Once upon a time, in the far North, in a land covered with ice, lived Explorer Bear. One day, as the weather was beautiful, he went for a walk. He sniffed the wind, looked around, and said: “Everything is calm. I'll walk around and play a bit!”
Just then, his mother called out:
— Have you finished your tasks?
— I'll do them when I get back, Mom. I don't have many tasks anyway! — said the bear and quickly ran off.
The bear preferred sliding on the ice and running here and there rather than studying. As he walked, he reached the edge of an icy lake. Just then, a colorful fish poked its head out of the water and greeted him.
— Hello, bear! How are you? — asked the fish.
— I'm fine! But isn't the water cold? — asked the bear in surprise.
— It's not that cold today, — replied the fish.
The bear was curious:
— We bears have thick fur and a layer of fat under our skin that protects us from the cold. But how do you not freeze in this icy water?
The colorful fish smiled and replied:
— In nature, every living creature has characteristics suited to its environment. Even if the surface of the lake freezes, the water in the depths doesn't completely freeze. That's why fish can live under the ice.
Then the fish explained to the bear that polar bears also have special characteristics. Their thick fur and a layer of subcutaneous fat protect them from the cold. The hairs under their paws help them not to slip on the ice, and the webbing between their toes helps them swim well.
The bear was amazed. He was surprised by how knowledgeable this little fish was. “I should also read and learn more,” he thought.
He remembered that the book his teacher gave him had been in his bag for months, and he hadn't even opened it. He felt ashamed of himself. He said goodbye to the colorful fish and returned home.
The bear took out his book and started reading. The book contained interesting information about how polar bears protect themselves from the cold, and another book mentioned how penguins can recognize each other by their voices.
— I never knew these things! — exclaimed the bear happily. Then he completed his tasks and continued reading his book.
From that day on, Explorer Bear approached his lessons more carefully, read books, and tried to learn new things. He understood that one of the best ways to get to know the world around us is to read and learn.
Moral of the story: Every living creature has its unique characteristics. Reading and learning make us more knowledgeable.
