A Pelican's Bill
1. One of the best fishermen in the world does not use a hook or any bait. It does not even have to sit and wait for a bite. Instead, this animal just swoops down and opens its beak. In minutes, the pelican is having a favorite meal.
2. A pelican is built to fly down, catch fish, and eat them. Its body is very light and its wings are very large. The wings spread out between seven and eight feet, so flying is fast and easy. A pelican can stay up in the air for twenty-four hours without coming down! When it spots a fish under the water, the pelican opens its big bill, which acts like a built-in net. The pelican dives and scoops more than three gallons of fish and water in one gulp. A sharp hook on its upper jaw helps to catch the wet fish that try to swim away.
3. When the pelican gets back to land, it tips its head and all the water runs out. The only things left inside the bill are the fish. Even though the bill is fifteen to twenty inches long, it is not very strong. The muscles cannot hold today's catch for long. The pelican must hurry up and eat its dinner. With one quick jerk, the hungry bird swallows every single one of them.
4. It has made a successful catch-of-the-day. The pelican has a full stomach and there is no equipment to pack and take home! After seeing how a pelican spends its day, you know why a poet once wrote, "A wonderful bird is the pelican. His beak will hold more than his belly can!"
1. Which word means the same as gulp in paragraph 2?
A. swallow
B. crunch
C. hook
D. grab
2. What is the main purpose of the pelican's bill?
A. to catch fish
B. to store food
C. to chew food
D. to drink water
3. What is the main idea of "A Pelican's Bill"?
A. Pelicans can fly all day without stopping.
B. Pelicans can fish easily because of their bills.
C. Pelicans have hooks on the ends of their bills.
D. Pelicans are excellent flyers because of their large wings.
4. Which is a fact from the passage?
A. One of the best fishermen in the world does not use a hook or any bait.
B. In minutes, the pelican is having a favorite meal.
C. The wings spread out between seven and eight feet, so flying is fast and easy.
D. A sharp hook on its upper jaw helps to catch the wet fish that try to swim away.
5. To find out which chapter in a science book is about pelicans, a student would use the
A. glossary.
B. title page.
C. subheadings.
D. table of contents.
6. When reading a book about pelicans, why would a student use the book's glossary?
A. to understand how the book is organized
B. to learn the meaning of a word in the book
C. to read the name of the book and its author
D. to find out what topics are included in the book
Source: Oklahoma State Department of Education
Originally Posted by colleyvillesooner
