阅读理解
All animals play. Runing,
rolling and wrestling with each other is a way for them to have fun, of course.
But it also seems to be how they communicate and strengthen bonds with each
other.
When a dog comes up to
another dog, front legs bowed and his tail high, his buddy knows he wants to
play. But new research shows that this play behavior is surprisingly similar
when horses and dogs play.
To study interspecies
communication, Elisabetta Palagi and her colleagues from the University of Pisa
found 20 YouTube videos of dogs and horses playing where their interactions
lasted at least 30 seconds. They analyzed the videos, looking for specific
pattern of play.
They found that while
playing, both dogs and horses often had relaxed, open mouths-which is common
playful facial expression in mammals. Some also copied each other's movements,
like pretending to bite, playing with an object, or rolling on their backs on
the ground. A 2,000-pound horse can play with a relatively tiny dog because the
two are able to communicate their intentions.
"It's an important
study because it shows how two animals who look and behave so differently can
nevertheless manage to negotiate how to play in a way that's comfortable for
both," Barbara Smuts, a behavioral ecologist at the University of
Michigan, told National Geographic.
It's even more noteworthy
given the large size difference between horses and dogs. The dog is vulnerable
(易受伤的) to injury by the horse, and the horse has a
deeply rooted tendency to fear animals that look like wolves."
Next up, the researchers
write, is exploring the development and shaping of interspecies communication
that “can be at the basis of a universal language of play".
(1)
What is the focus of Elisabetta Palagi's study?
A . Behaviors of mammals.
B . Animal facial expressions.
C . Inter species communication.
D . Differences in animal languages.
(2)
Which is a shared way of communication for both dogs and horses?
A . High tails.
B . Openmouths.
C . Relaxedlegs.
D . Hardbites.
(3)
What makes the interaction between dogs and horses especially remarkable?
A . They feel less comfortable around other species.
B . Horses are often at risk of being injured by dogs.
C . Dogs manage to overcome their natural fear for wolves.
D . They communicate despite physical and behavioral differences.
(4)
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A . How dogs learn to speak to other animals
B . Horses and dogs-- more similar than different
C . Horses and dogs share universal play language
D . The development of inter species communication
答案: C
B
D
C