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Feathered Friends Who Love to Chat 色彩缤纷的好朋友：鹦鹉

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When most people consider getting a pet, cats, dogs, and goldfish immediately spring to mind. But only one creature, which is often overlooked, has the ___1___ to speak back to its owners in human language. It’s our miraculous fine feathered friend, the parrot.

当大部分人在思索该养什么宠物时，脑中马上浮现的通常是猫、狗和金鱼。但只有一种常被忽略的动物，能用人类语言与牠的主人响应。就是我们神奇又美妙的鸟类朋友：鹦鹉。

With their long, curved beaks and rainbow-colored feathers, these exotic birds initially caught people’s eye back in ancient times. ___2___, people would pluck their feathers and use them in religious ceremonies or as decorations. But once people realized parrots’ intelligence, they began keeping them as pets.

鹦鹉有长而弯曲的喙以及七彩缤纷的羽毛，这些充满异国风情的鸟类早在古代就吸引人类的目光。起初，人们拔下牠们的羽毛作为装饰或用于宗教仪式中。可是一旦人类发觉鹦鹉极高的智能，就开始把牠们当作宠物饲养。

In total, there are over 350 parrot species and most possess a ___3___ intellect. African Grey Parrots can understand thousands of spoken commands and can even form basic sentences. One gifted example, named N’kisi, even learned to speak ___4___ the correct tense. In scientific studies, Kea Parrots demonstrated the ability to solve puzzles and operate basic tools.

鹦鹉一共超过350种不同品种，而且大部份都非常聪明。非洲灰鹦鹉能了解上千种口头命令，甚至还能造基本的句子。一只天赋异禀，名为尼基西的鹦鹉就是一个很好的例子，因为牠甚至学会用正确的时态对话。科学研究中，啄羊鹦鹉也展现了拼拼图及使用简单工具的能力。

As a result of their incredible brain power and linguistic talents, parrots always seem to be popping up in the media. In 2008, Yosuke, a stray parrot in Japan, managed to talk its way home. After it was captured by an animal clinic, the clever bird started ___5___ its name and address. Recently, a South American parrot named Lorenzo also made ___6___ when he was arrested for helping drug dealers escape from the law. When the police ___7___ to bust the dealers at their hideout, Lorenzo warned them, “Run, run, or the cat will get you!” Although parrots may occasionally ruffle some feathers, these talented birds have proven time and again that they’re the Einsteins of the animal kingdom.

由于鹦鹉具有不可思议的脑力和语言天份，牠们经常出现在媒体上。2008年日本一只走失的鹦鹉洋辅靠着一张嘴而找到回家的路。当牠被动物诊所收容时，这只聪明的鸟开始不断反复念着自己的名字和地址。最近则有一只南美洲的鹦鹉罗伦佐也登上头条新闻，牠因帮助毒贩逃过法律制裁而被逮捕。当警察出现在毒贩藏匿处准备要一网打尽时，罗伦佐警告毒贩：「逃啊，逃啊，不然猫会抓住你们。」虽然鹦鹉偶尔会被激怒而竖起羽毛，这些聪慧的鸟儿已再度证明牠们是动物界的爱因斯坦。

－by Jamie Blackler

Vocabulary

单词发音

creature [ˋkritʃɚ] n. 生物；动物

overlook [͵ovɚˋlʊk] v. 看漏；忽略

miraculous [mɪˋrækjələs] adj. 神奇的

parrot [ˋpærət] n. 鹦鹉

beak [bik] n. 鸟嘴

exotic [ɛgˋzɑtɪk] adj. 外来的；外国产的

pluck [plʌk] v. 拔……的毛

decoration [͵dɛkəˋreʃən] n. 装饰物，装饰品

intelligence [ɪnˋtɛlədʒəns] n. 智力; 理解力

keen [kin] adj. 敏锐的，敏捷的

intellect [ˋɪnt!͵ɛkt] n. 智力

command [kəˋmænd] n. 命令

gifted [ˋgɪftɪd] adj. 有天资的，有天赋的

tense [tɛns] n.（动词的）时态

linguistic [lɪŋˋgwɪstɪk] adj. 语言的

stray [stre] adj. 迷路的，走失的

drug dealer 毒品贩子﹐ 贩毒者

bust [bʌst] v. 逮捕；搜查

hideout [ˈhaɪdˌaʊt] n. 隐匿处 a place of shelter or concealment

ruffle [ˋrʌf!] v. 弄绉；弄毛糙

More Information

单词发音

spring to mind 突然想到 to appear suddenly or immediately in your thoughts

catch one’s eye 某事引起某人的注意 to attract one’s attention

pop up 出现, 发生(尤指出乎意料) appear suddenly or unexpectedly

show up 出现, 露面 to put in an appearance; arrive

ruffle someone’s feathers 冒犯或激怒某人 to irritate or annoy someone

time and again 屡次  very often

Einstein the bird

Bird Intelligence: The New Zealand Kea

Parrot almost becomes jailbird after drug bust

Answer