Unit 27: The Spider and The Bird

Word List

adv. Actually means in fact or really.

My dad looks a little mean, but actually he's very kind.
n. Bite is the act of using your teeth to cut and tear into something.

The boy took a big bite of his hamburger.
n. The coast is the land by an ocean.

I stayed on the southern coast of Australia.
n. A deal is an agreement that you have with another person.

I made a deal with the other company to give us some money.
n. The desert is an area of land without many plants or water.

Not many plants grow in the desert.
adj. If something is effective, it works well.

Swimming is an effective way to stay healthy.
v. To examine something is to look at it carefully.

The doctor examined my eyes today.
adj. If something is false, it is not correct.

If you think the answer is false, press the red button.
v. When you figure something out, you come to understand it and find an answer.

I couldn't figure out what he wanted me to do.
n. A gift is something you give someone.

Dave received many gifts for Christmas.
n. Hunger is the feeling that you get when you need to eat.

After playing all day long, he was filled with hunger.
v. To imagine something is to think of it in your mind.

Sally imagined herself winning lots of money.
n. A journey is a long trip.

I went on a journey across the country with my parents.
n. A puzzle is something that is hard to understand.

The question was a puzzle to him.
adv. Quite means that something is a certain way completely or very much.

I think typing on a keyboard is quite easy.
adv. Rather is used when you want to do one thing but not the other.

I would rather have the red one than the blue one.
adj. If something is specific, it is precise or exact.

Please choose a specific place on the map.
n. A spider is a small creature with eight legs.

Some adults have a fear of little creatures such as spiders.
n. A tour is a short trip in which you see many sights.

I took a tour of Asia and Europe.
n. A trip is a journey to a certain place.

Ken took a trip to the city yesterday.

Exercise

A ‣ Circle the right definition for the given word.

gift
- a. somewhere you go
- b. something you give
- c. someone at a doctor
- d. something you think about
spider
- a. an eight-legged insect
- b. a secret agent
- c. an athlete
- d. a cooking appliance
figure out
- a. to see many things
- b. to find an answer
- c. a need to eat
- d. to work well
quite
- a. to feel awake
- b. instead
- c. to look at
- d. very much
puzzle
- a. sand
- b. to be gone a long time
- c. in fact
- d. a difficult question
deal
- a. a lot of information
- b. an agreement with another person
- c. a game
- d. to want to do one thing but not another
hunger
- a. a strong need for food
- b. a long trip to a place
- c. when you feel awake
- d. something worth a lot of money
desert
- a. a place without water
- b. something you give someone
- c. in fact
- d. something that is not correct
effective
- a. to think in your head
- b. to go somewhere
- c. to choose something
- d. working very well
coast
- a. to look at something
- b. to see many things
- c. the ground moving
- d. the edge of the ocean

B ‣ Check (✓) the better response to each question.

Which would you have, juice or water?
- a. I would like water, please.
- b. Yes, thank you.
Where did you go on your trip?
- a. We went to Rome.
- b. We like to stay home.
Do you enjoy solving puzzles?
- a. They don't taste very good.
- b. Yes, I think they are fun.
Try to imagine what your future husband or wife will look like.
- a. That's quite difficult.
- b. OK, I will go there tomorrow.
Have you studied Spanish? I'm a little worried about taking the class.
- a. Actually, it's not as hard as you think.
- b. Actually, I would rather sleep now.

C ‣ Write the word that best fits each sentence.

imagine / gift
I have a _____ for you.
Can you _____ what it is?
coast / desert
I like to watch the ocean at the _____ .
It is hot in the _____ .
bite / hunger
Having dinner will make my _____ go away.
Be careful around those dogs; they might _____ you.
tour / journey
I would like to take a _____ of the capital city sometime.
I went on a _____ around the world last year.
examine / quite
I think this dress is _____ pretty.
_____ your paper to check for mistakes.

The Spider and the Bird

There was once a very big spider. However, if a bug got into his web, he didn't eat it right away. He would carefully examine it. He asked the bug a question first. It was always quite a difficult puzzle. If the bug's answer was correct, he let it go. If not, he ate it.

One day, a small bird on a journey flew into the spider's web. The spider couldn't imagine eating a bird. It was so big! But his hunger was too great. He said to the bird, "If you cannot give me a specific answer, I will eat you."

The bird laughed. “I could eat you!” But the bird was actually scared. She had used all her energy trying to get out of the web. And a spider's bite can be very effective in killing animals.

"Please don't eat me," the bird said. "I would rather make a deal with you."

"OK" the spider said. "If your answer is right, I will let you go. If not, you must give me a gift. It must be something of great value!"

The bird said, "You can pick anything you want to eat. I will find it for you."The spider agreed.

"Where can you take a trip to the coast, the desert, and the mountains at the same time?" the spider asked.

The bird said, "Can you help me figure that one out?" But the spider did not say anything. "I can see those places when I fly. Is the 'sky' the right answer?""False!" said the spider. "The answer is Hawaii! Now you must find some bugs for me."

The spider climbed on the bird's back. They flew and ate bugs together. They took a tour of the forest. Then the bird took the spider home. From that day on, they were friends. And they never tried to eat each other again.

Reading Comprehension

Answer the questions.

Which is NOT part of the spider's puzzle?
- a. The coast
- b. Being friends
- c. A mountain
- d. The desert
Why does the bird make a deal instead of flying away?
- a. Her wings are quite effective in the web.
- b. She is too tired from trying to get out of the web.
- c. She cannot fly because of her hunger.
- d. She would rather take the spider on a trip.
What will be the bird's gift to the spider?
- a. A tour of the coast
- b. A specific kind of web
- c. Anything the spider wants to eat
- d. A trip to anywhere
What is the spider's response to the bird's answer?
- a. Your answer is false!
- b. Can you imagine!
- c. No deal!
- d. That has no value!
What is the first thing the spider does when a bug gets into his web?
_____

Answer Key

Name

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