Alex knew colors and shapes.He learned about 150 English words.With his language ability he made himself known as perhaps the world’s most famous talking bird.

But Alex.a(chǎn) parrot,died two weeks ago when he was 31.Irene,a psychologist(心理學(xué)家)at Harvard University,studied and worked with the parrot for nearly 30 years.

In 1977, Irene, then an excellent student in chemistry at Harvard, bought Alex from a pet store.At that time, scientists were not quite sure whether birds could learn to communicate with humans.

But using the methods of teaching, Irene helped Alex to learn about 150 words, and to count small numbers, as well as colors and shapes.

In experiments, Irene would give Alex a small reward (獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)), like a grape.Alex learned to ask for the grape by watching what the trainer was doing to get it.The researchers then worked with the bird to help him with pronunciation.

Alex showed a surprising ability to learn.For example, when he was shown a blue paper circle, he could tell what color the paper was, what shape it was, and after touching it what it was made of.

Like other parrots, he also picked up some words when staying in the lab, like "calm down" and "good morning".He could also show his happiness and sadness.

Even before the week he died, Alex was working with Irene on difficult words. As she put him into his cage for the night that Thursday, Irene said that Alex looked at her and said," You be good.See you tomorrow.I love you."

He was found dead in his cage the next morning.

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容,選擇正確答案。

1.Alex is the name of_______

A.a(chǎn)n excellent student                       B.a(chǎn) clever bird

C.a(chǎn) trainer                               D.a(chǎn) psychologist

2.How did Irene get the parrot?

A.A friend gave it to her.                     B.She caught it in a forest.

C.She bought it from the market.               D.The passage doesn't mention it.

3.The underlined words "picked up" in the seventh paragraph mean_______

A.撿到                    B.挑選                    C.舉起                   D.學(xué)到

4.The best title of the passage can be _______.

A.A Thinking Parrot                                    B.The Owner of a Parrot

C.How to Teach a Parrot to Speak                  D.Parrots,Our Close Friends

5.The passage is probably taken from a_______.

A.history textbook                                      B.novel(小說)

C.newspaper                                                D.dictionary

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科目:初中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Alex was a rich(富有的)young man.He often went out to dinner with friends.He usually went to the restaurant next to his home, but the waiters there did not like him.Alex liked showing off(賣弄)and he always made fun(取笑)of the waiters.He often asked them difficult questions and then gave them the answers.He thought it was funny.

    One day he took a beautiful girl to the restaurant.Her name was Betty.Alex asked her,“What do you want to eat?’ She opened the menu and looked at everything and then said,“Don’t  those fish look good?“

    Alex looked at them and said,“Yes,they do.I know a lot about fish.”Then he turned to the waiter and said,“Waiter,aren’t these fish French?”

    “I don't know.”answered the waiter.“They didn’t talk to me about it.”

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容,選擇最佳答案。

1.From the story, we know that

    A.Alex was always kind to others             B.Alex often played jokes on the waiters

    C.Alex and the waiters were friends           D.Alex liked eating French fish

2.Why didn't the waiters like Alex?

    A.Because Alex liked girls very much.

    B.Because Alex was a rich young man.

    C.Became Alex asked them difficult questions

    D.Because Alex didn't like the food.

3.What does the underlined word “them” refer to(指的是)?

      A.Girls.                B.Waiters                C.Questions.         D.Fish.

4.Alex wanted his friends to think he____________.

      A.was rich              B.knew a lot            C.was a good cook    D.was strict

5.What can we know from the story?

      A.The fish could speak French.                 B.The waiter could speak French.

      C.The fish were French.                              D.The waiter didn’t like Alex’s questions.

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