Feathered Friends

In the opinion of the narrator in ‘Feathered Friend,’ why is Claribel a “sensible” choice as a pet for Sven?

• She weighs very little.

• She sings beautifully.

• She is yellow.

When does the narrator first realize that Claribel is aboard the space station?

• when Sven informs the whole crew

• when a flash of yellow flies past

• when he hears the bird singing

What happens after the crew revives Claribel in ‘Feathered Friend’?

• She flies around the space station.

• She chirps but then keels over again.

• The crew goes back to eating breakfast.

Why do crew members pass around an oxygen bottle?

• to keep themselves from losing consciousness

• to determine how much oxygen each person needs

• to remind each other of their loyalty and friendship

As the narrator wakes up in the morning, he has a headache. What is the most likely reason for that headache?

• a night of bad dreams

• confusion between day and night

• lack of oxygen in the space station

Why would a person most likely feel distressed after reading an email?

• if the message contained bad news

• if the message is from an old friend

• if the message is a meeting reminder

If a puppy is described as whimpering pathetically, which of the following is most likely true?

• The sound is quiet and mostly unnoticed.

• The noise causes people to feel pity or sorrow.

• The puppy seems energetic and eager to please.

If a group of people lamented in public, which of the following events was most likely taking place?

• a funeral

• a graduation

• a holiday party

Think about the setting of ‘Feathered Friend’. What is the most likely reason that “early spacers” were “wiry little fellow(s)”?

• Small people have a special love for adventure.

• Large people have difficulty adjusting to zero gravity.

• Both the size of the space station and supplies in it are limited.

When the narrator of ‘Feathered Friend’ says, “Half a million dollars’ worth of chemical and electronic engineering had let us down completely,” what does he most likely mean?

• Engineering is never an exact science.

• No one should trust his or her life to scientists.

• Despite costly technology, systems still do fail.