They cannot fly, but they are brilliant in the water.
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Penguins are birds, but they cannot fly.Instead, they are excellent swimmers.Their wings work like , and they use them to move quickly through the water.
Almost all penguins live in the half of the world.Some live on the ice in , but others live on warmer beaches in South Africa, Australia and South America.The emperor penguin is the biggest.It can be more than one metre tall.
Penguins eat fish, squid and small sea animals called .They catch their food under the water and it whole, because they do not have teeth.
Penguins have thick feathers and a of fat to keep them warm.In very cold places, they together in large groups.They take turns to stand in the middle, where it is warmest.
Word box: 7 words
flipper
a flat arm or leg that helps an animal swim
southern
in or from the south
Antarctica
the very cold land around the South Pole
krill
very small sea animals, a bit like tiny prawns
swallow
to make food go down your throat
layer
a covering of something, like a blanket
huddle
to stand very close together, often to keep warm
Questions
Choose the best answer. If it is not right, look back at the text and try again.
1. Can penguins fly?
2. Where do almost all penguins live?
3. Which penguin is the biggest?
4. Why do penguins swallow their food whole?
5. What keeps penguins warm?
6. Why do penguins take turns in the middle of the group?
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