Report Text: Komodo Dragon - Varanus Komodoensis

A. Reading Text

Komodo Dragon (Varanus Komodoensis)

The Komodo dragon, also known as the Komodo monitor (Varanus komodoensis), is a massive lizard found on Komodo Island, a small semi-arid island located between Sumbawa and Flores in Indonesia. It can also be found on several nearby islands, including Rinca Island.

Locally referred to as "Ora," the Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and the last of its kind. It can grow up to 3 to 4 meters long and can reach speeds of up to 24 kilometers per hour.

Komodo dragons rely on their forked tongues to sense scents in the air, giving them a keen ability to detect prey. They also have sharp vision, capable of identifying movement and colors from as far as 300 meters (980 feet), although their eyesight is less effective in low-light conditions. Despite having visible ear openings, they can only hear sounds within the range of 400 Hz to 2,000 Hz. These reptiles, whose ancestors roamed the Earth over half a million years ago, are recognized by their short legs with large claws, robust bodies, and long tails, which they can use as weapons to strike opponents.

Preferring hot, dry environments, Komodo dragons typically inhabit dry grasslands, savannas, and tropical forests at low altitudes. They are solitary creatures, coming together only to mate or scavenge. At night, they rest in caves, gullies, or under tree roots, emerging in the morning to feed. Female Komodo dragons lay between 20 and 40 eggs in burrows.

Their diet includes a variety of animals. Juvenile Komodo dragons eat insects and small lizards, but as they mature, they start consuming mice and small mammals. Adult Komodo dragons hunt larger prey, such as pigs, goats, deer, young buffalo, and horses. While generally not dangerous to humans, it's recommended to maintain a safe distance from these powerful lizards.

B. Exercises

B.1. Reading Comprehension: Answer these questions based on the text

1. What is the Komodo dragon?
2. Where can we find Komodo dragons?
3. Please describe Komodo dragons based on their size.
4. Please describe Komodo dragons based on their senses.
5. Please describe Komodo dragons based on their physical appearance.
6. Please name at least 5 (five) animals which are included in Komodo dragons' diet.
7. What does paragraph 4 (four) talk about?
8. "Komodo dragons are thought to have poor night vision." Which sentence in the above text supports this idea?
9. Which sentence describes Komodo dragon as a prehistoric animal?
10. "... as they grow older." (paragraph 5) What does "they" in the sentence refer to?

B.2. Vocabulary: Match each word with the correct meaning

Prehistoric Archipelago Lizard Scent Talons Stout Savanna Carrion Gullies Prey

Relatively long-bodied reptile with usually two pairs of legs and a tapering tail The dead and rotting body of an animal Sharp hooked claws, especially on a bird of prey Animal hunted or caught for food A flat grassland in tropical or subtropical regions A group of many islands in a large body of water Deep ditches cut by running water (especially after a prolonged downpour) Having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships Any property detected by the olfactory system Belonging to or existing in times before recorded history

Reference:

1. Wikipedia. Komodo Dragon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon, accessed November 6, 2011 2:00 pm.
2. Antor.org. Komodo Dragon Island, geography, how to get there, information about Komodo Dragons. http://www.antor.org/indonesia/komodo-dragon-island.html, accessed November 6, 2011 3:00 pm.
3. Ministry of Culture and Tourism Republic of Indonesia, 2010. Indonesia Travel Planner. Jakarta.

Updated: July 23, 2013