Reading comprehension: A Cheeky Parrot

John lived by himself. He wanted a pet. He went to the pet shop. There were no cats or dogs.
In fact, you cannot buy cats and dogs from pet shops in England. They had hamsters, rabbits
and Guinea pigs. He was looking at a big white rabbit when he heard someone
say: ‘Hello!’ He looked around, but there was nobody. He looked up - and he
saw a beautiful parrot in a cage. It was red, with blue and yellow wings. He
wanted it! It was expensive, but John had plenty of money. He paid for the
parrot and its cage. He took it home and let it out of the cage. The parrot
did not say thank you. Immediately, it started swearing! John was shocked. It
used some really bad language. John asked the parrot to stop with the bad
language but it told him to go away (or words to that effect). He decided to
put it in the fridge for a few minutes to cool it down and teach it a lesson. As soon as it was in
the fridge, it shut up. After five or six minutes, he took it out. ‘I am sorry for my bad
language’ the parrot said. ‘I will never use it again. And – may I ask what the chicken did?’

Say if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones.
a. John lived with his mother. f - by himself
b. He wanted a pet.
c. He went to the supermarket.
d. You can buy cats and dogs from pet shops in England.
e. They had rats and snakes.
f. He was looking at a small black rabbit.
g. Someone said: Goodbye!
h. He looked up and saw a parrot.
i. The parrot was beautiful.
j. The parrot was cheap.
k. John had no money.
l. John bought both the parrot and its cage.
m. He took it to his house.
n. He kept it in the cage.
o. The parrot said: thank you.
p. The parrot used bad language.
How many of these
q. He popped it in the fridge for a bit.
pet animals can you
r. Once the parrot was in the fridge, it shut up.
name?
s. It promised never to fly again.
t. The parrot was curious about what the chicken did.

Answer the following questions in full sentences:

1. Who did John live with? _____________________________________________________
2. What did he want? _________________________________________________________
3. Where did he go? _________________________________________________________
4. What did he buy? _________________________________________________________
5. How did John feel about the parrot’s bad language? _______________________________
6. Where did he put the parrot to teach it a lesson? ________________________________

Over to you: What is your ideal pet? Why? Describe it.

KEYS

Say if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones.
a. John lived with his mother. f - by himself
b. He wanted a pet. t
c. He went to the supermarket. f – the pet shop
d. You can buy cats and dogs from pet shops in England. F – you cannot/can’t
e. They had rats and snakes. f – hamsters, rabbits and Guinea pigs.
f. He was looking at a small black rabbit. f - Big white
g. Someone said: Goodbye! f - hello
h. He looked up and saw a parrot. t
i. The parrot was beautiful. t
j. The parrot was cheap. f - expensive
k. John had no money. f - plenty
l. John bought both the parrot and its cage. t
m. He took it to his house. t
n. He kept it in the cage. f - he let it out
o. The parrot said: thank you. f – it did not say. It swore
p. The parrot used bad language. t
q. He popped it in the fridge for a bit. t
r. Once the parrot was in the fridge, it shut up. t
s. It promised never to fly again. f - swear
t. The parrot was curious about what the chicken did. t

Answer the following questions in full sentences:

u. Who did John live with? He lived by himself.
v. What did he want? He wanted a pet.
w. Where did he go? He went to the pet shop.
x. What did he buy? He bought a parrot.
y. How did John feel about the parrot’s bad language? He felt/was shocked.
z. Where did he put the parrot to teach it a lesson? He put it in the fridge.

Going along, from left to right:

Rat, Guinea pig, frog

Rabbit, goldfish, spider

Lizard, mouse, hamster

Snake, bird, tortoise, chipmunk.