The Dawn Chorus
Written by Studio AM.
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Near dawn, many birds begin to sing. One song joins another until several can be heard at once. This early burst of birdsong is called the dawn chorus.
Songs can help birds defend a territory and attract a mate. But why is dawn such a busy time? Scientists study several possible reasons. In calm morning air, some sounds may travel clearly. Low light can also make finding food difficult for birds that need to see it. Singing may be useful before feeding becomes easier.
The pattern varies between species and places. Some females sing as well as males, and birds can sing at other times of day. Listening from the same spot on different mornings can help you notice which voices begin first.
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Questions
Choose an answer. The explanation appears after you answer.
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Question 1 of 4
What is the passage mainly about?
The answer is A: What the dawn chorus is and possible reasons for it
The passage defines the dawn chorus and gives possible explanations without claiming one rule fits every bird.
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Question 2 of 4
What does the passage suggest about calm morning air?
The answer is B: Some sounds may travel clearly in it.
Calm air is one possible reason examined in the passage, not a guaranteed explanation for every dawn chorus.
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Question 3 of 4
Why might singing be useful before feeding becomes easier?
The answer is B: Birds may communicate when low light makes food difficult to find.
The passage links low light with difficulty finding food and suggests communication can occur during that period.
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Question 4 of 4
In this passage, "chorus" most nearly means
The answer is B: many voices singing together at once
Several songs are heard together, so chorus refers to many voices sounding at once.
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