Gorillas are born with an international sign language of gestures that they use to communicate,says a new study from the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

From beating their chests to putting objects on their heads,shaking their arms,and even bouncing on all fours,the animals use more than 100 gestures to communicate with each other

Professor Richard Byrne,a psychiatrist involved in the research,says it was hard to figure out the meanings of the gestures.

“We don't really know what the animals are thinking. Often the gestures have more than one meaning,depending on the context,”says Byrne.

The study showed that the gorillas did not learn the ges­tures from each other,as had been expected,but performed them instinctively (本能地).

“Everyone had assumed different groups of gorillas would learn different gestures,”he says. “But that's not what we found. The more sites we went to ,the more we saw the same gestures being used. They seem to be naturally equipped with a pretty complex system of communication.”

The study also found that gestures were performed with close attention to the potential audience,so that silent sig­nals,for example, were only given when other apes could see them. Other gestures,such as the "disco arm shake" were only ever seen directed towards humans.

Byrne believes that the findings may explain how the human language developed.

“There has always been speculation(猜測)that the origins of the human language might lie in gestures,”he says.

“Many researchers have therefore studied the gestural communication of the great apes for clues to the evolution­ary origins of human gestures,”he adds.

Several studies have shown that great apes are capable of imitating gestures. However,the scientists found that what appeared to be copies of human actions were actually gestures the apes were already able to make themselves. They're “reusing” gestures from their own repertoire,not learning new ones.

64.According to the passage,Richard Byrne's research has found      .

A. different groups of gorillas would learn different gestures

B. gorillas know the sign language from birth

C. how gorillas learn from each other

D. gorillas develop a variety of languages when growing up

65.Why can't the researchers really know the meanings of gorilla gestures?

A. Because gorillas possess the ability of making many kinds of gestures.

B. Because they haven't made deep research into the animal.

C. Because a gorilla gesture may have different meanings.

D. Because gorillas can't exactly express their thoughts.

66.If a gorilla wants to make a silent gesture towards another gorilla,he      .

A. needs to know how many other gorillas are watching him

B. needs to make noise first in order to draw attention

C. will first make sure his gesture can be seen

D. will first consider whether he can carry out his gesture

67.According to the passage,many scientists study the sign language of great apes in order to      .

A. find the origins of the human language

B. find ways for people to communicate with apes

C. learn how animals communicate

D. discover the meanings of animal gestures

 

【答案】

64-67 BCCA

【解析】略

 

練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:

Scientists photographed for the first time ever _____ wild gorillas used a stick to test the depth of a pool before getting into it, according to a recent study.

A. which           B. what             C. that             D. when

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:山東省濰坊市2010屆高三下學(xué)期第二次模擬考試英語試卷 題型:完型填空


第二節(jié)完形填空(共20小題;每小題1分,滿分20分)
閱讀下面短文、掌握其大意,然后從36~55各題所給的四個選項(xiàng)(A、 B、C和D)中,選出最佳選項(xiàng)、并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。
The poachers-illegal hunters-had finally found a buyer for their stolen goods.A meeting was 3 6 ,and when the buyer asked to see the goods, they brought out a small duffel bag and un-zippedh.Inside was a 37  one-year-old baby gorilla.The poachers had likely killed the little female's parents and  3 8  her in the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Africa.Then they took her across the border into Rwanda,  39  to sell her as a pet.
But the buyer didn't bring  40   ;he brought the police.The Rwandan authorities    41 the young gorilla to the nearby headquarters of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project.The vets(獸醫(yī))there realized that she had not been given 42 food or water, but they were much more worried about something else."Baby gorillas simply don't  43  without their mother's constant body contact," says vet Chris Whittier.If they didn't quickly establish a  44  relationship with the baby gorilla, which her caretakers named Dunia, she  45  not survive.
Dunia needed contact, but she resisted  46  at first, shying away from people who reached  for her.Three caretakers worked in shifts, taking  47  holding her, carrying her around on their backs, and cradling her while she slept.48 she became stronger,a month after she was res-cued her  49   revealed the psychological stress she carried inside-much of her hair fell out. That was a delayed  50  to the combined traumatic experiences of losing her parents and being kept-with a poor diet-by the poachers.
After six months ofloving care that included around-the-clock attention,a good diet, and a  5 1    home at the project's headquarters, Dunia was looking and acting like a  52  ,happy young gorilla should. "Dunia is sort of a shy show-off," says Whittier. "Her  53  lsgrowing and she's becoming more independent, but when she is  54  ,the first thing she does is run back to her  55 ,just like she would to her mother."
36.A.a(chǎn)ttended      B.held        C.a(chǎn)rranged       D.delayed
37.A.energetic     B.terrified       C.dangerous      D.fierce
38.A.freed       B.followed       C.tricked          D.caught
39.A.intending     B.pretending          C.remembering    D.wondering
40.A.luck        B.benefit         C.profit               D.money
41.A.introduced          B.persuaded    C.presented      D.rushed
42.A,local          B.delicious      C.enough         D.fresh
43.A.complain     B.develop       C.survive        D.grow
44.A.social       B.physical       C.mental          D.special
45.A.would         B.should         C.might           D.must
46.A.eating          B.a(chǎn)ttention      C.rescue           D.love
47.A.turns       B.efforts         C.time          D.a(chǎn)dvice
48.A.If            B.As           C.Although      D.Because
49.A.health          B.mind       C.behavior       D.a(chǎn)ppearance
50.A.reaction       B.a(chǎn)ction          C.expression     D.description
51.A.comfortable  B.natural        C.private          D.ordinary
52.A.shy         B.healthy        C.strange         D.typical
53.A.satisfaction  B.confidence    C.interest         D.patience
54.A.touched       B.left          C.wamed         D.scared
55.A.home        B.forest        C.caretakers      D.comer

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2015屆河南省許昌市五校高一第四次聯(lián)考英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

How Do Animals Catch their ZZZ's(打鼾聲)?

