5. Language Use. Task 1. Birds causing trouble

Australia’s high-speed network is 1) theunderanin attack from thousands of birds. The birds 2) domakemakingdoing the damage are Australia’s colourful cockatoos.  They have taken a liking for chewing the broadband cables that criss-cross Australian towns and cities. They are causing thousands of dollars in damage to the cables. The National Broadband Network (NBN) company reports that they spend around $60,000 each time they 3) havearemakehas called out to fix the cables. The birds’ handiwork is also causing great problems such as Internet outages and painfully slow speeds across the country.

Cockatoos are 4) theniceAustraliana type of parrot which normally eats fruit, nuts, wood and bark. A spokeswoman from NBN said she was at a loss as to why the birds had started to chew the cables. She guessed that it was the colourful plastic that was put around the cables. She 5) explainedsaidaskedtoldreporters, “They are sharpening their beaks and 6) atasinfor  a result will attack and tear apart anything they see. 7) LuckilyUnusuallyUnfortunatelyFortunately, they’ve developed a liking for our cables.” She joked, “You wouldn’t think it 8) doescouldwill bewas possible, but these birds are unstoppable when in 9) ansmallbiga group. I guess that’s Australia for you; if the spiders and snakes 10) don'tdowon'twill get you, the cockatoos will.”