Q.A. in the Classroom

①

How old is Mzee?

②

What is he doing?

③

Why is Owen lonely?

④

What’s the difference between “alone” and “lonely”?

⑤

What are they doing?

⑥

Who is the teacher? Who is the pupil? How do you say “pupil” in Japanese?

What did he teach?

⑦

What do you think of Mzee’s face? An old tortoise and a baby hippo!

　That afternoon, the baby hippo saw Mzee, a 130-year-old tortoise. Owen dashed toward him because he was very lonely. But Mzee crawled away from him. Tortoises like to live quietly on their own.

　Owen, however, wanted a parent. He approached Mzee again and again. Little by little, Mzee began to accept him. The next morning, the park staff saw a surprising sight: Owen was sleeping comfortably next to Mzee.

　As the weeks went by, Mzee began to act like Owen’s teacher. For example, he taught Owen how to recognize edible leaves. Before long, Owen and Mzee became good friends. They swam, ate, slept, and played together.