Reading · C2 · Text 20

Heuschrecken

64 words1 min read100% known at C2

Deshalb können sie so weit und hoch springen.
Therefore, they can jump so far and high.
Wenn sie mit den Flügeln oder Beinen aneinander reiben, entsteht ihr lautes Zirpen.
When they rub their wings or legs together, their loud chirping is produced.
Mit diesen Geräuschen locken die Männchen die Weibchen an.
With these sounds, the males attract the females.
Die wachsen und verlieren immer wieder ihre Haut.
They grow and repeatedly shed their skin.
Damit fressen die meisten Heuschrecken so alles Mögliche.
With this, most grasshoppers eat all sorts of things.
Manche Heuschrecken fressen die Ernte der Bauern weg.
Some grasshoppers eat away the farmers' crops.
Dann kann alles Getreide oder Gemüse sehr schnell verschwunden sein.
Then all the grain or vegetables can disappear very quickly.

18 words above C2

Deshalb← deshalb

therefore, for that reason therefore; for that (reason), because of that A1/ˈdɛshalp/

springen

to jump springt, sprang, ist gesprungen to spring; to leap; to bounce; to dive; to jump; to vault; to break; to burst; to pop B1/ˈʃpʁɪŋən/

Flügeln← der Flügel

wing plural: die Flügel wing (of a bird, airplane, etc.); leaf (of a door or window); casement or sash (of a window) B2/ˈflyːɡəl/

Beinen← das Bein

leg plural: die Beine leg of a person, animal, or object; bone A2/baɪ̯n/

aneinander reiben

to rub against each other reibt, rieb, hat gerieben; separable verb

entsteht← entstehen

to arise, to be produced entsteht, entstand, ist entstanden to come into being, to arise, to be produced; to develop B1/ʔɛntˈʃteːən/

Zirpen

chirping (sound) only singular to chirp, chirr, chirrup (make the sound of a cricket or a similar repetitive, metallic sound) C2

locken

to attract, to lure lockt, lockte, hat gelockt to lure, to entice, to tempt; to be lured; to curl (something) B2[ˈlɔkn̩]

Männchen← das Männchen

male (animal) plural: die Männchen

Weibchen

female (animal) plural: die Weibchen female (of an animal) C1/ˈvaɪ̯pçən/

wachsen

to grow wächst, wuchs, ist gewachsen to grow; to grow, to increase; to wax (to coath with wax) B1/ˈvaksn̩/

verlieren

to lose verliert, verlor, hat verloren to lose (something, or a game); to shed; to trail away, to fade away A2[fɛɐ̯ˈliːʁən]

Haut

skin plural: die Häute skin, hide of a person, animal or (part of a) plant; a creature, especially a person; skin (membrane found on the surface of an object, like a… B1/haʊt/

fressen

to eat (used for animals) frisst, fraß, hat gefressen to eat; to feed on; to devour; to stuff oneself; to gorge oneself; to eat like a pig; to eat away (e.g. metal) B1/ˈfʁɛsn̩/

Ernte

harvest, crop plural: die Ernten harvest B1/ˈɛrntə/

Getreide

grain, cereal usually singular cereal; corn; grain (type of plant and its fruit); a particular kind of cereal C1/ɡəˈtʁaɪ̯də/

Gemüse

vegetables usually singular vegetable; vegetables (kinds of plants); a seasoned vegetable-based side dish, such as a relish (not necessarily pickled and not usually in the form… A1/ɡəˈmyːzə/

verschwunden← verschwinden

to disappear verschwindet, verschwand, ist verschwunden; past participle used here to disappear, to vanish, to move out of view; to leave, to go away; disappearance B1/fɛɐ̯ˈʃvɪndn̩/

Grammar in this text

Subordinate clause with 'wenn' (temporal conditional)

Wenn sie mit den Flügeln oder Beinen aneinander reiben, entsteht ihr lautes Zirpen.

The conjunction 'wenn' introduces a subordinate clause with the verb at the end. It expresses a condition or time. The main clause follows with the verb in second position.

Modal verb 'können' + infinitive

Deshalb können sie so weit und hoch springen.

The modal verb 'können' is conjugated in second position, and the main verb appears as an infinitive at the end of the sentence. This expresses ability.

Passive with 'sein' (statal passive)

Dann kann alles Getreide oder Gemüse sehr schnell verschwunden sein.

The construction 'sein' + past participle (here 'verschwunden') forms the state passive, indicating a resulting state. Combined with 'kann' it expresses possibility.

Prepositional phrase with 'mit' + dative

Mit diesen Geräuschen locken die Männchen die Weibchen an.

The preposition 'mit' always takes the dative case. Here 'diesen Geräuschen' is dative plural. The phrase indicates the means or instrument.

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Text from Heuschrecken — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.