Santa’s Reindeer Must Be Female
Interesting Facts in Easy English
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- depict: to show visually
- antlers: branch-like horns made of bone
- mating season: the time of year when animals reproduce
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Santa’s Reindeer Must Be Female
Comprehension Questions
- What does the word reindeer mean, and which language did it originate from?
- What do male reindeer use their antlers for?
- Why do the depictions of Santa’s reindeer suggest that they are female?
Discussion Questions: The plural form of reindeer is reindeer. What other animals have the same singular and plural form in English? Why do you think this is the case?
show Answers
2 comments
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English Club Indonesia says:
The word “reindeer” means an animal with horns, and it originates from the North Germanic language. Male reindeer use their antlers to fight off other males. The depictions of Santaโs reindeer suggest that they are female because their antlers are available in December. “Fish” has the same singular and plural form in English.
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beevguy says:
Santa’s Sleigh Reindeer are Steer’s… All Sledders use steers because they maintain their body condition throughout the winter, Bulls are tuckered out from rutting season when they mate with as many, they shed their antlers after mating with as many as a dozen females in the months leading up to December. That leaves them depleted and too lean to pull a sleigh or sled through heavy snows.
There are no female Reindeer in Santa’s team…