This post was published on Apr 07, 2021 by

English Documentary on Dinosaurs with Transcript

English Documentary on Dinosaurs with Transcript, illustrated flashcards and a podcast to improve your reading and listening abilities and expand your vocabulary knowledge

Source of documentary: National Geographic YouTube Channel

Dinosaurs

Probably no other creatures on the planet have struck as much fear and awe in our hearts as the dinosaurs. The earliest dinosaurs appeared about 245 million years ago during the Triassic Period, when most of the Earth’s landmasses were still joined together, as the super continent, Pangaea. Over millions of years, Pangaea split apart, causing the dinosaurs to become separated for the very first time. This led the reptiles to adapt to their specific habitats and diversify, giving rise to many new dinosaur species.

Dinosaur species

According to some estimates, more than 1,000 species of dinosaurs have roamed the Earth. All dinosaurs descended from reptiles called Archosaurs. From there, dinosaurs branched out into two major groups, Saurischia and Ornithischia, based on the shape and orientation of their pelvis.

In Saurischian dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus Rex and Brachiosaurus, the pelvis’ pubis bone faces forward and down. In Ornithischian dinosaurs, such as Stegosaurus and Hadrosaurs, the pubis bone faces backward and down.

Dinosaurs in various sizes

Across both groups, dinosaurs varied greatly in size. Some were small, like Compsognathus, which was barely larger than a chicken, whereas others where gigantic, like Dreadnoughtus, which was 85 feet long and weighed 65 tons, making it the largest land animal to have ever lived.

Eating habits and lifestyle

Dinosaur diets varied as well. Herbivores, like hadrosaurs, evolved to have specialized teeth for grinding tough plant material. Carnivores made up roughly 40% of dinosaur species. Some predators, like the raptor Deinonychus, even hunted in packs. Social behaviors were also found in other dinosaurs. Footprints and trackways indicate that some of the ancient reptiles traveled together. Evidence also shows that herds may have made annual visits to certain sites to lay their eggs. But by around 66 million years ago, most dinosaurs died out, and the reason why, is still a mystery.

Why dinosaurs died out?

The most well-known explanation is an asteroid strike, but a multitude of factors may have contributed to this extinction. In fact, the dinosaur population was already in severe decline by the time the asteroid struck. However, several dinosaur species survived, and some of which evolved to become today’s birds.

The world has never again seen land creatures as great as the dinosaurs. But through their descendants and fossils left behind, their legacy lives on.

About Dr. Mohammad Hossein Hariri Asl

Dr. Mohammad Hossein Hariri Asl is an English and Persian instructor, researcher, inventor, author, blogger, SEO expert, website developer, and the creator of LELB Society. He's got a PhD in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Study our guest posting guidelines for authors.

2 comments on “English Documentary on Dinosaurs with Transcript”

  1. Dinosaurs
    Probably no other creatures on the planet have struck as much fear and awe in our hearts as the dinosaurs. The earliest dinosaurs appeared about 245 million years ago during the Triassic Period, when most of the Earth’s landmasses were still joined together, as the super continent Pangaea. Over millions of years Pangaea split apart, causing the dinosaurs to become separated for the very first time. This led the reptiles to adapt to their specific habitats and diversify, giving rise to many new dinosaur species.

    Dinosaur species
    According to some estimates, more than 1,000 species of dinosaurs have roamed the Earth. All dinosaurs descended from reptiles called Archosaurs. From there, dinosaurs branched out into two major groups, Saurischia and Ornithischia, based on the shape and orientation of their pelvis. In Saurischian dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus Rex and Brachiosaurus, the pelvis’ pubis bone faces forward and down. In Ornithischian dinosaurs, such as Stegosaurus and Hadrosaurs, the pubis bone faces backward and down. Across both groups, dinosaurs varied greatly in size. Some were small, like Compsognathus, which was barely larger than a chicken, whereas others where gigantic, like Dreadnoughtus, which was 85 feet long and weighed 65 tons, making it the largest land animal to have ever lived.

    Eating habits and lifestyle
    Dinosaur diets varied as well. Herbivores, like hadrosaurs, evolved to have specialized teeth for grinding tough plant material. Carnivores made up roughly 40% of dinosaur species. Some predators, like the raptor Deinonychus, even hunted in packs. Social behaviors were also found in other dinosaurs. Footprints and trackways indicate that some of the ancient reptiles traveled together. Evidence also shows that herds may have made annual visits to certain sites to lay their eggs. But by around 66 million years ago, most dinosaurs died out, and the reason why, is still a mystery.

    Why dinosaurs died out?
    The most well-known explanation is an asteroid strike, but a multitude of factors may have contributed to this extinction. In fact, the dinosaur population was already in severe decline, by the time the asteroid struck. However, several dinosaur species survived, and some of which evolved to become today’s birds.
    The world has never again seen land creatures as great as the dinosaurs. But through their descendants and fossils left behind, their legacy lives on.

    Reply

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