The sun shone brightly over Greenvale Zoo, and the Carter family was excited for their day out. Mum, Dad, and their two children, Lily and Tom, had been planning this trip for weeks. The zoo was busy with families, all eager to see the animals. The Carters had a map, and Lily, who was ten, pointed to the monkey enclosure. “Let’s go there first!” she said, her eyes wide with excitement. Tom, who was seven, nodded, bouncing on his toes.
They walked past the flamingos, which stood tall on one leg, and the penguins, which waddled clumsily. The monkey enclosure was near the centre of the zoo, surrounded by a low glass wall. A big sign read, “Chimpanzee Habitat: Watch the Fun!” The Carters joined a small crowd already gathered. The chimps were swinging from ropes and climbing trees. One was eating a banana, peeling it carefully. “They’re so clever,” Mum said, smiling.
But then, something unexpected happened. A chimp sitting high on a branch looked straight at the crowd, grabbed something from the ground, and threw it. Splat! A lump of faeces hit the glass wall right in front of a man in a red jacket. The crowd gasped. The man jumped back, his face turning pink. “What on earth was that?” he shouted, checking his jacket for stains. His wife laughed nervously. “It’s just their way of saying hello, I suppose,” she said, but she stepped back too.
Lily and Tom stared, wide-eyed. “Did that monkey just throw poo?” Tom asked, his voice loud. Dad tried not to laugh. “Yes, Tom, it seems so,” he said, pulling the kids a bit further from the glass. Mum shook her head. “I didn’t know monkeys did that,” she said, sounding surprised.
Another chimp joined in. It scooped up more faeces and hurled it towards the crowd. This time, it hit the glass near a young woman taking a selfie. She screamed and dropped her phone. “Oh no, that’s disgusting!” she cried, wiping her hands on her jeans even though nothing had touched her. Her friend giggled. “You wanted a close-up with the monkeys!” he teased. The woman glared at him but couldn’t help smiling. “Not that close,” she muttered.
The crowd was now a mix of laughter and shock. Some people moved away, but others stayed, fascinated. An older man with a walking stick pointed at the chimps. “They’re having a right laugh, aren’t they?” he said to his grandson. The boy nodded, grinning. “It’s like they’re playing a game!” he said. A zoo keeper appeared, holding a bucket and a hose. “Sorry, folks,” she called out. “These chimps can be a bit cheeky sometimes. It’s all natural behaviour, though!” She started cleaning the glass, but the chimps didn’t stop. Another lump flew and landed with a wet thud.
Lily tugged Mum’s sleeve. “Why are they doing that?” she asked. Mum thought for a moment. “Maybe they’re bored, or they want attention,” she said. Dad added, “Or they just think it’s funny.” Tom giggled. “It is kind of funny,” he said, then ducked as another piece hit the glass near him. “Okay, maybe not that funny!” he added quickly.
A woman in a bright yellow hat wasn’t amused. “This is outrageous!” she said loudly, waving her arms. “I paid to see animals, not to be attacked!” She stormed off towards the zoo office, her hat bouncing with every step. Her husband followed, trying to calm her down. “It’s just nature, dear,” he said, but she wasn’t listening.
The Carters decided to move on. “Let’s see the elephants instead,” Dad suggested. “They don’t throw things, do they?” Lily asked, looking worried. Mum laughed. “I hope not!” she said. As they walked away, they heard another splat and more laughter from the crowd. Tom turned back for one last look. “Those monkeys are crazy,” he said, shaking his head like a grown-up.
By the end of the day, the Carters had seen lions, giraffes, and a sleepy panda. They ate ice cream and bought a toy zebra for Lily. But when they talked about their favourite moment, Tom kept coming back to the monkeys. “I’ll never forget that poo-throwing chimp,” he said, grinning. Mum rolled her eyes, but she was smiling too. It had been a wild day, one they’d talk about for years.
Vocabulary Notes
Enclosure
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: An area that is surrounded by a fence, wall, or barrier, often used to keep animals in a specific place, like in a zoo.
