高中(學測,指考)◆英文題庫下載題庫

 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, but scientists 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 differentiate dolphins’ 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.
第三段為整個文章的結論，回顧前兩段主要是在講如何發現海豚藉由wistle copying 來叫對方名子 整個實驗只有發現他們可以叫對方名子兒而為某種程度的溝通方式

翻譯:
如果經過證實，這可能是在大自然中很罕見的某種意義上的溝通方式。
(如果看不懂前兩段也可以僅靠此句來判斷答案)

第三段的「this」指的是什麼？
(A) 錄製訊息。                     (B) 執行研究。
(C) 行為學習。                     (D) 哨音模仿。
【說明】前一句指出研究人員發現彼此相識的海豚在被分開時會模仿對方的哨音，本句接著表示「這」情形大部分發生在母子或關係密切的公海豚之間，由此得知「這」指的是「模仿對方的哨音」，故選(D)。