I need your help to understand the meaning of a few words (descend, feeding apparatus) and check the word choice. Thank you.
1)According to the speaker, education is the most successful way of combating risks (threats?) to endangered species. The interviewee explains that he works with two main categories of whales; the baleen whales, and the toothed whales.
2)There are 13 species of baleen whales. The large blue whale, for example, can be over 33 metres long and weigh up to as much as 32 elephants.
3) They are named for their feeding apparatus, baleen, which descend (descends) from the roof of the mouth. 4) Baleen is made of hard but flexible material, similar to that of human fingernails, rooted in the animal’s upper jaw.
5)(What is the meaning of “descend” here? to move from a higher level to a lower one OR to be related to a person or group who lived a long time ago:?). What is a “feeding apparatus”? (An apparatus through which whales get their food?)
1) In this context, the word "risks" refers to threats or dangers to endangered species. The speaker suggests that education is the most effective means of combating such risks.
2) The sentence accurately states that there are 13 species of baleen whales. The blue whale, for instance, can grow to be more than 33 meters long and weigh as much as 32 elephants.
3) The word "descend" here means to move or hang down from a higher position to a lower one. In this case, it refers to the baleen, which hangs down from the roof of the whale's mouth.
4) The sentence correctly describes the baleen as being made of hard but flexible material similar to human fingernails. It is anchored in the upper jaw of the whale.
5) In this context, "feeding apparatus" refers to the anatomical structures or tools that whales use to obtain their food. Specifically, it refers to the baleen that hangs down from the roof of their mouths. So, your explanation that it is an apparatus through which whales get their food is accurate.