fable

The Jackalope: The Horned Rabbit of the West

Explore the whimsical legend of the Jackalope, a mythical creature of the American West, in this B1 English reading lesson.

Title

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Explore the whimsical legend of the Jackalope, a mythical creature of the American West, in this B1 English reading lesson.

Reading Text

In the American West, tourists often find strange postcards in gift shops. These cards show a rabbit with the antlers of an antelope or a deer. This funny creature is called the Jackalope. Unlike the scary monsters in other legends, the Jackalope is a whimsical creature—meaning it is lighthearted and playful. The story of the Jackalope became famous in Douglas, Wyoming, during the 1930s. A resident named Douglas Herrick, who was skilled in taxidermy, decided to graft deer antlers onto a rabbit's body. This clever hoax quickly turned into a local sensation. According to local legends, Jackalopes are very difficult to catch because they are elusive and incredibly fast. They are also said to be very clever. Some stories say that Jackalopes can imitate human voices. If a group of cowboys is singing around a campfire at night, the Jackalope might hide in the bushes and sing along with them! Some people even claim they only breed during lightning storms, adding to the exaggerated nature of the story. While the Jackalope is a famous tall tale, there is a scientific side to the story. Scientists believe the legend may have started because of the Shope papilloma virus, which causes rabbits to grow hard, horn-like tumors on their heads. To a person living on the frontier in the 1800s, such a rabbit would look like a magical species. Today, the Jackalope remains a popular symbol of the humorous spirit of the American West, and Douglas, Wyoming, is officially recognized as the 'Jackalope Capital of the World.'

Activities

Vocabulary

Definitions:

Text: Playful, quaint, or fanciful, especially in an appealing way.
Text: The branched horns of a stag or other deer.
Text: A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals.
Text: The extreme limit of settled land beyond which lies wilderness.
Text: A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated.
Text: To copy or mimic the actions or speech of someone.
Text: Represented as better or worse than it really is.
Text: Difficult to find, catch, or achieve.
Text: A humorous or malicious deception; a practical joke.
Text: The art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals.

Items:

Label: whimsical
Answer: A
Label: antlers
Answer: B
Label: species
Answer: C
Label: frontier
Answer: D
Label: legend
Answer: E
Label: imitate
Answer: F
Label: exaggerated
Answer: G
Label: elusive
Answer: H
Label: hoax
Answer: I
Label: taxidermy
Answer: J

Fill In The Blanks:

Before: The artist created a
After: drawing of a flying cat.
Answer: whimsical
Before: The hunter found a set of deer
After: in the woods.
Answer: antlers
Before: The snow leopard is a very
After: animal that is rarely seen.
Answer: elusive
Before: He likes to
After: his teacher's voice to make his friends laugh.
Answer: imitate
Before: The story about the giant fish was
After: to make it sound more exciting.
Answer: exaggerated
Before: The museum had a beautiful display of
After: featuring local birds.
Answer: taxidermy
Before: The internet
After: fooled many people into thinking there was a monster in the lake.
Answer: hoax
Before: Many brave people moved to the
After: to start a new life.
Answer: frontier
Before: The
After: of King Arthur has been told for centuries.
Answer: legend
Before: Scientists discovered a new
After: of butterfly in the rainforest.
Answer: species

Scrambled:

Text: to be generated
Answer: The Jackalope is a famous mythical creature.
Text: to be generated
Answer: Douglas Herrick created the first mount.
Text: to be generated
Answer: Scientists believe a virus caused the legend.
Text: to be generated
Answer: Jackalopes are known for their fast speed.
Text: to be generated
Answer: Tourists buy postcards of the horned rabbit.

Comprehension

Questions:

Text: The Jackalope was first created in the 1950s.
Answer: false
Text: What skill did Douglas Herrick use to create the Jackalope?
Options:
- Painting
- Taxidermy
- Singing
- Cooking
Answer: Taxidermy
Text: Some legends say Jackalopes can sing along with people.
Answer: true
Text: According to the text, what is the 'scientific' explanation for the legend?
Options:
- A new species was born
- Rabbits wearing hats
- A virus that grows tumors
- A type of antelope
Answer: A virus that grows tumors
Text: Which city is known as the Jackalope Capital of the World?
Options:
- New York
- Douglas, Wyoming
- Los Angeles
- Denver, Colorado
Answer: Douglas, Wyoming

Written Expression

Questions:

Text: Do you have any famous legends or 'tall tales' in your country? Describe one.
Text: Why do you think people enjoy telling stories about mythical creatures like the Jackalope?

Examples:

In my country, we have a legend about a giant bird that lives in the mountains.
I think people enjoy these stories because they add a sense of mystery and humor to everyday life.