Question 1 of 11
The girl is described as "timid as a bird". What literary technique is this?
A) Metaphor
B) Simile
C) Personification
D) Alliteration
Question 2 of 11
The girl is described as "eerily beautiful as a marsh fairy". What does this suggest about her appearance?
A) She looks exactly like a fairy with wings.
B) She is ugly but wearing nice clothes.
C) She has a strange, mysterious beauty that seems almost supernatural, despite being dirty and thin.
D) She is very clean and well-dressed.
Question 3 of 11
The girl stands "poised like a disturbed marsh bird for instant flight". Why is this simile particularly clever in this story?
A) Because the story is set near the sea where there are lots of birds.
B) Because Rhayader paints pictures of birds.
C) Because birds are always scared of people.
D) Because the girl has come to save a bird, but she herself is acting exactly like a frightened bird — creating a parallel between rescuer and rescued.
Question 4 of 11
Rhayader is described as a "dark apparition" with a "sinister hump" and "crooked claw". How does the author use contrast in this story?
A) Rhayader looks frightening on the outside but is actually kind and gentle on the inside — his appearance contrasts with his true nature.
B) The lighthouse contrasts with the marsh because one is tall and one is flat.
C) The white bird contrasts with the dark studio because of their different colours.
D) There is no contrast — Rhayader is exactly as scary as he looks.
Question 5 of 11
The locals call Rhayader an "ogre". What does this word choice reveal about how people treat him?
A) They respect him as a powerful leader.
B) They have turned him into a fairy-tale monster because they fear what they don't understand — his disability and his different way of life.
C) They think he is funny and make jokes about him.
D) They admire his strength and size.
Question 6 of 11
What does the word "deft" tell us about Rhayader's character?
A) He is careless and clumsy when handling birds.
B) He is strong enough to hold the bird down.
C) Despite his disability, he is remarkably skilful with his hands — showing that his appearance is misleading.
D) He has done this many times before and finds it boring.
Question 7 of 11
The girl uses non-standard English: "It's hurted" and "Can'ee heal it, sir?". What does this tell us about her?
A) She is uneducated and probably poor, from a rural working-class background — but she still shows great compassion.
B) She is speaking a foreign language that Rhayader cannot understand.
C) She is being rude to Rhayader on purpose.
D) She is too young to speak properly.
Question 8 of 11
At the end, the girl "laughed in delight, and then suddenly caught her breath in alarm". What technique is the author using here?
A) Alliteration — repeating the same sounds.
B) Onomatopoeia — words that sound like their meaning.
C) Repetition — saying the same thing twice.
D) Juxtaposition — placing two opposite emotions side by side to show how quickly her feelings change.
Question 9 of 11
Throughout the passage, the author describes the girl using bird imagery (timid as a bird, poised like a marsh bird, eerily beautiful as a marsh fairy). Why does the author do this?
A) Because the story is boring without descriptions of birds.
B) To connect the girl to the natural world and to the snow goose itself, showing they are both fragile, wild creatures who need protection.
C) Because the girl is actually a bird in disguise.
D) To make the reader think the girl is ugly.
Question 10 of 11
Rhayader says "We will try. Come, you shall help me." Why does he say 'we' and 'you shall help me' instead of just treating the bird himself?
A) Because he physically cannot treat the bird alone due to his disability.
B) Because he wants to trick the girl into staying so he won't be lonely.
C) To make the frightened girl feel important and included, giving her a role so she forgets her fear.
D) Because it is the law that two people must treat an injured bird.
Question 11 of 11
Which word best describes the theme (main message) of this passage?
A) Appearances can be deceiving — true character is shown through actions, not looks.
B) Wild birds should always be kept as pets.
C) Children should never visit strangers alone.
D) Disabled people should live alone away from society.