Question

    Shane Gero, a scientist at Aarhus University in Denmark, spent 6 years studying sperm whales (抹香鲸), which communicate through very loud clicks. He found that sperm whales in the Caribbean Sea had different clicks from those in the Pacific Ocean. He even “translated” the clicks from a group of Caribbean sperm whales, believing them to say, “I’m from the Caribbean, are you?”, reported National Geographic. As well as being used for communication, the clicks also allow whales to develop a relationship with one another, according to Gero.

Apart from sperm whales, other animals like wolves and apes also have different regional accents. Researchers analyzed the howls of different species of wolves. They found that red wolves, Arctic wolves and other wolves have howls that vary in pitch (音调). In other words, they have their own dialects.

According to Darcy Kelley from Columbia University, most animals learn their accents naturally. For example, macaques (猕猴) start speaking their dialect as soon as they are born. Scientists placed some macaques in a new environment where their playmates all spoke a different dialect. But the macaques still spoke their own dialect. Their environment had no influence on their communication, according to the Washington Post.

“In most species, communication appears to have a genetic basis,” Kelley explained in the Washington Post. “However, among a small number of species, animals can learn from others and develop their own accents.”

Fruit flies are a good example. According to Science Daily, they send messages through their wing movements. Scientists found that fruit flies can only communicate efficiently with others of the same species. However, they can learn new dialects by spending time around other species.

“A proper accent is vital to mating and warning the coming of enemies, which is the basis of protecting themselves,” Kelley told the Washington Post. A species can’t risk changing their own dialect and learning a new one.

1.What does the author want to show by talking about the sperm whales at the beginning?

A.Animals have different dialects.

B.Sperm whales live in different oceans.

C.Animals can speak different local languages.

D.Whales communicate through clicking noises.

2.Why do researchers believe that wolves have their own dialects?

A.Wolves are wild animals using language.

B.Wolves live in different areas of the world.

C.There are different kinds of wolves in the world.

D.Wolves of different kinds howl at different pitches.

3.According to Kelley, what can dialects help animals to do?

A.Have a better chance of survival.

B.Fight with other species for food.

C.Communicate with other species better.

D.Pass on information to the next generation.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.A

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。新的研究发现动物也有不同的地方口音，它们可以通过与其他物种相处来学习新的方言。同时，正确的口音对于交配和警告敌人的到来至关重要，也是保护自己的基础。因此，一个物种不能冒险改变自己的方言并学习新的方言。

1.

推理判断题。根据第一段中的He found that sperm whales in the Caribbean Sea had different clicks from those in the Pacific Ocean. (他发现加勒比海的抹香鲸与太平洋的抹香鲸有着不同的声音)可推知，一开始，作者通过谈论抹香鲸想说明的是“动物有不同的方言”。故选A。

2.

细节理解题。根据第二段中的They found that red wolves, Arctic wolves and other wolves have howls that vary in pitch (音调). In other words, they have their own dialects. (他们发现红狼、北极狼和其他狼的叫声音调不同。换句话说，他们有自己的方言)可知，研究人员认为，狼有自己的方言，因为不同种类的狼以不同的音调嚎叫。故选D。

3.

细节理解题。根据最后一段中的“A proper accent is vital to mating and warning the coming of enemies, which is the basis of protecting themselves,” Kelley told the Washington Post. (“正确的口音对于交配和警告敌人的到来至关重要，也是保护自己的基础，” 凯利在接受《华盛顿邮报》采访时表示)可知，凯利认为方言能帮助动物有更好的生存机会。故选A。