TPO 04 Integrated Writing Task Endotherms are animals such as modern birds and mammals that keep their body temperatures constant

The article states that there are several evidence, which prove that unlike reptiles, dinosaurs were endotherms. The author provides three reasons to support this allegation. However, the professor explains that these reasons are not appropriate to support this idea, and studies have shown that the dinosaurs were not endotherms. The professor refutes each of the author's reasons.

First of all, the reading claims that while most dinosaur fossils have been found in Polar Regions, these creatures must be endotherms due to only endotherms can stay alive in cold weather. The professor, refutes this point by saying that this would not be a suitable reason because during the period, when these animals used to live, the weather was warmer than today. Also, when climate became colder, they used to move to warmer areas or sleep deeply during the whole cold season.

Secondly, the article posits that as the dinosaurs' body shape, specifically the place their legs located, were same as the endotherms, they probably were endotherms. However, the professor says that locating their legs beneath their body has different reasons. According to the professor, the legs were under the dinosaur body due to tolerate their weight, not running faster, the reason which the author mentioned about being endotherms' legs under their body.

Third, the reading says that these animals' bone structure and existence of same canals both in the endotherms' bodies and dinosaurs would be another reason to support the author's idea. The professor opposes this point by explaining that the growth rings in the dinosaurs' bones tell us something different. We also learn that those rings show the cycles of growing in the dinosaurs' bodies. The growth rings' thickness become thick in cold weathers and be thin in warmer climates. So, this issue can present us the fact that the dinosaurs had less growth rate during the cold weathers, unlike endotherms.