TPO-29 - Integrated Writing Task Large numbers of dinosaur fossils have been discovered in deposits on Alaska's North Slope, a region that today experiences an extremely cold,arctic climate. One hundred million years ago, when those dinosaurs were alive,

The passage and lecture both discuss three assumptions around migration of an ancient animal which is dubbed Edmontosaur. The passage provides three supports to holdup the hypothesis of Edmontosaurs migration to the south. In contrast, the professor states that the justifications of reading are not convincing and demonstrates three counterarguments.

Firstly, the reading posits that there was no any plant or food during harsh winter, so Edmontosaurs had to migrate to warmer and suitable land. The lecturer refutes this and mentions that this creature did not have to migrate for food. Many years ago, North Slope summer was warmer than today and sun shined 20 hours in a day. Therefore, there was a good growing condition to provide a lot of nutritious plants during the winter.

Secondly, the text indicates that the founded skeletons show Edmontosaurs lived in herd. Thus they immigrated like modern-day animals and this reconfirms migration supposition. The lecture denies this and points out that only because Edmontosaurs lived in herd does not mean they migrated. Bing in herd can provide other benefits such as protection from predators. For instance, Roosevelt elks live in herd, but they do not migrate.

Thirdly, the article claims that Edmontosaurs were capable to move swiftly and migrate in very long distance. The lecture opposes this and mentions that although adults were able to go for a long journey, children of Edmontosaurs could not travel in great distances. As a consequence, they could reduce the speed of herd so that Edmontosaurs never reached to warmer terrestrials. Besides, the herds could not leave juveniles behind since youths could not survive lonely.