Context in the Story: The word is used to describe the area where the chimpanzees are kept in the zoo, surrounded by a glass wall.
Example: “The monkey enclosure was near the centre of the zoo, surrounded by a low glass wall.”
Example Sentence for Learners: The lions live in a large enclosure with trees and rocks to make it feel like their natural home.
Similar Words:
Habitat (noun): The natural environment where an animal lives, often used in zoos to describe an enclosure designed to mimic it. Example: “The sign said ‘Chimpanzee Habitat’.”
Cage (noun): A structure made of bars or wires to confine animals, usually smaller than an enclosure. Example: “The parrots were kept in a cage.”
Pen (noun): An enclosed area for animals, often used for farm animals but sometimes in zoos. Example: “The goats were in a pen where children could pet them.”
Faeces
Part of Speech: Noun (plural, pronounced “FEE-sees”)
Meaning: Waste matter (poo) produced by humans or animals, often used in formal or scientific contexts.
Context in the Story: The chimps throw faeces at the glass wall, surprising the visitors.
Example: “A lump of faeces hit the glass wall right in front of a man in a red jacket.”
Example Sentence for Learners: The zookeeper cleaned the faeces from the enclosure to keep it tidy.
Similar Words:
Poo (noun, informal): A casual word for faeces, often used by children. Example: “Tom laughed and said, ‘Did that monkey just throw poo?’”
Dung (noun): Faeces, especially from large animals like cows or elephants, often used in farming contexts. Example: “The farmer used dung to fertilise the fields.”
Manure (noun): Animal faeces used as fertiliser for plants. Example: “The zoo sold manure from the elephants to gardeners.”
Splat
Part of Speech: Noun/Verb (used as a noun in the story)
Meaning: The sound or action of something soft and wet hitting a surface hard, often making a mess.
Context in the Story: The word describes the sound and action of the faeces hitting the glass wall.
Example: “Splat! A lump of faeces hit the glass wall right in front of a man in a red jacket.”
Example Sentence for Learners: When I dropped my ice cream, it made a splat on the ground.
Similar Words:
Thud (noun): A dull, heavy sound when something solid hits a surface. Example: “The book fell off the table with a thud.”
Smack (noun/verb): A sharp sound or action of something hitting something else. Example: “The ball smacked against the wall.”
Squish (noun/verb): A soft, wet sound or action, often when something is crushed. Example: “The mud squished under my boots.”
Cheeky
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Behaving in a bold, rude, or playful way, often in a way that is slightly disrespectful but not seriously offensive.
Context in the Story: The zookeeper uses “cheeky” to describe the chimps’ naughty behaviour of throwing faeces.
Example: “Sorry, folks,” she called out. “These chimps can be a bit cheeky sometimes.”
Example Sentence for Learners: My little brother was cheeky when he hid my phone as a joke.
Similar Words:
Naughty (adjective): Behaving badly, often in a playful or mischievous way, especially for children or animals. Example: “The naughty puppy chewed my shoes.”
Mischievous (adjective): Causing trouble in a playful way, often with a sense of fun. Example: “The mischievous cat knocked over the vase.”
Bold (adjective): Showing confidence or daring, sometimes in a rude way. Example: “It was bold of him to ask for more cake after being late.”
Outrageous
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Something shocking, unacceptable, or very surprising, often because it goes beyond what is normal or fair.
Context in the Story: A woman uses “outrageous” to express her anger about the chimps throwing faeces, feeling it ruined her zoo visit.
Example: “This is outrageous!” she said loudly, waving her arms.
Example Sentence for Learners: It’s outrageous that the shop charged £20 for a small bottle of water.
Similar Words:
Shocking (adjective): Causing surprise or disbelief because it’s unexpected or wrong. Example: “The news about the storm was shocking.”
Unacceptable (adjective): Not allowed or not good enough, often used to express disapproval. Example: “His rude behaviour was unacceptable.”
Ridiculous (adjective): Silly or unreasonable, often in a way that seems absurd. Example: “It’s ridiculous to wait two hours for a bus.”
Story written by Grok 3 AI
Image created by Grok 3 AI
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