Name: _____________________________
Nonfiction Reading Test
Koko
Directions: Read
the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text
to check your answers when appropriate.
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Did you know that
humans aren't the only species that use language? Bees communicate by
dancing. Whales talk to each other by singing. And some apes talk to humans
by using American Sign Language.
Meet Koko: a female
gorilla born at the San Francisco Zoo on July 4th, 1971. Koko learned sign
language from her trainer, Dr. Penny Patterson. Patterson began teaching sign
language to Koko in 1972, when Koko was one year old. Koko must have been a
good student, because two years later she moved onto the Stanford University
campus with Dr. Patterson. Koko continued to learn on the campus until 1976.
That's when she began living full-time with Patterson's group, the Gorilla
Foundation. Patterson and Koko's relationship has blossomed ever since.
Dr. Patterson says
that Koko has mastered sign language. She says that Koko knows over 1,000
words, and that Koko makes up new words. For example, Koko didn't know the
sign for ring, so she signed the words finger and bracelet.
Dr. Patterson thinks that this shows meaningful and constructive use of
language.
Not everyone agrees
with Dr. Patterson. Some argue that apes like Koko do not understand the
meaning of what they are doing. Skeptics say that these apes are just performing
complex tricks. For example, if Koko points to an apple and signs red or
apple, Dr. Patterson will give her an apple. They argue that Koko does
not really know what the sign apple means. She only knows that that if
she makes the right motion, one which Dr. Patterson has shown her, then she
gets an apple. The debate is unresolved, but one thing is for certain: Koko
is an extraordinary ape.
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Sign language isn't
the only unusual thing about Koko. She's also been a pet-owner. In 1983, at
the age of 12, researchers said that Koko asked for a cat for Christmas. They
gave Koko a stuffed cat. Koko was not happy. She did not play with it, and
she continued to sign sad. So for her birthday in 1984, they let her
pick a cat out of an abandoned liter. Koko picked a gray cat and named him
"All Ball." Dr. Patterson said that Koko loved and nurtured All
Ball as though he were a baby gorilla. Sadly, All Ball got out of Koko's cage
and was hit by a car. Patterson reported that Koko signed "Bad, sad, bad"
and "Frown, cry, frown, sad" when she broke the news to her.
It seems like
Patterson and Koko have a good relationship, but not everyone agrees with it.
Some critics believe that Patterson is humanizing the ape. They
believe that apes should be left in the most natural state possible.
Even Dr. Patterson struggles with these feelings. When asked if her
findings could be duplicated by another group of scientists, she said,
"We don't think that it would be ethical to do again." She went on
to argue that animals should not be kept in such unnatural circumstances.
Nonetheless, Koko lives in her foundation today.
As for the future, Dr. Patterson and the Gorilla Foundation would love to get Koko to an ape preserve in Maui, but they are having trouble securing the land. So unless you have a few million dollars to spare, Koko's going to be spending her time in Woodland, California with Dr. Patterson. Koko probably doesn't mind that. If she moved to Hawaii, she'd have to give up her Facebook page and Twitter feed, and she's got like 50 thousand "likes." Some may deny that she knows sign language, but nobody says that she doesn't know social networking. |
1. Which best expresses
the main idea of this article?
a. Bees, whales, and
apes like Koko all use language to communicate.
b. Koko uses sign
language but some think it's just a trick.
c. It is natural for
gorillas and house cats to live together.
d. If you want a lot of
"likes" on Facebook, get a talking gorilla.
B
2. Which best describes
how the second paragraph is organized?
a. Chronological order
b. Cause and effect
c. Compare and contrast
d. Problem and solution
A
3. Which best expresses
the author's purpose in writing the second paragraph?
a. The author is
describing the environment in which Koko lives.
b. The author is
informing readers how Dr. Patterson developed her skills.
c. The author is
persuading readers that Koko should be freed.
d. The author is telling
readers about Koko and Dr. Patterson's background.
D
4. Which happened last?
a. Koko got a stuffed
cat for Christmas.
b. Koko lost All Ball.
c. Koko began living
with the Gorilla Foundation.
d. Dr. Patterson began
teaching Koko to sign.
B
5. Which statement would
the author most likely agree with?
a. Koko has mastered
sign language without a doubt.
b. Everybody likes how
Dr. Patterson has raised Koko.
c. Koko doesn't really
know sign language.
d. Some people are
troubled by how Koko was raised.
D
6. Which best defines
the word duplicated as it is used in the sixth paragraph?
a. To dispute a fact or
disagree with someone
b. To lie to someone or
to fool them
c. To copy or recreate
something
d. To be disproven
through debate
C
7. Which event happened first?
a. Koko moved onto the
Stanford University campus.
b. Koko picked All Ball
out for her birthday.
c. Koko began living
with the Gorilla Foundation.
d. Koko got a stuffed
cat for Christmas.
A
8. Which best describes
the main idea of the sixth paragraph?
a. Dr. Patterson has
treated Koko very cruelly.
b. Dr. Patterson and
Koko have a beautiful, pure, and unconflicted relationship.
c. Some people think
that Koko should not have been treated like a human.
d. Some people are
working very hard to prove that Dr. Patterson is wrong.
C
9. Which statement would
the author most likely disagree with?
a. Dr. Patterson has
worked hard to teach Koko sign language.
b. Some people think
that Koko only signs to get food.
c. The Gorilla
Foundation would like to move Koko to an ape preserve.
d. Dr. Patterson has no
regrets about working with Koko.
D
10. If a book were being
written about Koko and All Ball, which title would best summarize their story?
a. Long Wanted, Short
Lived: A Tale of Strong Loves Lost
b. Happy Ending: The
Gorilla Who Got What She Wanted
c. A Tale of Two
Kitties: A Stuffed Cat Versus a Real One
d. Plushy Love: How A
Gorilla Fell in Love with a Stuffed Cat
A
