While dogs openly demonstrate joy or displeasure through wide smiles and grimaces (怪相), recognizing a cat’s emotions from its face is often hard, even for its owner. Now researchers from Canada’s University of Guelph claim that stoic (高冷的) as they may appear, cats also express emotions on their faces.
For their study, Professors Lee Niel and Georgia Mason found 6,300 people from 85 countries. The participants were asked a few questions and then watched 20 short cat videos. Each video highlighted just the cat’s face, its eyes, nose and mouth, and gave no clues (提示) to its surroundings. The viewers did not have to determine the cat’s exact emotions, but just decided whether it was in a positive or negative state.
The researchers found that only 13 percent, or 819 participants, were able to read the cats’ emotions accurately over 75 percent of the time. Further research showed that the so-called “cat whisperers” were mainly women and animal doctors. Younger adults also seemed to be able to read the expressions better than older individuals.
“The fact that women generally scored better than men is in line with previous research that has shown that women appear to be better at interpreting nonverbal expressions of emotion, both in humans and dogs,” said Mason. Being a cat owner did not help study participants, indicating that a strong attachment to the animal did not necessarily mean better understanding of its emotions.
Fortunately, all is not lost for cat owners who are unable to tell their pets’ emotions. The researchers believe the skills are not innate (天生的) but learned over time, which explains why animal doctors scored high in the study. “It is important to be able to do so because it could help strengthen the ties between cats and their owners,” said Niel.
1. What’s the second paragraph mainly about?| A．The research tool. | B．The research method. |
| C．The research process. | D．The research subject. |
| A．Those behaving like cats. |
| B．Those loving cats very much. |
| C．Those speaking softly to cats. |
| D．Those good at telling cats’ emotions. |
| A．Older people are more experienced in taking care of pets. |
| B．Women are better at sensing emotions than men. |
| C．Pet owners understand cats’ emotions more than others. |
| D．Young people scored lower than the old. |
| A．It helps cat owners train the cats. |
| B．It makes it easier to care for cats. |
| C．It is good for the cat-human relationship. |
| D．It contributes to developing cats’ potential. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Hundreds of millions of birds die every year from hitting windows, one of the biggest sources of human-caused bird deaths—far greater than airplane strikes. In a bid to help birds see the glass before it’s too late, people may stick films (膜) on their windows—often on the indoor side. But a recent study in PeerJ Life & Environment shows that such films work only on a window’s outside surface.
“Putting these window films on the inside really is not giving you the benefit that you would want for protecting the birds,” says John P. Swaddle, a biologist at the College of William and Mary and lead author of the new study.
To test the films’ effectiveness, Swaddle and his colleagues applied one of two commercially available films to either indoor or outdoor window surfaces. One film reflected shorter light wavelengths that humans cannot see, and the other reflected longer wavelengths (many birds can see both). Both films helped to prevent bird smashes by more than 35 percent when put on the outside surface, the study found—but films on the inside had no benefit at all.
“It’s some creative work about the differences of what can and can’t work in terms of preventing window strikes from birds,” says George Mason University biologist David Luther, who studies the evolution of birds in cities and was not involved in the study.
People usually find it much easier to put films on the indoor side of a window, says Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela, a conservation ecologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who was also not involved in the study. For taller buildings, to apply something to the outside, you need scaffolding (脚手架)... you need to clean the windows extra well for them to apply correctly, and they don’t last as long.
Swaddle assumed that films placed on the inside don’t effectively stop the reflection and scatter (散射) of light outside. In future studies, the researchers will continue exploring how birds see and experience the world, which could further help bird lovers, architects and factories prevent bird deaths.
1. Which window film works better in protecting birds in Swaddle’s experiment?| A．Film applied to outdoor window surface. |
| B．Film applied to indoor window surface. |
| C．Film reflecting shorter light wavelengths. |
| D．Film reflecting longer light wavelengths. |
| A．extinctions. | B．strikes. | C．droppings. | D．protections. |
| A．Exploring how birds feel the world. |
| B．Exploring the effectiveness of window films. |
| C．Exploring the laws of light reflection and scatter. |
| D．Exploring how to prevent bird deaths in factories. |
| A．Why do birds often hit windows? |
| B．How to take care of our windows? |
| C．What are the functions of window films? |
| D．How to use window films to protect birds? |
【推荐2】A survey by the Kennel Club has found almost one in five would rather have a dog than be in a relationship.
The research, which asked 2,612 dog owners for their thoughts on romance, found just under a quarter agreed that having a dog would make them feel less concerned about not being in love.
Perhaps the findings are unsurprising, as celebrities have long used dogs as their plus-ones. Hollywood legend Glenn Close took her Havanese dog Pip to the Oscars last year, describing her pet as “the best date a girl can have”. Jennifer Aniston has credited her dogs and female friends with making her happy, stating: “I’ve had more fun post-40 than I can remember.”
Bill Lambert, a spokesman for the Kennel Club, said: “There certainly seems to be a growing number of dog-lovers who would rather share their lives with a four-legged friend instead of a human partner. This could be due to the many benefits that come with dog ownership — from the psychological to the physical. Dogs help their owners relax, whether that’s with a daily walk in fresh air, or with a cuddle (依偎) on a sofa. They can also be great listeners, help their owners fight stress, and can play a part in improving the health and fitness of their two-legged owners.”
