●     内容： 一篇科普猫头鹰习性的短文，描述其在夜间的捕食和生活方式。

●     选材理由： 动物是学生熟悉的自然话题。文章将使用一般现在时来描述事实和习性，并可能引入情态动词can。

●     语法重点： 一般现在时，情态动词can。

●     拓展建议： 设计一个听力活动，让学生听一段关于另一种动物的描述，并回答相关问题，实现听力与阅读的结合。

课文：

Owls are veryinteresting birds. They are nocturnal, which means they are active at night.They can see and hear very well in the dark. Their big eyes help them to findtheir food, and their powerful ears can hear even the smallest mouse moving inthe grass. Owls can fly silently because their feathers are very soft. They eatsmall animals like mice, rats, and insects. An owl can catch its food withoutmaking a sound. Owls live in forests and sometimes in old buildings. They buildtheir nests in trees. Many people think owls are very wise, and they are oftenused as a symbol of knowledge. They are important for the natural world becausethey help to control the population of small animals.