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February 4
The following content will be used for items 1-4. Here is a story about a boy and a dolphin communicating with each other at a marine institute of the future. Read the story. Then answer the questions.Bobby gripped his backpack as the large doors of the Central Marine Institute swished open. The smell of the ocean greeted him. He walked to the saltwater pool where dolphins visited from the ocean and learned to communicate with humans.
Bobby greeted Professor Leslie, the dolphin specialist in charge of the ocean lab.
"You look ready to go, Bobby," Professor Leslie said, noting Bobby's wetsuit and flippers.
"Yes, but I don't see Fin," Bobby said, looking for his dolphin friend. "Is he here today?"
Professor Leslie squinted her eyes, and then pressed some buttons on her digital clipboard. "No, Fin hasn't logged in today. Are you sure he was expecting you?"
"Yes."
Just then Fin splashed into view and raced to the edge of the pool, sticking his long beak out to Bobby. Fin clucked several times, followed by a squeak.
Bobby lifted his hand in greeting. Fin imitated Bobby's greeting with his right flipper.
"Okay, you know how this works?" Professor Leslie asked.
"Yes." Bobby was already in the water. He suctioned a small, experimental interspecies communicator to the side of his head. He reached over to Fin and suctioned a matching device behind the dolphin's left eye. Within seconds Bobby heard words in English along with Fin's clicks, clucks, and squeaks through his communicator.
"Alert! Two humans on the reef. Their boat is floating. A full-size human and a calf," Fin warned.
"What, Fin? Is someone in danger?" Bobby asked.
Fin nodded and clucked loudly.
"Where?"
"Out there!"
Bobby looked out into the open water. Hmmm. That could mean anywhere!
"Fin, I need details."
"By the island. The rumble in their boat stopped. They are floating away!"
"Okay! Wait here!"
Bobby jumped out of the water and ran to find Professor Leslie. When he told her what Fin had communicated, she looked doubtful.
"Fin's a young dolphin, Bobby. Maybe he doesn't know boats that well. They could just be fishing."
"Professor," Bobby urged, "what is the point of communicating with dolphins if we don't listen to them?"
Professor Leslie frowned, and then raised her eyebrows. "You're right. Let me call the Coast Guard."
Long minutes passed. Finally, Professor Leslie yelled out to Bobby and Fin from the lab.
"A Coast Guard helicopter has the boat in sight. A father and son are on board. It seems that
their engine died. Good job, boys!"
"Woo-hoo!" Bobby shouted, jumping back in the water. Bobby and Fin smacked hand to flipper to recognize a job well done.
"Okay," Bobby started over, "Fin, where is your favorite place to surf?"
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Bobby greeted Professor Leslie, the dolphin specialist in charge of the ocean lab.
"You look ready to go, Bobby," Professor Leslie said, noting Bobby's wetsuit and flippers.
"Yes, but I don't see Fin," Bobby said, looking for his dolphin friend. "Is he here today?"
Professor Leslie squinted her eyes, and then pressed some buttons on her digital clipboard. "No, Fin hasn't logged in today. Are you sure he was expecting you?"
"Yes."
Just then Fin splashed into view and raced to the edge of the pool, sticking his long beak out to Bobby. Fin clucked several times, followed by a squeak.
Bobby lifted his hand in greeting. Fin imitated Bobby's greeting with his right flipper.
"Okay, you know how this works?" Professor Leslie asked.
"Yes." Bobby was already in the water. He suctioned a small, experimental interspecies communicator to the side of his head. He reached over to Fin and suctioned a matching device behind the dolphin's left eye. Within seconds Bobby heard words in English along with Fin's clicks, clucks, and squeaks through his communicator.
"Alert! Two humans on the reef. Their boat is floating. A full-size human and a calf," Fin warned.
"What, Fin? Is someone in danger?" Bobby asked.
Fin nodded and clucked loudly.
"Where?"
"Out there!"
Bobby looked out into the open water. Hmmm. That could mean anywhere!
"Fin, I need details."
"By the island. The rumble in their boat stopped. They are floating away!"
"Okay! Wait here!"
Bobby jumped out of the water and ran to find Professor Leslie. When he told her what Fin had communicated, she looked doubtful.
"Fin's a young dolphin, Bobby. Maybe he doesn't know boats that well. They could just be fishing."
"Professor," Bobby urged, "what is the point of communicating with dolphins if we don't listen to them?"
Professor Leslie frowned, and then raised her eyebrows. "You're right. Let me call the Coast Guard."
Long minutes passed. Finally, Professor Leslie yelled out to Bobby and Fin from the lab.
"A Coast Guard helicopter has the boat in sight. A father and son are on board. It seems that
their engine died. Good job, boys!"
"Woo-hoo!" Bobby shouted, jumping back in the water. Bobby and Fin smacked hand to flipper to recognize a job well done.
"Okay," Bobby started over, "Fin, where is your favorite place to surf?"