The Magpie's Nest

Read the sentence from the passage: Magpies are sleek and glossy with shiny black feathers. Their abdomens, or undersides, are white, and they have patches of white on their wings. Which word has almost the same meaning as the word sleek?

• dark

• glistening

• thin

• well-known

Which words from the sentences best show what sleek means. Select two options.

• glossy

• shiny

• black

• featehrs

• undersides

Which sentence from the text best shows the thrush's attitude about making a nest?

• First came the thrush with plump, soft feathers and one of the best singing voices of all the birds.

• Once all the birds were assembled, Madge took some mud and formed it into a round cake.

• At that, the thrush said, Oh, that's how it's done, and away she flew.

• With that, the blackbird exclaimed, Now I know all about building a nest, and off she flew.

Read the sentence from the passage: Then Madge put another layer of mud over the twigs, and the owl said, "Oh, that's quite apparent and obvious now." Choose two synonyms of the word apparent.

• clear

• crooked

• hidden

• noticeable

• uncertain

Read the sentence from the passage: Then Madge put another layer of mud over the twigs, and the owl said, "Oh, that's quite apparent and obvious now." Choose two antonyms of the word apparent.

• clear

• crooked

• hidden

• noticeable

• uncertain

What does the narrator think of the turtledove?

• It is a foolish bird

• It is always late.

• It is an angry bird.

• It has a very loud song.

Which sentence from the passage best supports what the narrator thinks of the turtledove?

• Last of all, came the turtledove, a small, slender, graceful bird that makes soft, cooing sounds.

• Meanwhile, Madge worked and worked, and the only bird left was the turtledove.

• The turtledove kept saying, Take two, Taffy, take two-o-o-o.

• At last Madge looked up and say nobody near but the silly turtledove.

Which detail would most likely be given if the passage were written from the turtledove's point of view?

• what Madge thinks of the turtledove

• what different birds feed the babies in their nests

• how Madge learned to build a superior kind of nest

• why the turtledove does not pay attention during the lesson