大象体型庞大，令人惊叹，但其特别之处远不止如此。其实，象群中存在一种社群文化，它们多代群居共生，年轻的大象向年长的大象学习。科学家们还发现，当一头大象死亡时，其它的象群成员会一同表示哀悼。此外，大象还拥有惊人的记忆力，事实证明这个能力有助其生存。听节目探讨象群中的社群结构。

词汇：society 社会

As well as impressive physical attributes, elephants have a rich cultural heritage, passed down through customs and social behaviour which is learned, remembered, and shared within their herds.

除了令人印象深刻的身体特征外，大象还拥有丰富的文化遗产，通过习俗和社会行为传承下来，这些习俗和社会行为在大象群中被学习、记忆和分享。

This is possible partly because of their social structure. Elephants live in complex, tightly knit, multigenerational societies, led by older females known as matriarchs. Younger elephants observe and mimic the behaviour of their elders, learning through experience. It helps that the herd does almost everything together, from foraging and feeding to raising each others' young. These interactions lead to deep long-lasting relationships, which can last for decades.

这在一定程度上是因为他们的社会结构。大象生活在复杂、紧密联系的多代社会中，由年长的母象领导。年轻的大象观察并模仿它们的长辈的行为，通过经验来学习。这使得象群几乎所有的事情都在一起，从觅食到抚养彼此的孩子。这些相互作用导致深度持久的关系,可以持续数十年。

Possibly because of these bonds, elephants seem to have emotional capacity. Just like humans, the creatures have been seen displaying signs of grief. When an elephant dies, others in the herd have been observed to repeatedly return to where the individual passed, which is said to be part of a mourning ritual. They may sniff and touch the carcass and bones and cover the site with leaves and sand. Moreover, a 2020 study by researchers Goldenberg and Wittemyer found that "elephants show broad interest in their dead regardless of the strength of former relationships with the dead individual", which may indicate advanced sentience, the scientists say.

可能因为这些纽带，大象似乎有情感能力。就像人类一样,动物出现显示悲伤的迹象。当一头大象死去时，人们观察到象群中的其他大象会反复回到大象死去的地方，这据说是一种哀悼仪式的一部分。他们可能嗅嗅和触摸和骨骼残骸和求职网站用树叶和沙子。此外,一项2020年研究戈登堡和Wittemyer发现“大象显示广泛的兴趣死者不管前与死者的关系个人的力量”,这可能表明先进的感觉,科学家说。

There's a saying found in many languages – 'an elephant never forgets'. In fact, memory has been essential to the survival of some elephant herds. A study within Great Kruger National Park found that, during an extreme drought in 2016, elephant groups led by matriarchs who had previously lived through a severe drought, had higher survival rates. Researchers concluded that the matriarchs likely remembered where sources of water could be located.

许多语言中都有一句谚语——“大象不会忘记”。事实上，记忆对于一些象群的生存至关重要。大克鲁格国家公园内的一项研究发现，在2016年的一次极端干旱期间，由此前经历过严重干旱的母象领导的大象群体有更高的存活率。研究人员得出结论，雌性斑蝶可能记得水源的位置。

So, count yourself lucky that you live on the same planet as these immense majestic animals.

所以，你应该庆幸自己和这些巨大而威严的动物生活在同一个星球上。

词汇表

physical attribute 身体特征
heritage 遗产
custom 习俗
social behaviour 社群行为
herd （兽）群
social structure 社群结构
tightly knit 联系紧密的
multigenerational 多代共存的
matriarch （象群中的）年长母象
mimic 模仿
elder 长辈
raise 抚养，喂养
long-lasting 持久的
bond 联系
emotional capacity 情感能力
grief 悲痛，悲伤
pass 死亡
mourning ritual 哀悼的仪式
sentience 感知能力
survival 生存
drought 干旱
survival rate 存活率

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What is the social structure of elephant societies?

2. How do young elephants learn from their elders?

3. Why do elephants seem to have emotional capacity?

4. True or False? Elephants touch the leaves and sand near an elephant carcass.

5. Why did some elephant groups have higher survival rates in the 2016 drought?

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. Because of _______, the crops didn't have enough water to grow. 

bonds                     herds                           droughts                  matriarchs

2. My dog is unwell. The vet says he has a 50/50 chance of _______.

heritage                  custom                        ritual                        survival

3. It's a _______ relationship. They've spoken every day for the last 55 years!

social                      emotional                    physical                   long-lasting

4. My friend's parrot _______ her. If she says 'hello', the parrot says it back!

raises                      mimics                        leads                        passes           

5. After the argument, the friendship group wasn't as _______ as before.

tightly knit               multigenerational        majestic                    advanced

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。 

1. What is the social structure of elephant societies?

Elephants live in complex, tightly knit, multigenerational societies, led by older females known as matriarchs.

2. How do young elephants learn from their elders?

Younger elephants observe and mimic the behaviour of their elders, learning through experience.

3. Why do elephants seem to have emotional capacity?

Because they have been seen producing signs of grief.  

4. True or False? Elephants touch the leaves and sand near an elephant carcass.

False. They may cover the site with leaves and sand.

5. Why did some elephant groups have higher survival rates in the 2016 drought?

Because the matriarchs likely remembered where sources of water could be located.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. Because of drought, the crops didn't have enough water to grow. 

2. My dog is unwell. The vet says he has a 50/50 chance of survival.

3. It's a long-lasting relationship. They've spoken every day for the last 55 years!

4. My friend's parrot mimics her. If she says 'hello', the parrot says it back!

5. After the argument, the friendship group wasn't as tightly knit as before.

文章来源BBC侵权删。