness to the region.

National Geographic hopes their revised maps will bring public awareness to the region, thereby encouraging Southern Ocean conservation.

It is of educational significance.

It’s really important from an educational standpoint, as well as from a map-labeling standpoint, to bring attention to the Southern Ocean as a fifth ocean. So when students learn about parts of the ocean world, they learn it’s an interconnected ocean, and they learn there are these regions called oceans that are really important, and there’s a distinct one in the icy waters around Antarctica.

Post-reading
What problems are oceans facing? How can we solve the problems?

Problems:
Overfishing, habitat loss, pollution, ocean warming, and other issues caused by human activity, impact marine ecosystems as well as the biodiversity and continuation of marine life.

Solutions:
make relevant laws
set up ocean reserves
strengthen international communication and cooperation
ban polluting the water (including dumping radioactive water)
raise people’s awareness
promote conservation of the ocean

•Human lives are closely linked to the natural world.
•Protecting the ocean is protecting ourselves.

Homework
Introduce the Southern Ocean to your partners.