大象體型龐大，令人驚嘆，但其特別之處遠(yuǎn)不止如此。其實，象群中存在一種社群文化，它們多代群居共生，年輕的大象向年長的大象學(xué)習(xí)。科學(xué)家們還發(fā)現(xiàn)，當(dāng)一頭大象死亡時，其它的象群成員會一同表示哀悼。此外，大象還擁有驚人的記憶力，事實證明這個能力有助其生存。聽節(jié)目探討象群中的社群結(jié)構(gòu)。

詞匯：society 社會

As well as impressive?physical?attributes, elephants have a rich cultural?heritage, passed down through?customs?and?social?behaviour?which is learned, remembered, and shared within their?herds.

除了令人印象深刻的身體特征外，大象還擁有豐富的文化遺產(chǎn)，通過習(xí)俗和社會行為傳承下來，這些習(xí)俗和社會行為在大象群中被學(xué)習(xí)、記憶和分享。

This is possible partly because of their?social structure. Elephants live in complex,?tightly knit,?multigenerational?societies, led by older females known as?matriarchs. Younger elephants observe and?mimic?the behaviour of their?elders, learning through experience. It helps that the herd does almost everything together, from foraging and feeding to?raising?each others' young. These interactions lead to deep?long-lasting?relationships, which can last for decades.

這在一定程度上是因為他們的社會結(jié)構(gòu)。大象生活在復(fù)雜、緊密聯(lián)系的多代社會中，由年長的母象領(lǐng)導(dǎo)。年輕的大象觀察并模仿它們的長輩的行為，通過經(jīng)驗來學(xué)習(xí)。這使得象群幾乎所有的事情都在一起，從覓食到撫養(yǎng)彼此的孩子。這些相互作用導(dǎo)致深度持久的關(guān)系,可以持續(xù)數(shù)十年。

Possibly because of these?bonds, elephants seem to have?emotional capacity. Just like humans, the creatures have been seen displaying signs of?grief. When an elephant dies, others in the herd have been observed to repeatedly return to where the individual?passed, which is said to be part of a?mourning ritual. They may sniff and touch the carcass and bones and cover the site with leaves and sand. Moreover, a 2020 study by researchers Goldenberg and Wittemyer found that "elephants show broad interest in their dead regardless of the strength of former relationships with the dead individual", which may indicate advanced?sentience, the scientists say.

可能因為這些紐帶，大象似乎有情感能力。就像人類一樣,動物出現(xiàn)顯示悲傷的跡象。當(dāng)一頭大象死去時，人們觀察到象群中的其他大象會反復(fù)回到大象死去的地方，這據(jù)說是一種哀悼儀式的一部分。他們可能嗅嗅和觸摸和骨骼殘骸和求職網(wǎng)站用樹葉和沙子。此外,一項2020年研究戈登堡和Wittemyer發(fā)現(xiàn)“大象顯示廣泛的興趣死者不管前與死者的關(guān)系個人的力量”,這可能表明先進(jìn)的感覺,科學(xué)家說。

There's a saying found in many languages – 'an elephant never forgets'. In fact, memory has been essential to the?survival?of some elephant herds. A study within Great Kruger National Park found that, during an extreme?drought?in 2016, elephant groups led by matriarchs who had previously lived through a severe drought, had higher?survival rates. Researchers concluded that the matriarchs likely remembered where sources of water could be located.

許多語言中都有一句諺語——“大象不會忘記”。事實上，記憶對于一些象群的生存至關(guān)重要。大克魯格國家公園內(nèi)的一項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，在2016年的一次極端干旱期間，由此前經(jīng)歷過嚴(yán)重干旱的母象領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的大象群體有更高的存活率。研究人員得出結(jié)論，雌性斑蝶可能記得水源的位置。

So, count yourself lucky that you live on the same planet as these immense majestic animals.

所以，你應(yīng)該慶幸自己和這些巨大而威嚴(yán)的動物生活在同一個星球上。

詞匯表

physical attribute 身體特征
heritage?遺產(chǎn)
custom 習(xí)俗
social behaviour 社群行為
herd （獸）群
social structure 社群結(jié)構(gòu)
tightly knit 聯(lián)系緊密的
multigenerational 多代共存的
matriarch?（象群中的）年長母象
mimic 模仿
elder?長輩
raise 撫養(yǎng)，喂養(yǎng)
long-lasting 持久的
bond 聯(lián)系
emotional capacity?情感能力
grief 悲痛，悲傷
pass 死亡
mourning ritual 哀悼的儀式
sentience 感知能力
survival 生存
drought 干旱
survival rate 存活率

測驗與練習(xí)

1.?閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What is the social structure of elephant societies?

2. How do young elephants learn from their elders?

3. Why do elephants seem to have emotional capacity?

4. True or False??Elephants touch the leaves and sand near an elephant carcass.

5. Why did some elephant groups have higher survival rates in the 2016 drought?

2.?選擇意思恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. Because of _______, the crops didn't have enough water to grow.?

bonds? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?herds? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?droughts? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? matriarchs

2. My dog is unwell. The vet says he has a 50/50 chance of _______.

heritage? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? custom? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ritual? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? survival

3. It's a _______ relationship. They've spoken every day for the last 55 years!

social? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? emotional? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? physical? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?long-lasting

4. My friend's parrot _______ her. If she says 'hello', the parrot says it back!

raises? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? mimics? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? leads? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? passes? ? ? ? ? ?

5. After the argument, the friendship group wasn't as _______ as before.

tightly knit? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?multigenerational? ? ? ? majestic? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? advanced

答案

1.?閱讀課文并回答問題。?

1. What is the social structure of elephant societies?

Elephants live in complex, tightly knit, multigenerational societies, led by older females known as matriarchs.

2. How do young elephants learn from their elders?

Younger elephants observe and mimic the behaviour of their elders, learning through experience.

3. Why do elephants seem to have emotional capacity?

Because they have been seen producing signs of grief.??

4. True or False??Elephants touch the leaves and sand near an elephant carcass.

False. They may cover the site with leaves and sand.

5. Why did some elephant groups have higher survival rates in the 2016 drought?

Because the matriarchs likely remembered where sources of water could be located.

2.?選擇意思恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. Because of?drought, the crops didn't have enough water to grow.?

2. My dog is unwell. The vet says he has a 50/50 chance of?survival.

3. It's a?long-lasting?relationship. They've spoken every day for the last 55 years!

4. My friend's parrot?mimics?her. If she says 'hello', the parrot says it back!

5. After the argument, the friendship group wasn't as?tightly knit?as before.

文章來源BBC侵權(quán)刪。