文章大意:这是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了1977年哈佛大学毕业生Irene Pepperberg决定通过与另一种生物交谈来研究它的思维过程,以及她研究鹦鹉的过程和遇到的困难。
In 1977, Irene Pepperberg, a Harvard graduate, decided to investigate the thought processes of another creature by talking to it. To do this, she would teach a one-year-old African gray parrot (鹦鹉), Alex, to reproduce the sound of the English language.
Pepperberg bought Alex in a pet store, where she let the store’s assistant choose him because she didn’t want other scientists to say that she had intentionally chosen an especially smart bird. Given that Alex’s brain was just the size of a walnut, most researchers thought Pepperberg’s communication study would be futile.
But with Pepperberg’s patient teaching, Alex learned how to follow almost 100 English words. He could count to six and had learned the sound for seven and eight. But the point was not to see if Alex could learn words by heart. Pepperberg wanted to get inside his mind and learn more about a bird’s understanding of the world.
In one demonstration, Pepperberg held up a green key and a green cup for him to look at. “What’s the same?” she asked. “Co-lor,” Alex responded without hesitation. “What’s different?” Pepperberg asked. “Shape,” Alex quickly replied. His voice had the soundh of a cartoon character. But the words—and what can only be called the thoughts—were entirely his. Many of Alex’s skils, such as his ability to understand the concepts of “same” and “different”, are rare in the animal world. Living in a complex society, parrots like Alex must keep track of changing relationnships and environments.
During the demonstration, as if to offer final proof of the mind inside his bird’s brain, Alex spoke up. “Talk clearly!” he commanded, when one of the younger birds Pepperberg was also teaching mispronounced the word “green”。
Alex knew all the answers himself and was getting bored. “He’s moody,” said Pepperberg, “so he interrupts the others, or he gives the wrong answer just to be difficult.” Pepperberg was certainly learning more about the mind of a parrot, but like the parent of a troublesome teenager, she was learning the hard way.
12. Why did Pepperberg let the shop assistant choose the bird?
A.A bird with a small brain was needed. |
B.She wanted a very smart bird for her study. |
C.A research subject should be randomly chosen. |
D.The shop assistant was better at choosing birds. |
13. What might most researchers think of Pepperberg’s study at first?
A.Innovative. |
B.Practical. |
C.Costly. |
D.Fruitless. |
14. Which of the following aspects of Alex’s ability did Pepperberg’s study focus on?
A.Understanding concepts. |
B.Calculating. |
C.Recognizing voices. |
D.Creating English words. |
15. What caused Pepperberg’s struggle in her study?
A.Her instructions had to be easy for Alex. |
B.Alex was sometimes too clever to control. |
C.Alex would point out other birds’ mistakes. |
D.She had trouble understanding Alex’s mood. |