The Old Cave Lion

古洞獅

Jun 4, 2026, 19:38
AsiaScience

Introduction

Scientists studied the DNA of the old cave lion. They found that it is different from the lions we see today.

科學家研究了古洞獅的 DNA，發現牠與我們現在看到的獅子不同。

Main Body

Scientists looked at bones and skin from old lions. These lions lived a very long time ago. They had different brains and eyes than modern lions.

科學家觀察了古獅的骨骼和皮膚。這些獅子生活在很久很久以前。牠們的大腦和眼睛與現代獅子不同。

Cave lions were very big and strong. They lived in cold places. They did not have long hair around their necks. They ate big animals like mammoths.

洞獅非常巨大且強壯。牠們生活在寒冷的地方。牠們的頸部周圍沒有長毛。牠們捕食像猛犸象這樣巨大的動物。

Sometimes the weather changed. The cave lions moved to warmer places. There, they met and had babies with modern lions. Later, the world became too warm. There were also more humans. These things killed the cave lions.

有時天氣會改變。洞獅便遷徙到較溫暖的地方。在那裡，牠們與現代獅子相遇並繁衍後代。隨後，世界變得太溫暖，人類數量也增加。這些因素導致了洞獅的滅絕。

Conclusion

The cave lion was a special animal. It died because the weather changed and humans grew in number.

洞獅是一種很特別的動物。牠們的滅絕是因為天氣改變以及人類數量增加。

Vocabulary Learning

🕰️ Then vs. Now

To reach A2, you need to talk about the past. Look at how the story changes words to show time.

The Change Pattern:

  • is (now) →\rightarrow was (then)
  • have (now) →\rightarrow had (then)
  • live (now) →\rightarrow lived (then)
  • eat (now) →\rightarrow ate (then)

Quick Logic: Most words just add -ed to go to the past. But some words are "rebels" and change completely (like eat becoming ate).

Example from the text: "The cave lion was a special animal." →\rightarrow It is not a special animal now because it is gone.

Vocabulary Learning

scientists (n.)
people who study and research
Example:Scientists work in laboratories to learn new things.
studied (v.)
looked at something carefully to learn about it
Example:She studied the book to understand the topic.
bones (n.)
hard parts that make up the skeleton of an animal
Example:The bones of the dinosaur were found in the desert.
skin (n.)
outer covering of an animal
Example:The skin of the cat was soft and warm.
old (adj.)
having lived for many years
Example:The old house has many stories.
lion (n.)
a large cat that lives in Africa
Example:The lion roared loudly in the jungle.
lived (v.)
existing in a particular place
Example:They lived in a small village for many years.
long (adj.)
lasting many years or a great distance
Example:It took a long time to finish the project.
time (n.)
a period when something happens
Example:We will meet at a later time.
ago (adv.)
in the past
Example:I saw her yesterday, but that was a long time ago.
brain (n.)
organ that controls thinking
Example:The brain helps us remember things.
eye (n.)
organ that lets us see
Example:Her eyes were bright and curious.
modern (adj.)
belonging to the present time
Example:Modern technology makes life easier.
big (adj.)
large in size
Example:The big elephant was gentle.
strong (adj.)
powerful and able to lift
Example:The strong wind knocked down the tree.
cold (adj.)
low temperature
Example:The cold air made us shiver.
place (n.)
a particular area or location
Example:We found a quiet place to read.
hair (n.)
fine strands growing from the skin
Example:She had long hair that fell to her knees.
neck (n.)
part of the body between the head and shoulders
Example:The neck of the bottle was narrow.
ate (v.)
consumed food
Example:He ate a sandwich for lunch.
animal (n.)
living creature other than humans
Example:The animal in the zoo was friendly.
weather (n.)
conditions of the atmosphere
Example:The weather today is sunny.
changed (v.)
became different
Example:The season changed from summer to autumn.
moved (v.)
went to a different place
Example:They moved to a new house.
warmer (adj.)
having a higher temperature
Example:The warmer water feels nice.
met (v.)
encountered or came together
Example:I met my friend at the park.
baby (n.)
very young child or animal
Example:The baby laughed when the clown appeared.
later (adv.)
after some time
Example:We will talk later.
world (n.)
the planet Earth
Example:The world is full of wonders.
warm (adj.)
moderate temperature
Example:The warm sun brightened the day.
human (n.)
a person
Example:Humans use tools to help them.
killed (v.)
caused to die
Example:The storm killed many trees.
special (adj.)
unique or different
Example:She gave me a special gift.
died (v.)
stopped living
Example:The old tree died after the storm.
grew (v.)
increased in size or number
Example:The city grew quickly over the years.
number (n.)
a digit or count
Example:The number of students increased.
cave (n.)
a large underground space
Example:They explored the dark cave.
different (adj.)
not the same
Example:We have different opinions.
see (v.)
look at
Example:I can see the mountains from here.
have (v.)
possess
Example:I have a new book.
Practice A2 words in a crossword→