Task 1

Task 1 Questions 1-6
Read the text about the ostrich and decide whether the statements are true (T), false
(F) or there is no information (NI). Tick (√) the right box. An example (0) has been
done for you.
The Biggest Bird
The biggest bird of all is the ostrich. It can weigh 300 pounds or more. It
grows to be about eight feet tall.
The ostrich is incapable of flying. There are other birds that cannot fly – emus
of Australia, rheas of South America, and kiwis of New Zealand. Scientists think the
ancestors of these birds millions of years ago were smaller and flew like other birds.
But most of the giant nonflying birds today live on islands where they have few
enemies. Because no danger threatened them, they had no need to fly. Over millions
of years, these kinds of birds grew bigger and heavier and their wings became weaker.
The ostrich, which lives on the African plains, does have hungry enemies such
as lions and cheetahs. But the ostrich can run fifty miles an hour, faster than most of
its enemies. Besides, the ostrich is so tall and has such sharp eyesight that it can see
danger from far off. In fact, zebras often stay near an ostrich and use it as a lookout.
When it runs, they run.
The ostrich lays the biggest egg in the world today. Its egg measures six to
nine inches long and weighs about three pounds. If it were empty, it could hold the
insides of about eighteen chicken eggs. The shell of a bird’s egg must be strong
enough to hold the developing baby bird. It must also be thin enough so that the chick
growing inside can breathe.
T F NI
For the
teacher
(0) The biggest bird always grows taller than a grown
person.
√ 0. *
(1) Scientists think that their ancestors were larger than
they are today.
1……
(2) Their ancestors could probably fly. 2……
(3) The biggest bird can run faster than most of its
enemies.
3……
(4) Zebras stay near an ostrich because it will fight off
their enemies.
4……
(5) The eggs of the ostrich are widely used for cooking. 5……
(6) The egg of the biggest bird is six to nine inches long. 6……