The Cheetah Reconsidered

That the cheetah reigns supreme among terrestrial sprinters is a matter of undisputed record, with documented speeds exceeding 70mph. Yet formidable as this acceleration is over short distances, the animal could not (1) .......... sustain such velocity for any prolonged period. Consequently, when stalking prey, it relies principally on the (2) .......... of surprise to exploit its explosive pace to maximum effect; in any extended pursuit, it will invariably (3) .......... wanting in terms of endurance and be compelled to abandon the chase. Still on the (4) .......... of locomotion, it is a remarkable fact that a cheetah at full (5) .......... is entirely airborne for more than half of each stride cycle — with a single stride spanning an astonishing seven metres. Yet the cheetah is anomalous among the great cats in another respect: beyond its extraordinary velocity, its capabilities in other domains leave a great deal to be (6) .......... . Its night vision, for instance, scarcely surpasses our own. Equally uncharacteristic is its social organisation: females are strongly (7) .......... towards solitude, whereas males are the more gregarious sex and tend to (8) .......... in coalitions of up to five individuals.