新世纪研究生公共英语教材阅读BUnit.pdfVIP

新世纪研究生公共英语教材阅读BUnit

Unit9

AnimalEmotions

LauraTangley

Sheerjoy.Romanticlove.Thepainofmourning.

Scientistssaypetsandwildcreatureshavefeelings,too.

1.SwimmingoffthecoastofArgentina,afemalerightwhale

singlesoutjustoneofthesuitorsthatarehotlypursuingher.

Aftermating,thetwocetaceanslingersidebyside,strokingone

anotherwiththeirflippersandfinallyrollingtogetherinwhat

lookslikeanembrace.Thewhalesthendepart,flipperstouching,

andswimslowlysidebyside,divingandsurfacinginperfect

unisonuntiltheydisappearfromsight.

2.InTanzania,primatologistsstudyingchimpanzeebehavior

recordedthedeathofFlo,atroop’s50-year-oldmatriarch.

Throughoutthefollowingday,Flo’sson,Flint,sitsbesidehis

mother’slifelessbody,occasionallytakingherhandand

whimpering.Overthenextfewweeks,Flintgrowsincreasingly

listless,withdrawingfromthetroop—despitehissiblings’

effortstobringhimback–andrefusingfood.Threeweeksafter

Flo’sdeath,theformerlyhealthyyoungchimpisdead,too.

3.Agrief-strickenchimpanzee?Leviathansinlove?Most

people,raisedonDisneyversionsofsentientandpassionate

beasts,wouldsaythatthesetales,bothtrue,simplyconfirmtheir

suspicionsthatanimalscanfeelintense,humanlikeemotions.For

theirpart,thenation’s61millionpetownersneedno

convincingatallthatpetdogsandcatscanfeelangry,morose,

elated—evenjealousorembarrassed.Recentstudies,infieldsas

distantasethologyandneurobiology,aresupportingthis

popularbelief.Otherevidenceismerelyanecdotal,especiallyfor

pets—dogsthatbecomedepressed,ore