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