Steer clear of swooping magpies
Name _________________ Date __________
Source: The Satellite (Australia) September 13 2010 http://www.thesatellite.com.au/story/2010/09/13/steer‐clear‐of‐swooping‐magpies‐sat/ It's time to get out your ‘space
helmets' and umbrellas – magpies are
swooping as they protect their chicks.
The magpie breeding season lasts
from July until December. During the
breeding season, the best approach
is to stay well clear of areas where
magpies are known to be swooping,
particularly the nesting tree.
Not all magpies swoop and those that
do are only trying to be good parents.
The Moreton Bay Regional Council
wants residents to be ‘magpiesmart'. They state that if you must
enter the area, move through it
quickly. Wear a hat and sunglasses
or carry an umbrella.
Cyclists should dismount and walk
through the magpies' territory. One strategy cyclists have been using for the past few years is to attach
large cable ties to the back of their helmet. The best approach seems to
be two plastic cable ties of any colour, sticking up like antennae.
August 2011. L1 Literacy and Functional English. E2 and E3 versions are also available. Kindly contributed by Craig Sullivan,
Queensland, Australia. Search for Craig on www.skillsworkshop.org
Page 1 of 4
Steer clear of swooping magpies
Name _________________ Date __________
Source: The Satellite (Australia) September 13 2010 http://www.thesatellite.com.au/story/2010/09/13/steer‐clear‐of‐swooping‐magpies‐sat/ Questions
1. Why do magpies swoop? __________________________________
2. What does ‘magpie-smart’ mean? ___________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. When do they swoop? _____________________________________
4. Why should cyclists dismount? ______________________________
______________________________________________________________
True
False
N/A
5. You should stroll through magpie
areas.
__________________________
6. Magpies attack in the morning.
__________________________
7. Some magpies swoop.
__________________________
8. You could attach a blue cable tie
to your helmet.
__________________________
Find a word in the story that means:
9.
method
__________________________
10.
domain
__________________________
11.
inhabitants
__________________________
12.
alight
__________________________
‘ea’ sound:
ord ___ l
reh ___ rse
pl ___ sure
m ___ gre
pl ___ sant
dec ___ sed
Use the above words in sentences.
August 2011. E3 Literacy and Functional English. E2 and L1 versions also available.
Kindly contributed by Craig Sullivan, Queensland, Australia. Search for Craig on www.skillsworkshop.org
Page 2 of 4
Swooping Magpies L1-L2 Crossword
Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Craig Sullivan
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EclipseCrossword.com
Across
5.
Having to do with a certain area
6.
Method
1.
A group of birds
7.
Very strong rope or wire
8.
Saunter or amble
9.
'As light as a _____' (Simile).
10.
Push these to move a bike
11.
To come down / off something
12.
'To take someone for a ____' (Idiom). To deceive
someone
14.
A large cage for birds
13.
Give flavour to food
15.
'Kill two ____ with one stone' (Idiom). Resolve
two problems wth one action.
16.
Specifically or especially
17.
Part of an insect used to sense (plural)
18.
'As ____ as a bird' (Simile)
20.
The middle of winter (in Australia)
19.
Hours, minutes and seconds
21.
Young women (informal).
23.
Going from one side or end to the other
22.
To endure or continue (2nd person singular)
24.
An aerial made of metal
24.
Attach
25.
A plan for how to do something
26.
Better than anyone or anything else
27.
Bird food
Down
2.
'A ______ bird told me' (Idiom). Anonymous
information source
3.
A bird uses this to get food
4.
An area that is occupied and defended by an
animal
Swooping Magpies L1-L2 Crossword
Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Craig Sullivan
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F L O C K
E
A
E
R
W A L K
G
R
10
11
I
O
S
A
M
C
O
H
U
13
T
A
B
O
T
I
R
H
C U L A R L Y
E
A
V
P A R T
T
F R E E
L
F
L
I
S T R A T E G Y
C
25
B E S T
X
EclipseCrossword.com
C
T H R O U G H
26
I
21
23
A N T E N N A
A
S
J
24
F
R
20
Y
22
15
D
18
I M E
N
I
A
N
N
19
T
R
O
14
17
27
F
D E
S E A S O N
16
9
I
L
E
12
I
B
P E D A L S
R
C
8
T
P
T
R
7
T
A
5
E
I
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B
S E E D
K
S