Everyone knows that parrots can imitate human speech, but can these birds also understand meaning? Two decades ago, researcher Irene Pepperberg started working with Alex, an African grey parrot, and ever since then, she has been building (1) data on him. Pepperberg, (2) recently published book The Alex Studies makes fascinating reading, claims Alex doesn't copy speech but intentionally uses words to get (3) it is that he wants. In actual (4) that , some of his cognitive skills are identical to those of a five-year-old child. (5) a child's, Alex's learning has been a steady progression. Early on, he (6) vocalise whether two things were the same or different. Now, he carries (7) more complex tasks. Presented (8) different-coloured balls and blocks and asked the number of red blocks, he'll answer correctly. He requests things as well. (9) he ask to sit on your shoulder and you put him (10) else, he'll complain: Wanna go shoulder.' A (11) experts remain sceptical, seeing very (12) in Alex's performance beyond learning by association, by (13) of intensive training. Yet Alex appears to (14) mastered simple two-way communication. As parrots live for 60 years or more, Alex may surprise (15) all further.