Once there was a parrot on sale in a pet store. It was a beautiful red and blue bird. It sat on a perch ( 橫桿 ) in the middle of the store, so that everyone could see it when they came in. The owner was very proud of it and asked a high price for it.
One day a man went into the store. “ That’s a beautiful bird,” he said to the owner, “ But why is it so expensive? Is it an unusual bird?”
“ No, it’s not very unusual. It’s expensive because it can talk.” the pet store owner said.
“ I see. How can I make it talk?” the man asked.
The owner asked him, “ Do you see those strings ( 細繩 ) tied to each of the bird’s legs?
“ Yes,” the man answered.
“ Well, you pull those strings,” the pet store owner told him. That will make the parrot talk.”
The man asked, “ Do you mind if I try?”
“ Not at all,” the owner said.
The man walked up to the parrot and pulled the string on its left leg. The parrot said, “ Good morning.”
The man pulled the string on the parrot’s right leg. This time the parrot said, “ How are you today?”
“ That’s not very interesting,” said the man. “ Any parrot could do that.” Then he laughed, “ But what would happen if I pulled both strings at the same time?”
“ I’ll fall off my perch, you fool !”the parrot said.
小題1: The parrot was expensive because ________.
| A．it was pretty beautiful | B．it could talk with people |
| C．it was a very unusual bird | D．it was in the middle of the store |
小題2:The parrot would talk when ________.
| A．people came into the pet store | B．it was the pet store owner |
| C．people said it was beautiful | D．people pulled the strings on its legs |
小題3: Which is the first sentence that the parrot said to the man?
| A．Good morning. | B．How are you? |
| C．That wasn’t interesting | D．I’ll fall off my perch, you fool! |
小題4: From the story we know the parrot was ________.
| A．kind | B．silly | C．clever | D．crazy |
小題5: The best title for the passage should be ________.
Unusual Parrot B. Parrot Talk C. Silly Man D. Clever Owner