Different creatures have developed some pretty creative ways to get their rest and stay safe. The lizard likes to sleep at the far end of small branches hanging out over a pond or lake in the rain forest. If a snake tries to slither up the branch to eat it, it will shake the branch and knock the lizard off, and the lizard will fall safely into the water. Chameleons can change color to match their surroundings in order to hide even while sleeping.

Gorillas like to sleep high in the trees. They build a new bed every night, sometimes taking up to half an hour to pile branches, twigs, and leaves into a comfortable bed. Birds also find it safe to sleep in the trees, but unless they have eggs or young chicks, they don't use a nest. They just lock their feet around a branch and hang on. A special tendon in their legs is automatically tight when they are at rest, so they won't let go and fall.

Dolphins live underwater, but must come to the surface to breathe. Scientists now believe that dolphins may sleep with only half their brain, while the other half stays awake to keep them safe and breathing. Seals also do this, lying on their sides on the surface of the water with one flipper underwater paddling to keep their noses above the surface. Some ducks may also have this ability, and actually sleep with one eye closed and one eye open.

1.How does a chameleon protect itself while sleeping?

A.By changing its body colors

B.By hanging out over a pond.

C.By sleeping with half their brain.

D.By making beds with branches.

2.Why will not birds fall when they are at rest?

A.They build nests and sleep in them.

B.They fall asleep automatically.

C.They have a loose tendon in their legs.

D.They lock their feet around a branch.

3.How do dolphins breathe?

A.They breathe underwater.

B.They come to the surface to breathe.

C.They breathe underwater or come to the surface to breathe.

D.We don't know.

4.What does the writer intend to tell us?

A.The cleverest animal is the gorilla because it can make beds.

B.Differences in habitat can lead to different living habits.

C.The ways animals catch their ZZZ's are pretty much the same.

D.In order to protect themselves most animals choose not to sleep

 

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:山東省濰坊市2010屆高三下學(xué)期第二次模擬考試英語試卷 題型:完型填空

第二節(jié)完形填空(共20小題;每小題1分,滿分20分)

閱讀下面短文、掌握其大意,然后從36~55各題所給的四個選項(xiàng)(A、 B、C和D)中,選出最佳選項(xiàng)、并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。

The poachers-illegal hunters-had finally found a buyer for their stolen goods.A meeting was 3 6 ,and when the buyer asked to see the goods, they brought out a small duffel bag and un-zippedh.Inside was a 37  one-year-old baby gorilla.The poachers had likely killed the little female's parents and  3 8  her in the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Africa.Then they took her across the border into Rwanda,  39  to sell her as a pet.

But the buyer didn't bring  40   ;he brought the police.The Rwandan authorities    41 the young gorilla to the nearby headquarters of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project.The vets(獸醫(yī))there realized that she had not been given 42 food or water, but they were much more worried about something else."Baby gorillas simply don't  43  without their mother's constant body contact," says vet Chris Whittier.If they didn't quickly establish a  44  relationship with the baby gorilla, which her caretakers named Dunia, she  45  not survive.

Dunia needed contact, but she resisted  46  at first, shying away from people who reached  for her.Three caretakers worked in shifts, taking  47  holding her, carrying her around on their backs, and cradling her while she slept.48 she became stronger,a month after she was res-cued her  49   revealed the psychological stress she carried inside-much of her hair fell out. That was a delayed  50  to the combined traumatic experiences of losing her parents and being kept-with a poor diet-by the poachers.

After six months ofloving care that included around-the-clock attention,a good diet, and a  5 1    home at the project's headquarters, Dunia was looking and acting like a  52  ,happy young gorilla should. "Dunia is sort of a shy show-off," says Whittier. "Her  53  lsgrowing and she's becoming more independent, but when she is  54  ,the first thing she does is run back to her  55 ,just like she would to her mother."

36.A.a(chǎn)ttended      B.held        C.a(chǎn)rranged       D.delayed

37.A.energetic     B.terrified       C.dangerous      D.fierce

38.A.freed       B.followed       C.tricked          D.caught

39.A.intending     B.pretending          C.remembering    D.wondering

40.A.luck        B.benefit         C.profit               D.money

41.A.introduced          B.persuaded    C.presented      D.rushed

42.A,local          B.delicious      C.enough         D.fresh

43.A.complain     B.develop       C.survive        D.grow

44.A.social       B.physical       C.mental          D.special

45.A.would         B.should         C.might           D.must

46.A.eating          B.a(chǎn)ttention      C.rescue           D.love

47.A.turns       B.efforts         C.time          D.a(chǎn)dvice

48.A.If            B.As           C.Although      D.Because

49.A.health          B.mind       C.behavior       D.a(chǎn)ppearance

50.A.reaction       B.a(chǎn)ction          C.expression     D.description

51.A.comfortable  B.natural        C.private          D.ordinary

52.A.shy         B.healthy        C.strange         D.typical

53.A.satisfaction  B.confidence    C.interest         D.patience

54.A.touched       B.left          C.wamed         D.scared

55.A.home        B.forest        C.caretakers      D.comer

 

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案