Having studied more than 400 groups of honeybees in Brazil for two years, a group of biologists led by Viviana Di Pietro report that, like humans, honeybees are capable of learning new traditions which are then handed down over generations.
“The most obvious example is that honeybees can build their homes according to different architectural traditions which are then handed down over generations,” they write. “We found that around 95% of the honeybees built their homes in a horizontal (与地面平行的) style, while 5% of them preferred a spiral (螺旋形的) structure. In each case, the tradition was passed down to the next generations.”
Since honeybees showed a strong preference for a horizontal structure, it was surprising that spiral structures occurred at all. “With the help of video cameras, we found that there was a noticeable difference in average building rate between the two styles.” the researchers add.
In order to rule out a genetic (遗传的) explanation for the different styles, the researchers took honeybees from the groups that built in spiral tradition close to the groups that built in horizontal tradition. The imported honeybees soon learned to build their homes in the local style, which was then passed down to their children as they eventually grew up. “It is very likely that the imported honeybees might have changed the style as a way of correcting the construction errors made by their ancestors.” the researchers suggest.
The findings have surprised observers of animal culture, as they suggest that honeybees can learn and hand down different building traditions over generations. This has changed the way of thinking about culture, which is often strictly defined as behaviour directly handed down from human parents to their children until it becomes a tradition in a group.
“Insect culture was thought impossible. Less than a century ago, culture was thought to be uniquely human,” says biologist Andrew Whiten of the University of St Andrews, who was not involved in the research. “But the new research has offered strong evidence pointing to the opposite.”
1. Why do most honeybees prefer a horizontal structure according to the research?| A．It is easier to be copied. | B．It is a bit stronger. |
| C．It is more comfortable. | D．It is faster to build. |
| A．Scientists. | B．Traditions. | C．Findings. | D．Parents. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Disapproving. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Researchers Have Different Views on Animal Culture |
| B．Honeybees May Learn and Preserve Cultural Traditions |
| C．Honeybees Can Learn Building Skills From Their Neighbors |
| D．Researchers Have Misunderstood Honeybees for a Long Time |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Are you interested in working with animals? Now here comes the CHANCE. Kirby Wildlife Park has set up the unique Keeper Experience package. The fantastic experience is available to anyone over the age of 18 who is reasonably fit. We regret that for health and safety reasons, participants who are pregnant, in a wheelchair or suffering from illnesses cannot take part.
A typical day
9:15 Arrival 9:30 Health and Safety Briefing
10:00 Apes and Monkeys
While cleaning out the enclosure (围场) you will find out about how enclosures are enriched with novel items and new smells to stimulate the animals’ senses and imitate their natural environment.
12:00 Lunch 14:00 Big Cats
As one of the highlights of this volunteer experience, you will feed the cats and learn about their nutritional needs. The keeper will give you an introduction to how cat behavior can be read to get an idea of their welfare and health.
16:30 Meet the Team
Meet more of the staff and learn how you can get further involved with work at the park. Learn about our animal adoption plan, what it takes to be a good keeper and where to obtain the right qualifications for a career in animal welfare.
Booking and cancellation
The Keeper Experience is available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, and must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Full payment is needed when booking.
Cancellations must be made more than fourteen days before the event. Otherwise, you won′t receive a full refund.
1. What kind of people can experience working with animals in Kirby Wildlife Park?| A．A pregnant woman. | B．A man who is quite healthy. |
| C．A teenager sitting in a wheelchair. | D．A student under the age of 18. |
| A．a booking should be made over two weeks before the event |
| B．people are allowed to cancel a booking with a full refund at any time |
| C．cancellations need to be made on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays |
| D．participants can have the unique experience every day throughout the year |
| A．Bathe animals. | B．Buy an animal |
| C．Feed apes and monkeys. | D．Create natural environment for animals. |
【推荐2】The opening of California’s commercial crab season, which normally starts in November, is delayed once again to protect whales searching for their prey (猎物) along the coast.
California has been affected by a marine heat wave since May. The Blob, as this mass of warm water has become known, is squeezing cooler water preferred by whales and their prey close to shore, where fishermen set their traps. This crowding can lead to tangle (缠结) between whales and fishing equipment, endangering the animals’ lives and requiring rescue missions.
In a new study, scientists say they can now use global temperature models, commonly used in climate science, to predict up to a year in advance when hot ocean temperatures raise the risk of tangles between whales and fishing equipment.The tool analyzed in the new study, called the Habitat Compression Index, works by feeding sea-surface temperature measurements into an equation (方程式) that estimates the likelihood of whale habitat shrinking closer to shore.Regulators and fishermen agree that the new forecasting research could help them walk the tightrope between protecting whales and protecting local livelihoods (生计).
