How a Duck Stays Dry
Written by Studio AM.
Your result
- Words per minute
- Score
- Pace
Words per minute mean something only with the score beside them. They describe this passage on this read. With fewer than 3 right, try the next slower pace.
Choose a pace and select Start. The passage is paced and timed, then the questions check what you understood. How pace mode works
Reading time 0:00
Water often rolls off a duck's back in small drops. Its feathers form a barrier that helps keep the skin and soft down beneath them dry.
The outer feathers overlap like tiles on a roof. Within each feather, tiny hooks link its fine branches together. This close structure helps stop water from passing through.
The duck also spends time preening: cleaning and arranging its feathers with its beak. It repairs gaps between the tiny branches and spreads oil from a gland near its tail. This care helps keep the feathers in good condition.
Under the outer feathers, soft down traps air close to the body. The layers work together: the outside resists water, while the down helps the duck stay warm.
The passage is hidden while you answer. It comes back with your result.
Questions
Choose an answer. The explanation appears after you answer.
-
Question 1 of 4
What is the main point of the passage?
The answer is B: A duck's feather structure and regular care help keep it dry.
The passage explains both the structure of the feathers and the care that maintains them.
-
Question 2 of 4
What would most likely happen if a duck could not preen for many days?
The answer is C: Its feathers could become less effective at keeping water out.
Preening repairs and maintains the feathers, so losing that care could weaken their protection.
-
Question 3 of 4
In this passage, "preening" means:
The answer is A: cleaning and arranging feathers with the beak
The third paragraph directly defines preening.
-
Question 4 of 4
Where does the duck's oil come from?
The answer is D: From a small gland near its tail
The oil comes from a gland near the tail.
Score: none answered yet.