Listen&Learn: Military dolphins

Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock

Learn about the dolphins that are trained for war.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• military: the armed forces of a country
• train: to teach someone how to do something
• navy: the section of the military that fights at sea
• mine: a hidden bomb that explodes when it is touched
• echolocation: a method of finding objects by using sound
• drone: a robot that can travel in the air or underwater

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

There are many stories about military dogs who have saved soldiers’ lives. However, dogs are not the only animals that have been trained for . Many naval forces around the world use sea animals to help them detect danger. The first military with sea animals began in 1960, when the U.S. navy started to train to find submarines and underwater mines. They chose dolphins because of their ability to use echolocation, which allows them to find objects in the dark. In 1965, the Soviet Union opened a research centre to train dolphin of their own. Both the U.S. and Russia still train military dolphins today. However, in 2012, the U.S. navy announced that they would eventually their dolphins with underwater drones.

Comprehension questions

1. The first country to start training dolphins for the military was

Russia

the United States

Canada

Correct! Wrong!

The first country to start training dolphins for the military was the United States.

2. The navy chose to use dolphins because

they can use echolocation

they can swim faster than other sea animals

they can see well underwater

Correct! Wrong!

The navy chose to use dolphins because they can use echolocation.

3. In 2012, the U.S. navy announced that they would replace their dolphins with

human divers

killer whales

underwater drones

Correct! Wrong!

In 2012, the U.S. navy announced that they would replace their dolphins with underwater drones.

Discussion/essay questions

1. Some animal rights activists are concerned about the use of dolphins in the military. They believe it is wrong to keep animals in captivity and put them in danger for human wars. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Transcript

There are many stories about military dogs who have saved soldiers’ lives. However, dogs are not the only animals that have been trained for war. Many naval forces around the world use sea animals to help them detect danger. The first military experiments with sea animals began in 1960, when the U.S. navy started to train dolphins to find submarines and underwater mines. They chose dolphins because of their ability to use echolocation, which allows them to find objects in the dark. In 1965, the Soviet Union opened a research centre to train dolphin soldiers of their own. Both the U.S. and Russia still train military dolphins today. However, in 2012, the U.S. navy announced that they would eventually replace their dolphins with underwater drones. 

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Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub

© EnglishClub.com

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17 comments

• rosy says:
  

  Intersting story thank you

• Jackie says:
  

  Thank you very much for this listening skills article

• Olga Ramos says:
  

  I don’t really know if animals, dogs or dolphins suffer when they are helping humans to detect danger. Are they under risk? If it is the case, I think it is a bad idea to use them.
  I’m not agree to keep animals in captivity to be trained, they like to be free. I imagine that they are under stress when they have been captivated. I really hope that underwater drones could replace the dolphins for these activities.

• Enaya says:
  

  I like it
  Keepbit up

• Claudia Ortiz says:
  

  I love the dolphins they are one of the intelligent species animals.

• Tom says:
  

  Definitely this is an interesting topic, that we should analyze from a very objective point of view. From one side I agreed in part with the animal activist groups, in which they are concerned about the use of dolphins in the military, due they believe it is wrong put animal in captivity and put them in danger for human wars. On the other hand I think that if that as far as animal can be in use for the goal of the military without put those animals in risk, I don’t see nothing wrong at all about it.

• Mad Mad says:
  

  Thank you for writing about learning English in this way, I am saved!

• Natalia says:
  

  Thank you very much. I think such exercises are the best for learning and understanding English.

• Nguyen Tran Van Trung says:
  

  Yeah, i love this <3

• Xin Hui says:
  

  Thanks for helping me improve my english.

• MAURO says:
  

  Grammar is good, but it is better.

  Thanks a lot.

• Grisel says:
  

  IT’S A GREAT INFORMATION!!!!

• Grisel says:
  

  Thanks for a great information.

• Jack Liu says:
  

  Very informative and interesting! Thank you!

• The King Of Love From IRAN says:
  

  Greetings,
  It was so easy to understand the subject for me.

  Thank you for sharing it with us,

• Christine PENNEC says:
  

  VERY INTERSTING STORY

• Francisco Arias says:
  

  Thanks a million. You have helped many people improve their English.