Mr Ogg, a commercial fishing boat captain, describes himself as a conservationist who doesn’t want to see whales harmed.“Fishermen have a big motivation to protect the natural environment,” he said, “because that’s where they make their living.” Previously, the challenge was adapting to changing conditions and fishing regulations on short notice, especially for smaller business owners and their crews.“One of the biggest problems we had was the unpredictability,” Mr Ogg said, “We were living from week to week then.”
Though scientists have shown the Habitat Compression Index can now forecast months in advance, state officials would probably wait to see conditions in real time before making decisions about the crab fishery, said Ryan Bartling, an environmental scientist at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
1. What do the whales come to shore for according to the first two paragraphs?| A．Safety. | B．Shelter. | C．Leisure. | D．Food. |
| A．To take a risk. | B．To join in an act. |
| C．To strike a balance. | D．To walk on a rope. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Indifferent. | C．Cautious. | D．Pessimistic. |
| A．How climate data gives whales room to swim |
| B．What causes the decrease in whale population |
| C．Why global temperature models are in great need |
| D．Whether to protect whales or the local livelihoods |
【推荐3】In the past months, humans have become quite familiar with the term “social distancing”. But it turns out that we are not the only ones to avoid contacting our peers when our health may be at risk: Research suggests honeybees do it, too. “It’s exciting to see that other animals are doing something analogous”, said Dr. Alessandro Cini, co-author of the research at University College London.
Scientists have found that when a hive( 蜂箱)of honeybees is under threat from the mite (螨虫)called Varroa destructor, which can cause the collapse of honeybee colonies, the bees will respond by changing the way they interact with one another.
By examining videos recorded inside the hives, the researchers found that when hives had mites, foraging(觅食的)bees performed important dances to indicate the direction of food sources and kept themselves away from the centre of the colony where young bees and the queen stayed. This may help to keep the infection at a level that can be controlled, limiting the amount of damage. “Foragers are one of the main entrance routes for the mites,“ said Cini.
The team then carried out experiments in the laboratory, artificially infecting small groups of about 12 young bees with the mites and comparing them to uninfected groups. This time the team found no increase in social distancing among infected groups-which, says Cini, may reflect that it is more important for foragers and young bees to keep their distance when the mites are present and that bees rely on one another.
“Probably social distancing is too costly on a small scale,” he said. But there were differences in grooming(梳理)behaviour: Infected bees were groomed more, inspected more, and had food shared with them more than individuals in uninfected groups.
Cini said the study showed the power of natural selection in the evolution of social behavior and also dynamic change in the social behaviour to adapt to an ever-changing environment.
1. What does the underlined word “analogous” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Similar. | B．Adventurous. |
| C．Meaningful. | D．Creative. |
| A．To quickly locate the food. | B．To show respect for the queen. |
| C．To minimize the potential risk. | D．To shorten the entrance route. |
| A．When mites appear among them. | B．When they’re artificially infected. |
| C．When they depend on each other. | D．When they’re compared with others. |
| A．Honeybees are able to communicate. | B．Honeybees proved to be more social. |
| C．Honeybees also have strict social rules. | D．Honeybees also use social distancing. |
【推荐1】Many of the serious health concerns in modern America can be linked to poor diet．People who regularly consume foods high in salt, sugar, and fats not only increase their chances of being overweight, but also increase their risks of developing diseases. Although some people who regularly consume unhealthy foods do so knowingly, there are also some people that remains undereducated about proper nutrition( 营 养 ). What is more, people who live in food deserts—areas in low-income(低收入) neighborhoods that lack easy access(路径) to healthy, affordable food—may not even have the opportunity to get nutritious food.
Food deserts are located in low-income areas and most often develop when major supermarket chains either move out of these areas or simply avoid building stores there in the first place. These supermarket chains tend to limit their store locations to richer urban or suburban neighborhoods．This means that those who live in low-income areas often live miles away from the fresh meats and dairy products available at supermarkets. People of these areas are thus forced to travel long distances to do their grocery shopping, or else they are limited to the food available at local convenience stores. These stores often only sell packaged, processed foods that offer little nutrition.
Furthermore, there are too many fast food restaurants in low-income areas; recent research suggests that those living in the poorest areas of a city experience 2.5 times more exposure to fast food restaurants than people in the richest areas of the city. Because people who live in food deserts often get their meals from fast food restaurants or convenience stores, they suffer from a variety of health problems．Research has found that people who live in low-income neighborhoods are much more likely to develop healthy problems than those who live in richer neighborhoods.
Of course, it seems obvious that more supermarkets should be built in low-income neighborhoods. But in fact, it is difficult to attract supermarket chains into poor areas because poorer people have less money to spend on food. One way that the government can help to solve this problem is by offering tax breaks or other inspiring policies for supermarkets in low-income areas. In 2010, the Obama administration started the Healthy Food Financing program, which is designed to help bring grocery stores into food deserts.
