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A Bonobo Can Pretend

February 2026 — Scientists have good news. An animal can use imagination!

Kanzi is a bonobo. A bonobo is like a chimpanzee. Kanzi is 43 years old. He lives in America.

The Game

Scientists play a game with Kanzi. They have empty cups. There is no juice in the cups.

The scientists pretend. They act like the juice is real. Then they ask Kanzi: “Where is the juice?”

Kanzi points to the correct cup! He understands the game. He knows the juice is not real. But he can pretend too.

Why This Is Important

Children play pretend games. They have tea parties with no tea. Scientists think this is special.

Now they know: animals can pretend too. Kanzi shows us this.

This changes how we think about animals.

Vocabulary Help

• bonobo = an animal like a chimpanzee (a type of ape)
• pretend = to act like something is real when it is not
• imagination = thinking about things that are not real
• scientist = a person who studies and learns about the world
• empty = with nothing inside

Grammar Focus

• Simple present tense: “Kanzi is a bonobo.” / “He lives in America.”
• There is/There are: “There is no juice in the cups.”