Character
Who is Alex?
A parrot
How is Alex different than other parrots?
Most parrots make up sounds and imitate others but Alex understands what he says.
What does the word, "assistant," mean in paragraph 2?
A helper
What type of parrot is Alex?
Alex is an African gray parrot
Who is Dr. Irene Pepperberg?
She is a scientist who has worked with Alex for many years.
Why do scientists spend time studying animals?
They are interested in discovering how intelligent the animals are.
What is the meaning of the word, "identify," as it is used in paragraph 4.
to recognize
What does Alex like to eat?
Alex likes to eat wheat.
What is a character trait you would use to describe Alex?
Which paragraph best shows how Alex feels about Irene?
Paragraph 17
What does the word, "birdbrain," mean in paragraph 3, and does that word apply to Alex?
The word "birdbrain," means someone who isn't very smart and no it does not apply to Alex because he is a smart bird.
What is one way that Alex can compare objects?
He can compare objects by size.
or
He can compare by same or different.
How do the scientists know that Alex is smart?
They know that Alex is smart because he can identify over 40 objects, 5 different shapes, 5 materials and 7 colors.
How does the photograph add to the information of the passage?
It shows one way that Irene works with Alex.
What does the word, "Shredded," mean in paragraph 5?
It means torn apart into pieces.
She gives him a toy to play with.
Does Alex love Dr. Irene? How do you know?
*He rubs his head against Irene's cheek.
or
*He croaks, "I love you," to Irene.
What is the main idea of this passage?
Animals can learn different things.
What does the word, "Praises," mean as it is used in paragraph 14?
It means to compliment or to show admiration.
What do we learn about Alex when he croaks the word "Wood," in paragraph 9.
We learn that Alex can identify different types of material as well.