Question

Inside Animal Minds

Irene Pepperberg, a graduate of Harvard University, was interested in learning if animals could think. The best way to do this, she reasoned, was to talk to them. So she bought an African grey parrot she named Alex and taught him to reproduce the sounds of the English language. “I thought if he learned to communicate, I could ask him questions about how he sees the world.” She explains.

When Pepperberg began her research with Alex, very few scientists agreed that animals were able to think. How could a scientist prove that animals might, in fact, have intelligence (智力)? “That’s why I started my studies with Alex.” Pepperberg says.

Alex the parrot was a surprisingly good talker. He learned how to use his voice to imitate (模仿) almost 100 English words, including those for foods, colors, shapes and numbers. Although imitation was once considered a simple skill, in recent years, scientists have reported that it’s a very difficult ability. It requires the imitator to form an image of the other person’s body and actions in their mind and then put his own body parts into same place. It is a behavior that shows self-awareness (自我意识). Because Alex had mastered many English words, Pepperberg could ask him questions about a bird’s basic understanding of the world. Alex could count, describe shapes and colors; he even had a basic understanding of the idea of zero.

Many of Alex’s skills are normally only for humans and primates (灵长类). But parrots, live a long time in mixed societies. And like primates, these birds must watch the changing relationships within the group. This may explain Alex’s ability to learn a human language. Parrots learn to pronounce and use our words so they can become a part of our group.

Many researchers say that creativity and language in animals, like other forms of intelligence, have developed. “People were surprised to discover that some primates make tools,” says Alex Kacelnik, an animal researcher at Oxford University. “But people also thought, ‘Well, they share our ancestry (祖先) — of course they are smart.’ Now we are finding these kinds of behaviors in some birds. But we don’t have a recently shared ancestry with birds. It means,” Kacelnik continues, “intelligence is not something only for primates or humans.”

1.Which of Alex’s skills showed self-awareness?

A.Describing colors.

B.Doing simple maths.

C.Copying human sounds.

D.Understanding the idea of zero.

2.What do parrots and primates have in common?

A.They both watch the relationships within the group.

B.They both lived a long time in the same society.

C.Neither of them can reproduce English words.

D.Neither of them likes to be part of a group.

3.Kacelnik probably agrees that ______.

A.some birds are more intelligent than humans

B.birds share a common ancestry with humans

C.only humans and primates are able to think

D.some animals are surprisingly intelligent

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A.Research that shows intelligence is not limited to humans.

B.Ways of teaching animals to become more intelligent.

C.How human and animal intelligence are different.

D.How animals can communicate with humans.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.D

4.A

【解析】

本文通过Irene Pepperberg对鹦鹉的研究得出智力不仅仅是灵长类动物或人类的专利的结论。

1.

细节理解题。根据第二段中“Although imitation was once considered a simple skill, in recent years…It is a behavior that shows self-awareness (自我意识).”可知，模仿行为可以展示自我意识，结合选项，故选C。

2.

细节理解题。根据第三段中“And like primates, these birds must watch the changing relationships within the group.”可知，和灵长类动物一样，鸟类必须观察群体内部关系的变化。故选A。

3.

推理判断题。A：有些鸟比人类更聪明；B：鸟类和人类有共同的祖先；C：只有人类和灵长类动物才会思考；D：有些动物出奇地聪明。根据最后一段内容可知，灵长类动物和人类有共同的祖先，它们会制作工具很聪明；鸟类最近也出现灵长类动物的行为，但是鸟类和人类不是共同的祖先，而且智力不仅仅是灵长类动物或人类的专利了。结合选项，故选D。

4.

主旨大意题。A：研究表明智力并不局限于人类。B：教动物变得更聪明的方法。C：人类和动物的智力有何不同。D：动物如何与人类交流。分析文章内容可知，本文通过Irene Pepperberg对鹦鹉的研究得出智力不仅仅是灵长类动物或人类的专利的结论。结合选项，故选A。