Honey Bees – B1 English Reading Test

Honey Bees

Honey bees are incredible insects and the worker bee perhaps the most interesting of all. You can be forgiven for not knowing about the lifestyle of these creatures while you enjoy your honey at breakfast. So here are some facts to consider the next time you buy a jar.

We all know that activity in the hive focuses on the queen. (1)……….. But it’s the workers, who have much shorter lives during the summer period and may only survive for up to six weeks, who do all the work.

Worker bees are female and during the first few weeks of their lives, when they are referred to as ‘house bees’, they will take on many different duties. (2)……….. For example, they’ll clean the cells where they were born and make sure bees that have died are removed. (3)……….. Finally, they’ll make sure the needs of the queen bee are met.

Towards the second half of their lives, the focus of their duties changes. They’ll begin by acting as guard to the hive. (4)……….. Then they’ll move on to becoming ‘field bees’ when they’ll leave the hive to collect nectar. However, this journey doesn’t start until they have made sure they’ll recognise the hive on their return.

They start by taking a short flight in front of the hive, flying backwards and forwards, up and down, getting a clear idea of where the hive is and what it looks like. (5)……….. This careful approach is probably very wise as their search for nectar will take them a long way from home.

A   They start by making sure the hive is kept clean and tidy.

B   So most of the bees die during the summer.

C   Then they’ll act as nurse to newborn bees.

D   They do this by controlling the temperature.

E   Slowly they move further and further away from the hive.

F   But you should always take care around worker bees.

G   She can live for five years and lays eggs for future generations.

H   They will make sure that only bees in the family enter.