Rare Barn Owl Family Draws Crowds on Manhattan’s Upper West Side

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 passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What is the main idea of the article?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. A family of owls has attracted attention in a Manhattan neighborhood.
   2. New York City is building more water towers near Central Park.
   3. Photographers are studying every bird species in New York State.
   4. An expert is moving barn owls from parks to city buildings.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   A family of owls has attracted attention in a Manhattan neighborhood.

   The article explains why unusual owls attracted attention in Manhattan.

   For now, the barn owl family is giving people a surprising view of nature in a crowded neighborhood.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can readers infer about the owls’ usual behavior?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. They are easiest to find during the afternoon.
   2. They usually become active after the sun goes down.
   3. They avoid all buildings and crowded areas.
   4. They often sit on apartment windowsills during daylight.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   They usually become active after the sun goes down.

   Their nighttime activity explains why people search after dark.

   Barn owls are nocturnal, meaning they are most active after dark.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “They” refer to in “They are also secretive”?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The photographers
   2. The residents
   3. The barn owls
   4. The migration ecologists
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The barn owls

   The previous sentence identifies the birds as the subject.

   They are also secretive and are not often seen in this part of the city.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article mention the owls’ natural range?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To explain why the owls are rare in the area
   2. To show that the owls prefer crowded neighborhoods
   3. To describe how photographers find the birds
   4. To compare the owls with apartment residents
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To explain why the owls are rare in the area

   It helps explain why seeing them in New York is unusual.

   The state’s barn owl population has also declined over time.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How is the article mainly organized?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It presents the sighting, reactions, and reasons it matters.
   2. It lists several parks and compares their sizes.
   3. It explains how to build and repair water towers.
   4. It describes one photographer’s complete daily schedule.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It presents the sighting, reactions, and reasons it matters.

   It moves from the sighting to public interest and scientific context.

   A few days earlier, they had seen one owl sitting on an apartment windowsill.

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

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

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

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.