Heknewcolorsandshapes.Helearnedabout150Englishwords.Withhislanguageability,hewasknownasperhapstheworld’smostfamoustalkingbird.

　　Buttwoweeksago,Alex,anAfricanGreyParrot,diedofoldage.Hewas31.IrenePepperberg,ascientistatHarvardUniversity,studiedandworkedwiththeparrotformostofitslife.

　　In1976,Pepperberg,adoctoralstudentatHarvard,boughtthenew-bornbirdfromapetshop.Atthattime,scientistsdidn’tthinkthatanybirdcouldlearntocommunicatewithhumans.

　　Usingnewwaysofteaching,PepperberghelpedAlextolearnabout150words,andtocountsmallnumbersaswellascolorsandshapes.

　　Inexperiments,Pepperbergwouldaskonetrainertocompete(比赛)withAlexforsmallprizeslikeagrape.Alexlearnedtoaskforthegrapebywatchingwhatthetrainerwasdoingtogetit.Theresearchersthenworkedwiththebirdtohelpwithpronunciation.

　　Alexshowedasurprisingabilitytolearn.Forexample,whenhewasshownabluetriangle(三角形),hecouldtellwhatcolorthepaperwas,whatshapeitwas,andaftertouchingit—whatitwasmadeof.

　　Likeotherparrots,healsolearnedsomeexpressionsinthelabsuchas“calmdown”and“Goodmorning”.Hecouldexpressfeelingslikejoyandanger.Onceduringonetrainingclass,hesuddenlystoppedandsaid:“wannagoeatdinner.”

　　Evenuptotheweekhedied,AlexwasworkingwithPepperbergonhard-to-pronouncewords.Assheputhiminthecageforthenight,Alexlookedatherandsaid:“Youbegood.Seeyoutomorrow.Iloveyou.”

　　Hewasfounddeadinhiscagethenextmorning.

　　1.WhatisAlex?

　　2.WheredidIrenePepperberggetAlex?

　　3.InwhichyeardidAlexdie?

　　4.WhatcausedthedeathofAlex?

　　5.Alexcouldusesimplewordstocommunicatewithhumans,couldn’the?

　　6.Whatwasheabletodoaftertouchingthebluepapertriangle?

　　(B)

　　Mrs.Whitelovesflowersandhasasmallbutbeautifulgarden.Insummer,herrosesarealwaysthebestinthestreet.Onesummerafternoonherbellrangandwhenshewenttothefrontdoor,shesawaLittleyoutside.Hewasaboutsevenyearsold,andwasholdingabigbunchofbeautifulrosesinhishand.“I’msellingroses,”hesaid,“don’tyouwantsome?Theyarecheap.Oneshillingforabigbunch.Theyarefresh.”

　　“Myboy,”Mrs.Whiteanswered,“IpickedroseswhenIwant,anddon’tpayanythingforbecauseIhavemanyinmygarden.”“Oh,no,youhaven’t,”saidthelittleboy.“Therearen’tanyrosesinyourgarden-theyareinmyhand!”

　　1.WhatareinMrs.White’sgardeninsummer?

　　2.Whorangatthedoor?

　　3.Wheredidtheboygettheroses?

　　4.WhydidMrs.Whitesayshedidn’twanttobuytheroses?

　　5.Whyweren’tthereanyrosesinMrs.White’sgarden?

　　(C)

　　PopularmusicinAmericaiswhateverystudentlikes.Studentscarrysmallradioswithearphonesandlistentomusicbeforeclassandatlunch.Studentswithcarsbuylargespeakersandplaythemusicloudlyastheydriveonthestreet.

　　Adultdriverslistentomusiconthecarradioastheydrivetowork.Theyalsolistentothenewsaboutsports,theweather,andlifeofAmericanpeople.Mostoftheradioprogrammersaremusic.

　　Poporpopularmusicsingersmakemuchmoney.TheymakeaCDortapewhichradiostationsuseinmanyplaces.Oncethepopularsingerisheardalloverthecountry,youngp