問題詳情

第 44 至 47 題為題組Imagine two bottlenose dolphins swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. You hear a series of clicks, whistles,and whines coming from each, much like a conversation. We can’t be sure what they are discussing, butscientists do believe dolphins call each other by “name.” A recent study suggests the marine mammals not only produce their own unique “signature whistles,” but they also recognize and mimic whistles of other dolphins they are close to and want to see again. It seems that dolphins can call those they know by mimicking their distinct whistles. “They’re abstract names,” said Randall Wells, one of the authors of the study.To conduct the study, the researchers listened to recordings of about 250 wild bottlenose dolphins made around Florida’s Sarasota Bay from 1984 to 2009, and four captive dolphins at a nearby aquarium.Some wild dolphins were briefly captured and held in separate nets by the research team, allowing them to hear but not see each other. Researchers found that dolphins familiar with each other would mimic the whistle of another in that group when they were separated. Most of this took place among mothers and calves, or among males who were close associates, suggesting it was affiliative and not aggressive— somewhat like calling out the name of a missing child or friend. Whistle copying of this sort was not found in dolphins that happened to cross paths in the wild.This use of vocal copying is similar to its use in human language, where the maintenance of social bonds appears to be more important than the immediate defense of resources. This helps differentiatedolphins’ vocal learning from that of birds, which tend to address one another in a more “aggressive context.”If confirmed, this would be a level of communication rarely found in nature. If dolphins can identify themselves and address friends with just a few squeaks, it’s easy to imagine what else they’re saying.However, as the authors of the study point out, all we can do right now is still imagine.
44. What is the main idea of the passage?
(A)Bottlenose dolphins show strong ties to their family members.
(B) Bottlenose dolphins recognize their friends’ voices in the wild.
(C) Bottlenose dolphins produce whistles that distinguish themselves.
(D)Bottlenose dolphins demonstrate a unique type of animal communication.

參考答案

答案：D
難度：困難0.333333
統計：A(3),B(11),C(9),D(12),E(0)

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