Racing to English
Activity 26g
This is
a
duck.
Duck-billed platypus
True
stories
Ducks have flat beaks.
These flat beaks are called bills.
Ducks also have webbed feet to
help them swim.
This is a duck-billed platypus. It has a bill
like a duck. But it is not a duck. It is not
a bird.
Duck-billed platypuses live in Australia.
A long time ago, John Hunter was living
in Australia. In 1798 he sent a dead
duck-billed platypus to Britain. He sent it
to the scientists in the Natural History
Museum in London.
When the scientists in the museum saw it, they were amazed. They had never seen
a platypus before. They did not believe that it was a real animal. They thought it was
a hoax. They thought that John Hunter had taken the bill from a duck and had sewn
it onto another animal. The scientists looked for the stitches but there were no
stitches. John Hunter had not sewn the beak onto the platypus, it was a real animal.
The duck-billed platypus is a real animal but it is a very
strange animal.
 All mammals are warm blooded. The platypus is
warm blooded so it is a mammal.
 Most mammals have fur or hair, the platypus has
fur so it is a mammal.
 Mammals give birth to live babies. The platypus
does not give birth to live babies; it lays eggs like
crocodiles and other reptiles.
 And the platypus has a bill like a duck and
webbed feet like a duck.
Ask your friend these questions:
1. Have you ever seen a duck billed platypus?
2. Have you ever seen a strange animal? What was it?
3. Have you ever seen something else that was strange? What was it?
4. Have you ever been to a museum? What did you see at the museum?
Now write the answers to the questions yourself.
© Gordon Ward 2012. Photocopiable only for use in the purchasing institution.
Step 26g Duck billed platypus
Racing to English
Activity 26g
Duck billed platypus
Worksheet
Look at this passage with some friends. Decide which words fit in each space:
Ducks have _________1________. These flat beaks are called _______2________.
Ducks also have __________3_________ to help them swim.
This is a duck-billed platypus. It has a
_________4________ like a _________5_________.
But it is not a duck. It is not a bird. Duck-billed
platypuses __________6_________ in Australia.
A long time ago, John Hunter _________7__________ in Australia. In 1798 he sent
a dead duck-billed platypus to Britain. He sent it to the __________8_________ in
the Natural History Museum in London. When the scientists in the museum saw it,
they ________9__________. They had never seen a platypus before. They
________10___________ that it was a real animal. They thought it was
_________11__________ . They thought that John Hunter ________12_________
the bill from a duck and _________13__________ it onto another animal. The
scientists looked for the stitches but there were no stitches. John Hunter
_________14__________ the beak onto the platypus, it was a real animal.
The duck-billed platypus is a real animal but it is a very strange animal.

All mammals are warm blooded. The platypus is ________15__________
so it is a mammal.

Most mammals have fur or hair, the platypus has fur so it is a mammal.

Mammals give birth to live babies. The platypus does not give birth to live
babies; it ________16___________ like crocodiles and other reptiles.

And the platypus has a bill like a duck and webbed feet like a duck
were amazed
did not believe
bills
bill
duck
flat beaks
a hoax
lays eggs
live
was living
scientists
© Gordon Ward 2012. Photocopiable only for use in the purchasing institution.
had sewn
had not sewn
had taken
warm blooded
webbed feet
Step 26g Duck billed platypus