What happens if there are too many “bug guts” on the surface of an airplane wing?
What does repel mean? Use it in a sentence that is related to the article and list one synonym
To ward off or force back.
EX: the spray repels bugs
Syn: resist, expel
The author describes the problem of bug guts on airplane wings affecting the drag on the plane. What solution to this problem does the author describe?
What does contour mean? Use it in a sentence related to the article and provide a synonym.
The outline of a figure or shape
EX: A plane's wing has a curved contour power.
Syn: Shape, outline
Read the following sentences from the text.
“Could a bird’s qualities help bullet trains move more efficiently? Kingfishers, with their pointy beaks, showed how to break the sound barrier without turbulence. When these birds dive in the water, they do not make a splash because their shape is so streamlined. Scientists used this knowledge to solve the problem of bullet trains creating sonic booms inside tunnels. Those bullet trains were redesigned to resemble sleek kingfishers . . . and the problem went away."
What conclusion can be drawn about how bullet trains were redesigned based on this information?
They were probably redesigned to have a front end that resembled a kingfisher’s pointy beak.
What does streamlined mean? Use it in a sentence related to the article.
When these birds dive in the water, they do not make a splash because their shape is so streamlined.
Based on the text, why might scientists look to nature for solutions to human problems?
What is the main idea of this passage?