For an owl (猫头鹰) with one-metre
wingspan, the sky should be the limit. But Troy prefers his bird’s eye view to
be no higher than 5 feet 10 inches. The one-year-old owl has an inconvenient
symptom: he’s afraid of heights. After an unfortunate start in life when he
fell from his nest by accident, Troy was raised by Gareth Tonen, a handler (饲养员), who just happens to be 5 feet 10 inches tall.
As a result, Troy has grown up
without any great ambitions of his own. When it comes to trees, he can’t see
what is about and would prefer to fly along at Mr. Tonen’s side. Only when the
25-year-old handler climbs up a tree can Troy be tempted to leave his comfort
zone and join him.
Ashley Smith said, “ Troy’s fear
of heights was a result of forgetting how to be a bird. He’s been in captivity
(被圈养) for as
long as he can remember and has never been higher than his handler can lift
him. He sees himself as more of a human than an owl, and he doesn’t know how to
sit in trees or hunt. Gareth has to almost act like an owl to get Troy to
behave like one.”
As a result, a daily tree climb
has become part of Troy’s – and Mr. Tonen’s – routine. Ladders have been fixed
so Mr. Tonen can climb into the trees and call for Troy, who will fly up and
join his handler but go no higher. Most of the time he flies down again, but
occasionally Mr. Tonen has to carry him back to ground level. The afternoon
ends with a meal of mouse, rabbit or his favorite, chicken.
Mr. Tonen said, “He now looks
upon me as his mum or dad. He’s gaining more confidence and if I have to carry
on climbing up trees with him then we’ll do what it takes for him to be a high
flyer.
1.Troy was brought up by Gareth Tonen because he ______.
A. couldn’t fly high B.
got badly hurt
C. left his parents accidentally
D. couldn’t live in trees
2. What can you learn from the second paragraph?
A. Troy doesn’t show any interest
in flying high up in the sky.
B. Gareth Tonen has spoiled Troy
by offering him everything.
C. Gareth Tonen is pleased to see
Troy fly along at his side.
D. Troy would like his owner
Gareth Tonen to climb up trees.
3.According to Ashley Smith, Troy doesn’t know he is a bird because
______.
A. he has developed the symptom
of fearing heights.
B. he has been raised since he
was very small.
C. he can’t learn how to fly
higher than his owner.
D. he doesn’t want to fly among
trees hunting for food.
4. Why does Gareth Tonen have to climb up trees every day?
A. To set an example of flying
high to Troy.
B. To see how high Troy can
really fly.
C. To teach Troy how to get meals
in high trees.
D. To get Troy back down to cure
his fear of heights.
