The Owl's Quiet Wing
Written by Studio AM.
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Many owls hunt by listening for faint sounds, such as a mouse rustling in grass. Loud wing noise could hide those sounds. Special wings and feathers help the birds approach quietly.
Comb-like structures along the front edge of some flight feathers change how air flows over the wing. Soft feather surfaces and a flexible fringe along the trailing edge also help reduce flight noise. Airflow can produce turbulence, or irregular swirling motion. Broad wings let an owl fly slowly while staying aloft.
Owl species differ, and researchers are still studying how each feather feature affects sound. Quiet flight can help an owl hear its prey and make its approach harder for the prey to hear. The wing's shape and feather structure both matter.
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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 main idea of the passage?
The answer is C: Special feather edges, soft surfaces, and broad wings help many owls fly quietly and hear prey.
The passage links wing and feather features with quieter flight, listening, and a less easily heard approach.
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Question 2 of 4
Why is quiet flight useful to a hunting owl?
The answer is D: It keeps the owl's own wing noise from masking faint prey sounds.
The opening frames quietness as protection for the owl's listening during flight.
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Question 3 of 4
What does “turbulence” mean here?
The answer is A: irregular swirling movement in the air
The second paragraph defines turbulence directly as irregular swirling motion in airflow.
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Question 4 of 4
Where is the flexible fringe located?
The answer is B: along the trailing edge of a feather
The second paragraph directly locates the fringe on the feather's trailing edge.
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