Question

    Dogs can tell how other dogs are feeling from the way their tails are wagging (摇摆), according to researchers who monitored the animals’ heart rate as they watched dogs’ movies. The Italian team found that dogs had higher heart rates and became more anxious when they saw others wag their tails more to the left, but not when they wagged more to the right, or failed to wag at all.

The curious form of communication is probably not intentional, or consciously understood, but is instead an automatic behavior that arises from the structure of the brain, said Giorgio. “It’s not something they clearly and exactly understand,” Giorgio told The Guardian. “It’s just something that happens to them.”

Giorgio traces the effect back to the way the two halves of the brain process different experiences. In a previous study, his team showed that when a dog had a positive experience, activity rose in the left side of the brain, bringing about more tail wagging to the right. Or else more tail wagging to the left. The effect is barely visible to the human eye because dogs tend to wag their tails too fast, but it can be seen with slow motion video, or in some larger types.

In the latest study, the researchers wanted to find out whether the direction of tail wagging had any effect on other dogs. To get an answer, they fitted dogs with vests that recorded their heart rates, and played them movies of other dogs wagging their tails one way and then the other. To ensure the dogs reacted only to tail wagging, and not appearance, they repeated the experiment with dogs that appeared only as shadows.

“When dogs saw other dogs wagging their tails to the right, there was quite a relaxed reaction and no evidence of an increased heart rate. But when the wagging was to the left we saw an increase in heart rate and a series of behaviors typically associated with stress, anxiety and being more watchful,” Giorgio said. The anxious animals held their ears up, breathed, and kept their eyes wide open. The study appears in the latest issue of Current Biology.

1.What does the text focus on?

A.Animal protection. B.Animal psychology.

C.Animal tests. D.Animal welfare.

2.What leads to dogs’ wagging tail to the left or right according to Giorgio?

A.Their automatic behavior. B.Their conscious response.

C.Their increasing heart rate. D.Their selective preference.

3.At what time do dogs have more tail wagging to the right?

A.When they run quickly. B.When they feel hungry.

C.When they feel stressed. D.When they play with their owners.

4.What can we learn from the text?

A.Giorgio did the research on his own.

B.The effect of dog’s wagging tails can be seen by human eyes.

C.A dog keeping his eyes wide open may show he is nervous or worried.

D.The findings of the study will help with wildlife protection.

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.D

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。它介绍的是动物心理学内容，研究表明：狗交流的方式是通过左右摇动尾巴。

1.主旨大意题。根据第一段Dogs can tell how other dogs are feeling from the way their tails are wagging (摇摆), according to researchers who monitored the animals’ heart rate as they watched dogs’ movies. The Italian team found that dogs had higher heart rates and became more anxious when they saw others wag their tails more to the left, but not when they wagged more to the right, or failed to wag at all.可知，狗通过左右摇尾巴告诉同伴一些信息，故本文讲的是动物心理学。故选B项。

2.细节理解题。根据第二段中The curious form of communication is probably not intentional, or consciously understood, but is instead an automatic behavior that arises from the structure of the brain, said Giorgio. 乔尔乔说，这种奇怪的交流形式可能不是故意的，也不是有意识的理解，而是一种来自大脑结构的自动行为。可知，自动行为会导致狗尾巴左右摇摆。故选A项。

3.推理判断题。根据第三段中In a previous study, his team showed that when a dog had a positive experience, activity rose in the left side of the brain, bringing about more tail wagging to the right.他的研究小组表明，当一只狗有了积极的体验时，它的左脑活动会增强，从而使尾巴更多地向右摆动。由此推知当它和主人玩耍时，狗会更多地向右摇尾巴。选D项。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段中The anxious animals held their ears up, breathed, and kept their eyes wide open. 焦虑的动物们竖起耳朵，呼吸急促，眼睛睁得大大的。可知，狗睁大眼睛可能表示它紧张或担心。故选C项。