28. Characteristics and Physical Features of the Raccoon


(i)

Occasionally the raccoon makes its home in bank burrows or crevices in the rocks. But the preferred location is the hollow of a tree. These hollows are not made by the raccoon but are usually the result of holes, which have been initially formed by woodpeckers or sapsuckers and then made larger by decay. The raccoon usually chooses hardwood rather than coniferous forests in which to make its home. It would be unusual to find just one raccoon in a hollow area. If room permits, as many as six may bed down together.

(ii)
If a raccoon loses it`s footing because of loose bark it will fall out of its tree. The mother raccoon is aware of this danger and may remove loose bark to ensure that her young do not slip and fall. Like a cat, the animal can fall from heights without apparent harm.

(iii)
Basically a nocturna animal, the raccoon spends the evening hours searching for food. On occasion one may see a raccoon during the day, but normally it spends this time resting in its den. On bright, sunny days it will stretch out in the topmost branches of a tree to soak up as much sun as possible, delighting in its unorthodox, treetop sunbath. During its nighttime roaming the raccoon is never far from water. In one evening it may travel up to five miles—stopping at any point of interest, spending as much as an hour in one area, then bedding down in any convenient shelter just before daybreak.

(iv)
The short legs of the raccoon make it clumsy and slow in deep snow and place it at an extreme disadvantage both for hunting and traveling. For this reason, the raccoon chooses to remain in its den when deep snow covers the ground. Wind is another enemy. Tests indicate that the raccoon`s sense of hearing is the most acute among animals. It depends heavily upon its ability to hear and smell to avoid danger. Strong winds reduce its ability to use these senses, and the raccoon usually retreats to the safety of the den.

(v)
Even when the raccoon appears to be completely absorbed in a task, it is always listening for any sound which would indicate danger. Its acute hearing enables it to accurately detect noises even at great distances. When it hears a noise, it will raise its head to listen, becoming more mindful of danger until it finally runs to escape.

(vi)
This mischievous little bandit can create quite a commotion once it gains entry to a home—opening latches to doors, unscrewing jar covers, removing corks from bottles, even turning doorknobs to open doors. Not the least intimidated by its foreign surroundings, the uninvited guest opens, unlatches and tastes everything in sight. The raccoon is able to accomplish these relatively complex tasks by the use of its forepaws equipped with dexterous fingers, which it uses in the same manner as a human hand.

(vii)
The neighbor across the street—no ... the cat next door—no ... chances are it is a furry, masked rascal who has been turning over your trash and everyone else’s on the block. Usually no garbage container, no matter how sophisticated its latch mechanism, is safe from these ban dits. With ease it opens the lid, crawls in and checks out the contents, looking for anything that appeals to its appetite and not taking much care about leaving a mess behind.

(viii)
Like a human, the raccoon eats both meats and vegetables, cooked or uncooked. It delights in feasting on an assorted menu that included frogs, crayfish, fish, clams, poultry, corn, chestnuts, honey and sugar. It devours the last two items with special delight. The food supply of the raccoon is inconsistent. Feast or famine would be an appropriate description—the raccoon gorges itself during the summer and autumn seasons when food is plentiful but faces the threat of starvation every winter and spring.

(ix)
Running its fingers inder water, the raccoon gropes between the crevices of rocks and allows the defensive crayfish to clamp its pincers on its fingers. With one sweep the raccoon then pulls it out of its hiding place underwater and into its mouth, quickly devouring it. In similar fashion the raccoon gathers clams by forcing its paw between the shell halves, allowing the clam to close on its hand. Pulling the clam out of water, the raccoon chews along the muscle hinge and eventually forces the clam to break its grip. Another favorite food, which takes refuge under loose sand and mud, is the frog. Again the raccoon uses its agile fingers to feel along the bottom for its prey.

(x)
In German this animal is called “wash bear” because of a controversial habit, which is performed before eating. The controversy centers on the purpose of the raccoon’s customary washing procedure. Whether the raccoon dips its food in water to clean it from mud or to supplement the lack of salivary glands in its mouth is uncertain, but the latter explanatior is most likely. A dog having sufficient saliva is able to swallow its food without any difficulty, but a raccoon must soften its food before it is able to swallow. When it eats food with high moisture content it does not bother to rinse it. Because it loves to feel objects, the raccoon wets its paws and in so doing increases their sensitivity to to touch.

(xi)
The raccoon is equipped with special reflective cells that are situated at the rear of its eyes. This apparatus allows the animal to see in partial darkness. Light enters the eye and is absorbed. The ight that is not absorbed is reflected by these “mirror” cells and it again passes throough the retina, giving this light another chance to be absorbed. Through this mirroring device, tapetum lucidum, the raccoon is able to utilize what limited light the nigh affords.

(xii)
A popular pastime in the southern states is the use of hounds for “coon hunting.” The hounds are release to find a raccoon. Once the trail is picked up a wild chase begins. All the while the hounds tell their masters the location of the coon through the pitch of their howls. Once the animal runs up a tree the hunter can quickly locate the raccoon by merely shining a flashlight into the branches and picking up the reflective glow of the eyes.



Questions 1—11
The reading passage “Characteristics and Physical Features of the Raccoon" has 12 paragraphs. For each paragraph find a matching summary from the box below.
Write only ONE letter in each space. Note that there are more summaries than paragraphs.
The first one has been done as an example.
A. What is tapetum lucidum?
B. Why wouldn`t you want this mischievous animal in your house?
C. Where could you find a raccoon?
D. What`s a “coId sleep”?
E. Does a raccoon ever fall out of a tree?
F. What tactic does the raccoon use to catch crayfish?
G. Is the raccoon a match for a dog?
H. How does th raccoon handle snow?
I. How could this feature be detrimental?
J. Is the raccoon omnivorous?
K. Is the raccoon always alert?
L. Where does a raccoon live?
M. Have you ever wondered who turns over your garbage cans at night?
N. Does the raccoon really wash its food?

Example;
Paragraph I-Answer: L
1. Paragraph 2
2. Paragraph 3
3. Paragraph 4
4. Paragraph 5
5. Paragraph 6
6. Paragraph 7
7. Paragraph 8
8. Paragraph 9
9. Paragraph 10
10.Paragraph 11
11.Paragraph 12






Answer: 1-E 2-C 3-H 4-K 5-B 6-M 7-J 8-F 9-N 10-A 11-G

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