Rare Barn Owl Family Draws Crowds on Manhattan’s Upper West Side
Listen to the B1 Daily News report “Rare Barn Owl Family Draws Crowds on Manhattan’s Upper West Side” and answer 5 comprehension questions.
About this practice test
Listen to the B1 Daily News report “Rare Barn Owl Family Draws Crowds on Manhattan’s Upper West Side” and answer 5 comprehension questions.
What you’ll practice
Understanding detail
Follow specific information and examples.
Interpreting ideas
Identify main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
5 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- B1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- Single choice
How to approach this practice
Read the questions, then listen before opening the transcript. Notice names, numbers and any corrections the speaker makes.
News lesson for this practice
Read the complete article and use its text or audio alongside these exercises: Rare Barn Owl Family Draws Crowds on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Rare Barn Owl Family Draws Crowds on Manhattan’s Upper West Side
Read a transcript excerpt
A family of barn owls has become an unexpected attraction on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The birds nested in a water tower on top of a building near Central Park, close to West 75th Street and Central Park West. The owls became widely known after Upper West Side resident Elisabeth Williams told a local news outlet on October 6 that she and her husband had seen several birds at the…
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Question 1 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Who first reported seeing several birds at the water tower?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Andrew Farnsworth
- Elisabeth Williams
- A Central Park photographer
- A Cornell Lab researcher
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Elisabeth Williams
The recording names the resident who contacted a local news outlet.
The owls became widely known after Upper West Side resident Elisabeth Williams told a local news outlet on October 6 that she and her husband had seen several birds at the water tower.
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Question 2 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What had Williams and her husband seen a few days earlier?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Several owls in Central Park
- One owl on an apartment windowsill
- An eagle-owl near the water tower
- A hawk flying over West 75th Street
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- One owl on an apartment windowsill
The earlier sighting involved one owl on a windowsill.
A few days earlier, they had seen one owl sitting on an apartment windowsill.
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Question 3 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Why are the owls not often seen in this part of the city?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- They are secretive and active mainly after dark.
- They live only in distant northern forests.
- They leave the city whenever residents gather.
- They stay inside water towers during every season.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- They are secretive and active mainly after dark.
The recording connects their rarity to secretive nighttime behavior.
They are also secretive and are not often seen in this part of the city.
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Question 4 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What supports Farnsworth’s conclusion about the nest?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- The number of people watching the owls
- The birds’ location near Central Park
- Available recorded knowledge about birds in the area
- The couple’s earlier windowsill observation
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Available recorded knowledge about birds in the area
His conclusion is based on recorded knowledge about local birds.
He said this conclusion is based on the available recorded knowledge about birds in the area.
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Question 5 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What result has the owl family produced for local people?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- It has caused people to avoid Central Park.
- It has given people a surprising view of urban nature.
- It has made residents move away from Manhattan.
- It has encouraged people to build new water towers.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- It has given people a surprising view of urban nature.
The owls have helped residents notice nature in their neighborhood.
For now, the barn owl family is giving people a surprising view of nature in a crowded neighborhood.
What to review next
Listen again to difficult sections, then open the transcript to check what you heard. Repeat a useful phrase aloud and try the recording once more without the text.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.
Before you practise: a worked example
Listen for the final information, especially when a speaker corrects or changes an earlier statement.
Example transcript: “Let’s meet at five — actually, half past five would be better.” What is the final suggested time?
The final suggested time is 5:30. Actually signals a correction; the first time is replaced by the later suggestion.
This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.