Nevertheless, for those dog owners who are still looking for love, the research suggests their pet might help.
More than a fifth of those questioned said they had been asked out on a date or found love while out with their dog, with beagles, springer spaniels and German Shepherds appearing best for attracting a potential partner. People who owned golden retrievers and corgis were also very likely to say their pet may have helped them out romantically.
Mr Lambert said: “This is quite unsurprising when you consider that dogs are a great ice-breaker, when strangers may otherwise not look twice at each other, and that we tend to have very positive associations about people who love dogs.”
Among those responding to the survey, 21 percent said they were more likely to date someone who also had a dog.
1. How would a single with a dog react when asked for their opinion of love?| A．Behave like a cat on hot bricks. | B．Stay calm or even a little carefree. |
| C．Feel quite worried about being single. | D．Still be hopeful about love and marriage. |
| A．To tell us some romantic stories about them. |
| B．To show that the result of the research is true. |
| C．To persuade us to follow these people’s example. |
| D．To give us some tips on how to be in a relationship. |
| A．Because of the advice given by their doctors. |
| B．Because the dogs can remind them of somebody. |
| C．Because they can’t find their true love in reality. |
| D．Because of the good their dogs bring to their life. |
| A．Learn some basic knowledge about dogs. |
| B．Set up a homeless dog shelter on your own. |
| C．Bring some dog food with you in the street. |
| D．Walk your beagle in the park after supper. |
【推荐3】Bottlenose dolphins simplify and raise the pitch (音高) of their whistles to be heard above underwater shipping noise. Christopher Intagliata reports.
The oceans are getting louder. And coastal areas are some of the noisiest, as in this underwater recording, covering 17 miles off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland.
The noise could be a problem for underwater animals, which, like us, use sound to communicate. “Just like if we’re in a raucous bar, we have to shout to each other. And they might have to do that too.” Helen Bailey is an underwater biologist at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.
She and her colleagues recorded two months of underwater sounds, in that same area off the coast of Maryland. They used automated software to take out 200 bottlenose dolphin whistles from the noise, and visually compared the spectrograms (声谱图). Here’s a normal whistle.
But what they found was that dolphins simplified their whistles and raised their pitch when they were competing with shipping noise, which apparently helps, but could also hurt their ability to communicate.
“By using simpler calls, yes, there is a risk that they’re not communicating as much in-formation as they would if it was quieter. Also for younger dolphins they actually learn these sounds from hearing other dolphins. So they’re hearing this much simpler language.” The results and a few of those spectrograms are in the journal Biology Letters.
The survey site is the proposed future home of a wind farm - which could mean lots of noise as the huge towers are set up. Until then, it’s the long-lasting roar of ships and boats that Bailey wants people to think about carefully. “I think people think about boats in terms of the emissions (排放), just like with cars. And I think what we need to think about is that sound is also an emission.”
1. When will the bottlenose dolphins raise their pitch according to the text?| A．When they have to compete with ship noise. |
| B．When they want to catch more fish in the sea. |
| C．When they want to sing loud songs with others. |
| D．When they feel angry with the ships. |
| A．Narrow. | B．Noisy. | C．Unique. | D．Modern. |
| A．More bottlenose dolphins will love to make loud noise. |
| B．People will lose the bottlenose dolphins forever. |
| C．They will have to make long journeys in the ocean. |
| D．They will lose the ability to express much information. |
| A．How To Protect The Marine Mammals — Bottlenose Dolphins |
| B．Bottlenose Dolphins Raise The Tune To Help The Wind Farm |
| C．Bottlenose Dolphins Raise The Tune To Communicate With Ships |
| D．Bottlenose Dolphins Make Easy Calls Above Under Ship Noise |
【推荐1】
When the natural climate changes due to global warming, it can surely affect seals. The majority of them live in the Antarctic region so as the ice is melting, their natural habitat can be seriously affected. These changes don’t take place overnight. They can be the result of many years of additional temperatures in the area. The seals then have to find ways to adapt.
Seals depend on the cool air currents to bring plenty of food for them. When the temperature gets higher there is less and less food and the seal population starts to shrink. Mothers aren’t healthy enough to feed their babies. Many of them end up abandoned as the mothers have to leave to find their own source of food.
The fact that their desire to produce young can be changed by the warmer temperature is frightening too. It is also believed that the warmer temperature can allow different diseases and viruses to attack the seals. This is a huge concern as they can rapidly wipe out huge numbers of seals out there.
However, these changes in climate and temperature aren’t all bad for other species of seals. Scientists have found that those living in warmer climates are producing more young due to the changes. Research also shows that the females are moving further to find food and water. When they are out of the reach of the governing males, they are more willing to accept the moves of other males in the group.
This is good news too because it means that there will be more selection in the gene pool (基因库) for future generations. It can help the seals as a species adapt to changes in their natural environment more easily.
