"Martin, Ann M - Baby-sitters Club Mystery 020 - Mary Anne and the Zoo Mystery" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin Ann M)

"A horse," Brent Jensen announced.
"Yeah, dream on," Todd Long replied.
The bell rang, interrupting the chatter. For the first time that I can remember, the halls cleared almost instantly. Students were actually anxious for school to start, so we could find out what was in that box.
My locker (number thirty-two) is about as far away from homeroom as you can get. I tossed my school books inside and then Dawn and I raced for Mr. Blake's classroom.
Moments after Mr. Blake took attendance, the PA system crackled to life.
"Good morning, students," the voice of our principal said pleasantly.
"Good morning, Mr. Taylor," a few of the boys in the rear of the room shouted back in a singsong voice. Mr. Blake silenced them with a stern look.
"You may be wondering about the large package that was in the front hall. It came by special delivery this morning and has been making strange sounds ever since."
"I was forced to call the authorities," Mr. Taylor continued. "And, luckily for SMS, three special agents were dispatched immediately. They have surrounded the package in question and have moved it to the auditorium. Upon closer examination, they discovered its contents were bigger than any of them had expected. Special Agent Harris just spoke to me and said she was going to need the help of the entire eighth grade."
"All right!" Alan Gray gave Justin Forbes a high-five. "We get out of class."
The loudspeaker crackled again. 'Teachers, when I announce your name, please have your students proceed in an orderly manner to the auditorium."
Mr. Taylor read off the names of several other teachers before Mr. Blake's name was called.
Dawn and I led the class to the auditorium. As we filed in, I looked for the rest of the eighth-grade BSC members. Kristy was in front with her homeroom, and I spotted Claudia's red sequined baseball cap in the middle of the auditorium. Logan's class was behind Claudia's. He had turned in his seat and was looking for me. We made eye contact and waved. Then Dawn and I led our group to our seats on the left side of the auditorium.
Onstage, Ms. Griswold and Ms. Harris, who were still in their trench coats, stood guard in front of the mysterious box. Several large easels draped in red cloth lined the stage. Mrs. Gonzalez was at the podium.
"Boy, this project must be a really big deal," I whispered to Dawn. "Look at how much work they put into the presentation."
When everyone was seated/ the lights dimmed and a recording of roaring lions and jungle sounds filled the air. Then a movie was projected onto a screen.
"The hidden lives of animals," the deep voice of the narrator announced.
For the next ten minutes we watched different kinds of animals doing the craziest things. One sequence I especially liked showed a family of shrews (which are like tiny moles) taking a walk. The mother went first, with all the babies following along behind, each holding onto the tail of the one in front. They reminded me of a group of preschoolers taking a trip to the park.
When the film clip ended, Mrs. Gonzalez tightened the belt on her trench coat, then said, "Perhaps you're wondering why we called you here."
She moved to one of the easels and whipped off the red doth, revealing a picture of a giraffe. Underneath the photo were printed the words, I've got a secret.
Ms. Harris moved to her easel and revealed a picture of a tiger with the same message. "I've got a secret."
Ms. Griswold's easel had a picture of a grizzly bear, and another held an ostrich.
"All of these animals lead secret lives," Mrs. Gonzalez said. "Your mission is to choose one
animal, any kind of animal, and observe and record every action it makes. I want you to find out what it eats and when it eats it. How it walks. What makes it happy. What it does for fun. When it naps. Everything. And then report back to usЧ" (she gestured to her colleagues) " Ч in three weeks."
Erica Blumberg, who is in my homeroom, raised her hand. "But where are we going to find these animals? I don't have a pet. How can I observe any animal that closely?"
"I'm glad you asked that question, Erica," Mrs. Gonzalez said with a grin. "That brings me to part two of our presentation. Stoneybrook Middle School has gone into partnership with another institution. Ready, teachers?" They nodded. "Hit it!"
The teachers opened their trench coats to reveal brightly colored T-shirts underneath. On the front was a design of a kid in a trench coat examining a toucan with a huge magnifying glass. Printed across the bottom of the shirt was the slogan, The best kept secret in Connecticut.
The teachers turned around in unison. Across the backs of their shirts were the words, Bedford Zoo.
"Bedford Zoo has become our partner," Mrs. Gonzalez said. "For the next three weeks,
special buses will be waiting in the parking lot after school to take SMS students to the zoo. You can either study a pet at home or choose an animal at the zoo. Whatever you choose, itТs important to remember that your report must be based solely on observation. No textbooks of any sort are allowed. The student with the best researched project will win a prize."
"A prize?" Alan Gray cried. "Is it in that box?"
"No, the prize wouldn't fit in there," Mrs. Gonzalez replied, laughing. "But whatТs in our box is the reason we're so excited about this biology project. Ms. Griswold, will you do the honors?"
"I'd be delighted." Ms. Griswold moved to the box and unfastened some metal clasps on one side. Before she opened it, though, she turned and cautioned us to be quiet. "What I have in here is very sensitive. She's a little afraid of crowds and definitely bothered by loud noises. So I'll need your cooperation to make her feel safe arid comfortable. Would all of you welcome Ч gently Ч our newest student?"
I could feel goosebumps creep up my arm as she opened the box. Inside was a metal cage, and sitting inside that, clutching a baby doll, was a chimpanzee.
"Awww!"
"She is so cute," said Dawn.
I could feel my eyes getting moist. (I told you, I cry at cat food commercials.) The chimpanzee looked mystified by us.
"This is Angel," Ms. Griswold said in a calm, reassuring voice. "Angel is a very special chimp. She can add and subtract."
She demonstrated by writing 2 + 2 = on a blackboard, and passing it into the monkey's cage.
Without letting go of her doll, Angel studied the board for a second and then wrote the number 5 on the board. Then, after thinking for a moment, erased that and wrote 4. We clapped softly.
Dawn leaned over to me and whispered, "Wouldn't it be great if all we had to do to get this kind of approval was add two plus two?"
Then Angel picked up her doll and retreated to a corner of the cage, with her back to us.
"I think Angel is telling us that her performance for today is finished," Ms. Griswold announced. "Wasn't she wonderful?"
Mrs. Gonzalez took over as Ms. Griswold
fed Angel a banana. "Angel is with us today
because I wanted you to see firsthand just how
fascinating an animal can be.
Mrs. Gonzalez nodded to Ms. Harris, who
wheeled in an overhead projector which she aimed at the screen. "I know the everyday study of an animal takes a lot of time. So to make this project easier, I've divided the eighth grade into teams."
"Maybe we'll be on the same one," I said hopefully.