Can animals have a sense of humor Sally Blanchard, publisher of a newsletter called the Pet Bird Report, thinks a pet parrot may have pulled her leg. That’s one explanation for the time her African gray parrot, named Bongo Marie, seemed to feign distress at the possible death of an Amazon parrot named Paco.
It happened one day when Blanchard was making Cornish game hen for dinner. As Blanchard lifted her knife, the African gray threw back its head and said, "Oh, no! Paco!" Trying not to laugh, Blanchard said, "That’s not Paco," and showed Bongo Marie that the Amazon was alive and well. Mimicking a disappointed tone, Bongo Marie said, "Oh, no," and launched into a hoarse laugh.
Was the parrot joking when it seemed to believe the other bird was a goner Did Bongo Marie comprehend Blanchard’s response Studies of African grays have shown that they can understand the meaning of words--for example, that red refers to a colo
A. gone and couldn’t eat the meal
B. dead and being cut for the meal
C. deadly ill and discarded by the hostess
D. away and should be back to join them
| Climate, more than any other single
factor, determines the distribution of life on earth. Climatic boundaries
establish the limits which organisms can survive. Plants, even more than
animals, must be well adapted to climate in order to survive. They cannot move
about or take shelter but must be equipped to endure whatever weather conditions
are likely to occur. In the harsh conditions of the tundra, for example, low
growing mosses, lichens, and a few flowering plants all hug the ground for
shelter from icy winds. Animals, despite their ability to move about and find shelter, are just as much influenced by climate as plants are. Creatures such as the camel and the penguin are so highly specialized that they have an extremely limited distribution. Others, such as bears are flexible enough to adapt to a broad range of climates. Oc A. to avoid being eaten by arctic animals B. because fertilizer is not readily available C. to minimize exposure to the cold D. because unfrozen water supplies are very scarce [单项选择]Dolphins have the power to make people feel better just by their presence, according to a leading marine biologist.
"I cannot explain it in scientific terms but, without any doubt, everyone who sees them in the wild is lifted by them," Jonathan Gordon, of Oxford University zoology department, said. "You only ever see them in the wild if they want you to see them. They are the only wild animal that comes to man of their own free will and that makes you feel privileged. You get a buzz because they are joyful, and you can prove scientifically that they spend a lot of their life playing. ’ Professor Gordon works for the International Fund for Animal Welfare and spends months on, the organization’s research boat. "If things aren’t going well on the boat and you are depressed, the sight of dolphins lifts you and makes you feel better at once. They cannot be doing this on purpose, but I can believe that people who are intensely depressed or suffering from some kind of mental bl A. feel more confident and important about yourself B. feel superior to others C. feel excited and exhilarated D. feel proud of yourself 我来回答: 提交
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