The climate change problem for seals is directly linked to humans.When we take action to change what we let out into the environment, we will make positive changes for the seals. However, it is going to take a very long time to reverse (彻底改变) the effects of what has already been done.
1. What does the author regard climate changes for seals as?| A．A double-edged sword. |
| B．An unavoidable disaster for existence. |
| C．A mirror of evolution. |
| D．A requirement for more choice in the gene pool. |
| A．Their number will be on the increase. |
| B．The female seals will be in the lead. |
| C．Their genes will change a great deal. |
| D．The females will keep away from the males. |
| A．The Importance of Protecting Seals |
| B．Seals’ Adaptation to Climate Change |
| C．How Climate Change Affects Seals |
| D．Why Are Seals Becoming Less and Less |
【推荐2】My fourth-grader came home from school crying recently, after discovering that she hadn’t been invited to a birthday party. I wanted to join in her pity party.
I, too, had just seen pictures of a gathering on social media. I was asleep by 9:00 that night, unaware of all the fun things that were happening.
I always assumed that FOMO (fear of missing out) was a feeling reserved for kids and teens. But FOMO affects every age group. In fact, there’s a scientific explanation for FOMO: Our survival as a species is based on being included in group activities. In order to survive, we must share resources and work as a team.
In a 2018 study published in Motivation and Emotion, researchers found that FOMO is felt by everyone, regardless of their personality. And while FOMO was originally based on survival, today it is associated with sleep problems, fatigue and stress.
When scrolling through social media, we see the best versions of people’s lives and we think we should be doing something to feel more fulfilled and satisfied, instead of focusing on activities that actually give us joy, said Meha Agrawal, founder and CEO of Silk & Sonder, a self-care and mental wellness subscription experience for women.
Cutting back on your social media time would help curtail your FOMO feelings. But you can also decide to change your thinking. “You always get to choose your thoughts,” said Vikki Louise, an anxiety coach. “The concept of missing out is subjective: You always decide if you are missing out.”
Additionally, connecting with the reasons you chose not to participate and owning your choice can go a long way, said Adi Jaffe, mental health expert and lecturer at UCLA. This is true even if you didn’t actually make the choice to be excluded.
1. How did the author reacted to her daughter’s incident?| A．She didn’t approve of her daughter’s sadness. |
| B．She wanted to throw a party for her daughter. |
| C．She herself wanted to cry about missing fun things. |
| D．She tried to comfort and cheer up her daughter. |
| A．People want to do more in their work or personal lives. |
| B．People would like to feel more fulfilled and satisfied. |
| C．Joining others in more fun activities is human nature. |
| D．Being included is originally a need for survival. |
| A．It can lead to sleep issues and stress. |
| B．It helps us achieve more in work and life. |
| C．It gives us joy and a sense of belonging. |
| D．It makes people do more fulfilling things. |
| A．My Forth-Grader’s Pity Party | B．Feelings Helping Humans Survive |
| C．The Scientific Explanation for FOMO | D．FOMO: Reasons, Effect and Solution |
【推荐3】Washington D.C. serves as the capital of the United States. The name, District of Columbia honors Christopher Columbus, and the city’s better-known name of Washington, honors the first president. However, it once again ranked first in terms of dangerous driving. The probability of a traffic accident in Washington residents is 109.3% higher than the national average.
As a result, Washington D.C. is working to identify drivers with a history of breaking traffic rules, such as speeding and illegal parking, to send pointed message to warn them seriously of their risks of getting into a deadly crash.
City officials say they hope the pointed messages will deter dangerous road behaviors. “ Some drivers are putting others at serious risk with speeding and red-light running and we hope that this creative approach can gradually reduce serious injury and crashes.” said Jeff Melley, director of the city’s Department of Transportation.
Researchers have studied the relationship between repeated traffic offenders and serious crashes, with some data suggesting a strong connection between the two. That means, drivers with multiple dangerous road behaviors are more likely to be involved in crashes. A team from The Lab led by researchers from the MIT will create a campaign. “We will evaluate whether high-risk drivers who receive these messages have fewer dangerous road behaviors, compared to the group of high-risk drivers who do not receive the messages.”
City officials said the purpose of these pointed messages is to educate the high-risk drivers. Jeff said, “there is no punishment or fine attached to the message and the campaign is to use data to directly communicate with individual drivers.” So some questioned whether the message will work. Anyway, efficient measures begin with creative tryouts.
1. What do we know about the approach to sending pointed messages?| A．It may put the drivers at serious risk of crashing. |
| B．It can punish drivers with records of traffic accidents. |
| C．It will completely reduce serious injury and deadly crashes. |
| D．It is the newest attempt with the aim of reducing serious traffic accidents. |
| A．Prevent. | B．Increase. |
| C．Encourage. | D．Discover. |
| A．Traffic offenders always cause serious accidents. |
| B．New drivers bear less blame for serious collisions. |
| C．Repeated traffic offenders are more likely to cause serious accidents. |
| D．Traffic offenders should not spend too much time on the road. |
| A．By sending messages to the drivers. |
| B．By comparing the impact of the approach on two groups. |
| C．By predicting the possibility of a driver’s involvement in a crash. |
| D．By checking the response of the receivers who get the messages. |
