koala

Everyday

1. A koala is a grey, furry Australian animal with big round ears and a black nose that lives in eucalyptus trees and eats their leaves. tree →
2. It is a marsupial: the baby, called a joey, grows in its mother's pouch. tree →

In the lessons

In science koalas appear in lessons about Australian animals, marsupials, herbivores and habitats; they sleep up to 20 hours a day because their leafy food gives little energy. They are threatened by bushfires and loss of trees. Phrases: «koala bear» (common but wrong), «baby koala», «koala joey».

Examples

• The koala was asleep in the fork of a tree. tree →
• Koalas eat eucalyptus leaves. tree →
• A baby koala is called a joey. tree →
• We held a koala at a wildlife park in Queensland. tree →
• Koalas sleep for most of the day. tree →
• Many koalas were hurt in the bushfires. tree →
• The joey rides on its mother's back after leaving the pouch. tree →
• Koalas live only in Australia. tree →

Note

Countable: «a koala», «koalas». Pronounced koh-AH-luh. Myth and trap: a koala is not a bear; «koala bear» is a common but wrong name — it is a marsupial. Another myth: koalas are not drunk on eucalyptus; they are sleepy because the leaves give little energy.