I.

Word Hunt
Directions: search for the word/s in a crossword puzzle provided which will be used
in a reading text.
 II. Reading Comprehension
Directions: Read the story below and answer questions that follow. Answer the
questions briefly in 1-3 sentences.

Two Strange Partners

By Victoria Farr
In many parts of the world there are birds and animals that help each other. They do
this in some interesting ways. At times, some of them may even work together as
partners.
There are two such partners in the forests of Africa. They make a strange pair.
One is a small bird called the honey guide. The other is an animal called ratel, or
honey badger. They often help each other because they both like honey. And they work
together in an unusual way to share this food.
The honey guide is a dull-gray or brown bird. It belongs to the wood-pecker
family. But it looks much like a thrush. Most of the time this bird eats insects. It also
likes to eat the wax found in a honeycomb.
The ratel belongs to the weasel family. It looks a gray-and-black badger. But its
tail is smaller. In one way, the ratel is like a skunk. If its frightened, it gives off a very
strong scent. The ratel eats insects, birds, rats, and snakes. But it likes honey too.
As the honey guide flies through the forest, it may find a bees’ nest. But it can’t
break open the hive to get at the honey. Its bill is too small.
So the bird tries to find help. It does this by making shrill chirps. If a ratel
hears the bird’s cries, it comes running. It starts to follow the bird. The bird flies a few
feet ahead. It keeps up its shrill cries. From time to time it may stop on a bush or a
tree. It seems to be checking to see if the ratel is coming. The honey guide leads in this
way until it comes to the beehive.
The bird waits in a tree. And the ratel starts to work on the hive. It smashes the
hive open with its strong claws. It starts to eat the honey. It eats the bees as well. It
may get stung by the bees. But it has thick fur and tough skin. And the taste of the
sweet honey seems to be worth a few stings.
At last the ratel has eaten the bits of wax and honey that are left.

1. What is the reading text about?

2. What animals were called as “two strange partners”?
3. Why do these animals work together?
III. Vocabulary Check

Directions: Give the definitions of the words found in the puzzle.

● Weasel
● Badger
● Thrush
● Honey
● Skunk
● Scent
● Claws
● Bush
● Hive
● Fur