Reading Comprehension Variant 1

Unity is Strength

    A flock of parrots was flying in the sky, looking for food. After some time they saw many grains under a tree. The parrots were very glad. They began to fly down towards the grain. But an old parrot said, “Let us not go down. A hunter could put a net there.” But the parrots did not listen to the old one. They all went down to eat the grains and only the old parrot sat on the tree. And the old parrot was right. A hunter put a net under the tree and the parrots’ feet were trapped in the net. They were terribly frightened.

    The old parrot said, “You did not listen to me before. You are young and stupid. But I want to help you. Now, if you want to be free, do as I say. You are a flock – not one bird. When I give the signal, you all fly together in the sky. The net will also go with you. Then you will fly to a tiny friendly mouse. It will help us. I see the hunter coming to you. One, two, three… Fly!” As soon as the old parrot gave the signal, the whole flock flew as one bird. “My net! My net!” shouted the hunter. But he could not catch the flock with his net as it was high up in the sky.

    The parrots followed the old parrot and flew to the place where the tiny friendly mouse lived. The kind mouse cut the threads of the net with its sharp little teeth and soon all the parrots were free. They could fly happily back to their nests. They thanked the mouse. And the old parrot said, “Remember that unity is strength”.

Task 1. Choose one correct answer:

1.     Why did the parrots fly down?

Unity is Strength

    A flock of parrots was flying in the sky, looking for food. After some time they saw many grains under a tree. The parrots were very glad. They began to fly down towards the grain. But an old parrot said, “Let us not go down. A hunter could put a net there.” But the parrots did not listen to the old one. They all went down to eat the grains and only the old parrot sat on the tree. And the old parrot was right. A hunter put a net under the tree and the parrots’ feet were trapped in the net. They were terribly frightened.

    The old parrot said, “You did not listen to me before. You are young and stupid. But I want to help you. Now, if you want to be free, do as I say. You are a flock – not one bird. When I give the signal, you all fly together in the sky. The net will also go with you. Then you will fly to a tiny friendly mouse. It will help us. I see the hunter coming to you. One, two, three… Fly!” As soon as the old parrot gave the signal, the whole flock flew as one bird. “My net! My net!” shouted the hunter. But he could not catch the flock with his net as it was high up in the sky.

    The parrots followed the old parrot and flew to the place where the tiny friendly mouse lived. The kind mouse cut the threads of the net with its sharp little teeth and soon all the parrots were free. They could fly happily back to their nests. They thanked the mouse. And the old parrot said, “Remember that unity is strength”.

2. How did the parrots feel under the tree?

Unity is Strength

    A flock of parrots was flying in the sky, looking for food. After some time they saw many grains under a tree. The parrots were very glad. They began to fly down towards the grain. But an old parrot said, “Let us not go down. A hunter could put a net there.” But the parrots did not listen to the old one. They all went down to eat the grains and only the old parrot sat on the tree. And the old parrot was right. A hunter put a net under the tree and the parrots’ feet were trapped in the net. They were terribly frightened.

    The old parrot said, “You did not listen to me before. You are young and stupid. But I want to help you. Now, if you want to be free, do as I say. You are a flock – not one bird. When I give the signal, you all fly together in the sky. The net will also go with you. Then you will fly to a tiny friendly mouse. It will help us. I see the hunter coming to you. One, two, three… Fly!” As soon as the old parrot gave the signal, the whole flock flew as one bird. “My net! My net!” shouted the hunter. But he could not catch the flock with his net as it was high up in the sky.

    The parrots followed the old parrot and flew to the place where the tiny friendly mouse lived. The kind mouse cut the threads of the net with its sharp little teeth and soon all the parrots were free. They could fly happily back to their nests. They thanked the mouse. And the old parrot said, “Remember that unity is strength”.

3. What did the parrots do when the old parrot gave a signal?

Unity is Strength

    A flock of parrots was flying in the sky, looking for food. After some time they saw many grains under a tree. The parrots were very glad. They began to fly down towards the grain. But an old parrot said, “Let us not go down. A hunter could put a net there.” But the parrots did not listen to the old one. They all went down to eat the grains and only the old parrot sat on the tree. And the old parrot was right. A hunter put a net under the tree and the parrots’ feet were trapped in the net. They were terribly frightened.

    The old parrot said, “You did not listen to me before. You are young and stupid. But I want to help you. Now, if you want to be free, do as I say. You are a flock – not one bird. When I give the signal, you all fly together in the sky. The net will also go with you. Then you will fly to a tiny friendly mouse. It will help us. I see the hunter coming to you. One, two, three… Fly!” As soon as the old parrot gave the signal, the whole flock flew as one bird. “My net! My net!” shouted the hunter. But he could not catch the flock with his net as it was high up in the sky.

    The parrots followed the old parrot and flew to the place where the tiny friendly mouse lived. The kind mouse cut the threads of the net with its sharp little teeth and soon all the parrots were free. They could fly happily back to their nests. They thanked the mouse. And the old parrot said, “Remember that unity is strength”.

4. Where did the parrots fly?

Unity is Strength

    A flock of parrots was flying in the sky, looking for food. After some time they saw many grains under a tree. The parrots were very glad. They began to fly down towards the grain. But an old parrot said, “Let us not go down. A hunter could put a net there.” But the parrots did not listen to the old one. They all went down to eat the grains and only the old parrot sat on the tree. And the old parrot was right. A hunter put a net under the tree and the parrots’ feet were trapped in the net. They were terribly frightened.

    The old parrot said, “You did not listen to me before. You are young and stupid. But I want to help you. Now, if you want to be free, do as I say. You are a flock – not one bird. When I give the signal, you all fly together in the sky. The net will also go with you. Then you will fly to a tiny friendly mouse. It will help us. I see the hunter coming to you. One, two, three… Fly!” As soon as the old parrot gave the signal, the whole flock flew as one bird. “My net! My net!” shouted the hunter. But he could not catch the flock with his net as it was high up in the sky.

    The parrots followed the old parrot and flew to the place where the tiny friendly mouse lived. The kind mouse cut the threads of the net with its sharp little teeth and soon all the parrots were free. They could fly happily back to their nests. They thanked the mouse. And the old parrot said, “Remember that unity is strength”.

5. Who helped the parrots to become free?

Task 2. True or False?

6. The flock of parrots was flying in the sky looking for food.

7. Only the old parrot went down to eat the grains.

8. Little children put a net under the tree.

9. The old parrot wanted to help the young parrots.

10. As soon as the old parrot gave the signal, only one bird flew.

11. The hunter caught the flock and the net. 

12. The parrots thanked the mouse.