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Mooses

Moose are the largest species of deer. Males have enormous antlers that can span over 6 feet. Moose have long faces and muzzles with a flap of skin under their chins. They prefer to browse higher plants because lowering their heads is difficult given their size. In winter, moose eat shrubs, pinecones, and clear snow to access mosses and lichens. Their large hooves act as snowshoes and support them in soft surfaces. Moose inhabit northern regions and are capable swimmers, being seen paddling for miles and submerging completely for over 30 seconds. Despite their size, moose can run up to 35 mph over short distances.

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Mehjabin Abdurrazaque
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745 views

Mooses

Moose are the largest species of deer. Males have enormous antlers that can span over 6 feet. Moose have long faces and muzzles with a flap of skin under their chins. They prefer to browse higher plants because lowering their heads is difficult given their size. In winter, moose eat shrubs, pinecones, and clear snow to access mosses and lichens. Their large hooves act as snowshoes and support them in soft surfaces. Moose inhabit northern regions and are capable swimmers, being seen paddling for miles and submerging completely for over 30 seconds. Despite their size, moose can run up to 35 mph over short distances.

Uploaded by

Mehjabin Abdurrazaque
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name: Date: ..

Mooses by Ted Hughes

Moose are the largest of all the deer species. Males


are immediately recognizable by their huge
antlers, which can spread 6 feet (1.8 meters) from
end to end. Moose have long faces and muzzles that
dangle over their chins. A flap of skin known as a
bell sways beneath each moose's throat.
Moose are so tall that they prefer to browse higher grasses and shrubs because lowering their
heads to ground level can be difficult. In winter they eat shrubs and pinecones, but they also scrape
snow with their large hooves to clear areas for browsing on mosses and lichens. These hooves also
act as snowshoes to support the heavy animals in soft snow and in muddy or marshy ground.
In summer, food is far more plentiful in the northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.
When the ice melts, moose are often seen in lakes, rivers, or wetlands, feeding on aquatic plants
both at and below the surface. Moose are at home in the water and, despite their staggering bulk,
are good swimmers. They have been seen paddling several miles at a time, and will even submerge
completely, staying under for 30 seconds or more.
Moose are similarly nimble (agile) on land. They can run up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour
over short distances, and trot steadily at 20 miles (32 kilometers) an hour.

Answer the following (based on the above given text and the poem)
1. In the poem, is the moose:
[ ] being hunted?

[ ] lost?

2. Find three verbs that suggest the clumsy movement of the moose.
a.
b.
c.

3. Find two words that suggest the moose is stupid.


a.
b.

4. Find a phrase that suggests the moose is very large and heavy.
a.
b.

[ ] running away?

5. Why does the writer use lots of d sounds in the lines Hopeless drops drip from his droopy
lips and Two dopes of the deep woods?

6. What are the massy bony thoughts sticking out near his ears?

7. Does the poem make you feel sorry for the moose? Why?

8. A symbol is a person, place, or thing that stands for something other than itself. What might
the moose in "Mooses" symbolize? Think about the way he is described and the attitude he
expresses in the poem. Explain your answer.

9. Compare the situation of the moose with that of the snow-shoe hare.

The plural of moose remains moose albeit meese or mooses are correct, but old
usages.

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