(Copy and paste this page to an empty word file where you can solve the exercises. Then click here for the key.)

1. Match the birds and the qualities.

peregrine falcon                the fastest bird

bee hummingbird                 bird with the largest field of vision

wandering albatross             bird with the longest recorded flight

bar-headed goose                the smallest bird

common tern                       bird with the largest wingspan

woodcock                           the highest flying bird

2. Decide if the following sentences are true or false.

The air pressure is lower above the wings when a bird is flying.                     True / False

Birds have to eat more than other non-flying animals.                                   True / False

The albatross has a perfect anatomy for hovering in the air.                          True / False

Peregrine falcons cannot see well but they can fly fast.                                True / False

No bird can fly backwards.                                                                         True / False

The bar-headed goose can fly higher than any other bird.                               True / False

3. The following words were used in the text. They are all verbs of movement and they can all be used in connection with flying:

            glide, hover, flap, take off, land, dive

Use them in the following sentences. Sometimes you have to change the form of the verbs.

Example: It is very difficult to ( land ) on water with an airplane.

Birds with longer wings can (              ) more easily. They can stay up with the minimum of movement.

Falcons sometimes (              ) from the height of 1 km to catch their prey.

Birds create a so called 'lift' by (              ) their wings.

We missed the plane. When we got to the airport it had already (              ) off.

The hummingbird was (              ) in the air above the flower.

4. The text contains many adjectives in the comparative and superlative form.

Example: '...the air above the wing moves faster...'

'Albatrosses are among the largest of fling birds.'

Read the following sentences and find the grammatical mistakes in them. Correct the sentences. (Sometimes more corrections are possible.)

Example:

Wrong:        This is the most longest film I have ever seen.

Correct:       This is the longest film I have ever seen.

(You only need 'most' for one-syllable adjectives such as 'big' or 'small'.

Wrong:         London is farer from here than Prague.

Correct:        ......................................................

Wrong:         This isn't as difficult than I thought.

Correct:         ...............................................................

Wrong:         This is a much more better idea.

Correct:         ...................................................

Wrong:         Susan is most intelligent student in the class.

Correct:        ..................................................................

Wrong:         Monday is the worse day of the week.

Correct:        ............................................................

Wrong:         The 'woodcock' has a largest field of vision than any other bird.

Correct:         .........................................................................................

Wrong:         This is one of the easiest exercise I have ever done.

Correct:        ...............................................................................

If you want to practice the comparison with adjectives visit this site.