意大利研究人員稱，與人類相同，犬類可以快速模仿同類動物的表情，同時也展示出能讀懂同胞情感的能力。以下是 Helen Briggs 的報道。

The ability to feel empathy is built into the human brain. We smile or laugh almost instantly in response to others. Until now this ability was thought to extend only to our closest animal relatives such as orangutans and chimps.

Now researchers at the University of Pisa say dogs may be able to tune into the emotions of their canine companions. After studying hours of videotapes of dogs playing in a park, they said the animals can mimic each other's facial expressions and movements in a split-second, building social bonds.

The Italian scientist believe dogs may be showing a basic form of empathy which could have evolved when their ancestors became domesticated.

詞匯表

empathy ?同感，共鳴

orangutans ?（紅毛）猩猩

chimps ? 黑猩猩

tune into ?感應到

mimic ?模仿

split-second ?一瞬間，一剎那，一眨眼的功夫

social bonds ?社會連結，社會聯系

domesticated ? 被馴養了的

測驗

請聽報道并回答下列問題。

1. True or False? Scientists were not surprised to find out dogs' ability to "read emotions" because other animals do it too.

2. How did the scientists conduct their research?

3. How do dogs create social bonds?

4. According to the Italian scientists, did the dogs' ancestors behave in the same way?

答案

1. True or False? Scientists were not surprised to find out dogs' ability to "read emotions" because other animals do it too.
False. The researchers thought only human's closest animal relatives could do it, so they were surprised when they found out dogs have the ability to "read emotions" too.

2. How did the scientists conduct their research?
By studying hours of videotapes of dogs playing in a park.

3. How do dogs create social bonds?
By copying each other's facial expressions and movements.

4. According to the Italian scientists, did the dogs' ancestors behave in the same way?
No. According to the Italian scientists dogs' behaviour evolved this way after they were domesticated.