Animal Corner

The parrot is amazing! This is the first time I’ve seen a talking animal. I trained the bird. It can only speak a few

Yes! Yes!

simple words. Not only that, my parrot can also perform a show.

Really?

Wow! It’s awesome!

Now I Know! Now I Know!

Parrots have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward. This makes it possible for the parrot to grasp things and makes it easy for it to stand firmly. My parrot is great, right?

I’d like a parrot too.

Oh, I almost forgot!

I brought what you wanted! Ha, ha. It definitely wasn’t me who said that to you yesterday. That was my parrot. Oh! I thought it was you. Yesterday you said you wanted nuts. So I brought

some for you. My parrot is fond of eating nuts. Let’s give this pack of nuts to my parrot.

Thank you! Thank you!

Now I Know! Now I Know!

Some countries set up reserves for parrots, organise conservation associations, issue stamps and build websites for parrots. With the continuous development of industry, wild parrots are facing the deterioration of their living environments and, consequently, their populations are declining. Some of the species are already, or almost, extinct. Some people also illegally catch wild parrots in order to raise them or sell them.

Q:

A: Do parrots come in different breeds and sizes?

Yes. The largest parrot is the hyacinth macaw, whose body length can reach up to 100 centimetres. The smallest parrot is the pygmy parrot, which is only about 8 centimetres in length.

Hyacinth macaw

Pygmy parrot

How can parrots learn to talk like humans?

Parrots learn the sounds around them from birth. They have a well-developed and flexible tongue. Therefore, they can utter some simple, accurate and clear syllables.

Q:

A: Why do people like to keep parrots?

Parrots are smart and good at learning. After being trained, they can perform many tricks and shows. This has made them very popular with some people.

Hand P a i n t i n g

Daniel and his family are visiting Elton in India.

I’m exhausted after our long flight.

Your room is ready. Go and get some rest. The next day...

There are all sorts of goods in this market place. Take a look around.

Wow! The clothes in this shop are beautiful!

This shop sells traditional Indian clothes.

Let’s go and check out the other shops.

I’m not tattooing. I’m doing hand painting. What are they doing?

It’s a tattoo shop!

I feel like getting my hand painted too!

Now I Know! Now I Know!

Henna (Lawsonia inermis) can reach 6 metres in height. Its branches are smooth.

This paint can The paint will fade and fall off in a few days or

be washed off, right?

I’ve never heard of the henna plant. It is an *evergreen shrub that is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, South Asia and Australasia.

Sit down. weeks.

The paint pigments are pastes that are made from henna leaves which have been

ground and blended.

Now I Know! Now I Know!

Henna leaves grow opposite each other on the stem. The leaves are oval or oval-lanceolate in shape. The surface of the leaves is glossy green, but the backs are lighter in colour.

Henna leaves contain *lawsone.

*evergreen: a tree or bush that has green leaves all through the year *lawsone: a red-orange dye that is present in the leaves of the henna plant

Lawsone is a dye molecule that is When the painting is finished, the tattoo is raised. When the pigment dries and falls off, the image becomes orange-red, gradually deepening to turn brown-red.

How long the image lasts depends on your skin type. It’s pretty special! often used as a body painting pigment. Is the pigment safe? It’s not harmful

to our bodies.

Now I Know! Now I Know!

The flowers, fruits and seeds of a henna tree all contain lawsone. The leaves have a higher lawsone content. Henna powder is made by drying, milling and sifting the leaves. After blending, henna powder can be used to dye hair and nails.

That’s amazing.