Free printable 3rd or 4th Grade reading passage with interactive review questions and answers.
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How the Turkey Got Its Name
No one knows for sure how the turkey got its name.
Some people say that early British settlers in America thought that the bird looked like something that merchants brought back to England from Turkey.
Others say that Christopher Columbus named the bird. He thought that America was connected to India. When he saw a turkey, he thought it was a type of Indian peacock. He called it "tuka," which is "peacock" in Tamil, an Indian language.
The Native American name for turkey is "firkee." Some say this is how turkeys got their name.
Another story comes from the turkey itself. When a turkey is scared, it makes a "turk, turk, turk" sound.
Why did European settlers in America name the new bird a turkey? They stopped in Turkey on their way to America. The settlers were from Turkey. It looked like a bird from the country Turkey. It looked like a bird from the country Turkey.
What bird did Columbus think looked like a turkey? a peacock a chicken a duck a peacock
What's the word for peacock in the Tamil language? firkee tuka turk tuka
What is a Native American name for turkey? firkee tuka turk firkee
What land did Columbus think was connected to America? India Turkey England India
What sound does a scared turkey make? quack eeeeee turk turk turk turk turk turk