While the government can improve low-income people’s access to healthy food to some extent, local actions often have a stronger and more immediate influence．Community gardens, independent food stores, and farmers’ markets are all examples of local actions that can take the place of the opening of a major chain supermarket. These efforts can be extremely beneficial, not only in providing people with access to healthier foods, but also in producing a sense of community in the neighborhoods.
1. What is mainly talked about in this passage?| A．Relationship between diet and disease. |
| B．Lack of health awareness among people. |
| C．Problems of food deserts and their solutions. |
| D．Importance of grocery planting in poor areas. |
2. What can be learned from Paragraph 3 and Paragraph 4?
| A．People in rich areas are easier to develop diseases. |
| B．Fast food restaurants care much about people’s health. |
| C．People in low-income areas like shopping in supermarkets. |
| D．Supermarket chains are unwilling to open stores in poor areas. |
| A．Local actions should be encouraged and supported. |
| B．Supermarkets should take social responsibility. |
| C．Education for healthy diet must be improved. |
| D．Governments fail to improve people’s health. |
【推荐2】Animals Welfare Workshops and Presentations
STRAW regularly conducts animal welfare workshops and awareness talks under its humane education programs at schools and colleges. The aim of our programs is to sow seeds of empathy （同情）towards people, compassion towards animals and a respect for the environment. Simply put, our programs demonstrate the way children could be empathetic and compassionate towards people and animals that may be in pain and in need of help. Our programs encourage them to take that first step forward to lend a helping hand. These programs emphasize:
♦ How children need to be sensitive to the pain that animals on the street feel when they have been hit or run over by a speeding car. They are made aware of how they could step forward with compassion to treat and save such animals.
♦ How children need to appreciate the importance of the principles of green living by caring for the environment. Children have been urged to inculcate （谆谆教诲）the following routines that would hopefully stick with them for the rest of their lives:
Keep their neighborhood parks, lakes and rivers clean.
Avoid using plastic bags.
Appreciate the principle of recycle, reuse and reduce waste.
Not to dump garbage in parking lots or in parks but only at specified places.
Not to throw banana, orange peels and wrappers from a moving car.
To turn off lights in empty rooms to save on energy.
Not to squash insects like ants, grasshoppers etc. as these living creatures loo are part of our world and we human beings are their caretakers.
1. What do the programs of the STRAW advocate?| A．To make the first step forward to take a hand. |
| B．To be empathetic and protect the environment. |
| C．To learn to sow seeds and harvest in the fields. |
| D．To conduct workshops and talks to make fortune. |
| A．feel painful as animals do. |
| B．make a rescue with compassion. |
| C．stand by to avoid trouble. |
| D．have self-protection awareness. |
| A．To kill insects like ants, grasshoppers etc. |
| B．To keep their neighborhood parks, lakes and rivers clean. |
| C．To turn off lights in empty rooms to save on energy. |
| D．To throw garbage at specified places. |
【推荐3】It's easy to understand why early humans domesticated dogs as their new best friends. Domesticated dogs can guard against fierce animals and provide warmth during cold nights. But those benefits only come following domestication. Despite more than a century of study, scientists have struggled to understand what it was that caused the domestication process in the first place.
A new theory given by Maria Lahtinen, a senior researcher, might be able to explain this puzzle. She made this theory when studying the diet of late Pleistocene hunter gatherers in Arctic and sub-Arctic Eurasia. At that time, around 20,000 to 15,000 years ago, the world was in the coldest period of the last ice age.
In cold environments then, as today, humans tended to gain the majority of their food from animals. Nutritional deficiencies came from the absence of fat and carbohydrates, not necessary protein. Indeed, if humans eat too much meat, they can develop protein poisoning and even die. “Because we humans are not fully adapted to a diet that is carnivorous, we simply cannot digest protein very well,” Lahtinen says.
During that time, animals that humans killed for food would have been struggling to live, barely having fat and composed mostly of lean muscle. Using previously published early fossil records, Lahtinen and her colleagues calculated that the animals killed by people in the Arctic and sub-Arctic during this time would have provided much more protein than they could have safely consumed.
Under the tough circumstances of the Arctic and sub-Arctic ice age winter, sharing excess meat with dogs would have cost people nothing. The descendants of wolves that took advantage of such handouts would have become more gentle toward humans over time, and they likely went on to become the first domesticated dogs.
1. What has been confusing scientists in the past century?| A．How domesticated dogs benefited humans. | B．When humans began to domesticate dogs. |
| C．What led to dog domestication originally. | D．Why early humans made friends with dogs. |
| A．All-meat | B．Low-fats | C．Fast-changing. | D．Over-cooked. |
| A．They struggled with wolves. |
| B．They shared meat with dogs. |
| C．They existed on the earth for about 5,000 years. |
| D．They had trouble adapting to the cold environment. |
| A．were al dangerous animals. | B．provided enough fat for humans. |
| C．became a food source for some dogs. | D．lacked protein needed for a healthy diet. |
