Two Travelers Arriving From Cuba Found Carrying Live Birds at Miami Airport

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

B2. 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 purpose of the article?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To explain how airports train travelers to transport birds
   2. To report concealed-bird cases and discuss their wider significance
   3. To prove the men intended to sell birds internationally
   4. To compare security systems at Cuban and American airports
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To report concealed-bird cases and discuss their wider significance

   The article reports the cases and explains their broader inspection and animal-safety significance.

   The Miami cases illustrate the difficulty of enforcing those protections when animals are hidden under clothing.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article emphasize that the men arrived separately?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To show the men were definitely working together
   2. To explain why both travelers missed the same flight
   3. To clarify that the cases were independent in timing
   4. To identify which traveler carried birds first
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To clarify that the cases were independent in timing

   Their separate arrivals distinguish the incidents from one coordinated journey.

   Their separate arrivals are an important part of the case, since the incidents occurred on different days rather than during one shared journey.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can readers infer about ordinary airport inspections?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. They always include medical examinations of travelers
   2. They may not detect carefully hidden animals
   3. They focus exclusively on passengers’ clothing
   4. They prevent travelers from carrying any personal items
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   They may not detect carefully hidden animals

   Hidden animals may escape notice when inspections do not reveal unusual concealment.

   The discovery has drawn attention because live animals were brought through an airport in a way that made them difficult to see during an ordinary inspection.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   In the fourth paragraph, what does “those general rules” refer to?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Rules for examining unusual behavior
   2. Rules about separate international arrivals
   3. Rules requiring safe handling and official requirements
   4. Rules limiting the movement of airport employees
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Rules requiring safe handling and official requirements

   The phrase refers to careful handling, permission, and health documentation requirements.

   These general rules help protect animals and reduce the risk of disease spreading across borders.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article mention possible animal injuries?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To explain why birds cannot survive outside Cuba
   2. To support the need for animal-transport protections
   3. To show that the travelers deliberately harmed birds
   4. To describe the medical treatment given at Miami Airport
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To support the need for animal-transport protections

   The risks explain why transporting live birds requires regulation and careful handling.

   Live animals can present additional concerns because they may be injured by tight confinement, lack of air, heat, or sudden movement.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How is the information organized overall?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It presents a timeline followed by unrelated travel advice
   2. It begins with the cases and develops their significance
   3. It compares two airports before describing any travelers
   4. It lists legal penalties and then reports the discovery
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It begins with the cases and develops their significance

   The article moves from reported events to unknown motives, general risks, and broader implications.

   The facts released so far are limited, but authorities’ account makes one point clear: two separate travelers arriving from Cuba were found with live birds concealed on their bodies.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What limitation does the article acknowledge about the reported cases?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The travelers’ arrival locations are unknown
   2. The birds’ species are the only confirmed detail
   3. The men’s reasons and intended plans remain unclear
   4. The airport cannot confirm that any birds were present
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The men’s reasons and intended plans remain unclear

   The article states that authorities have released limited information about motives and plans.

   The facts released so far are limited, but authorities’ account makes one point clear: two separate travelers arriving from Cuba were found with live birds concealed on their bodies.

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.