新托福口語練習材料——關于寵物的話題(3)

　　5.DoAnimalsCommunicate?

　　Whenwethinkofcommunication,wenormallythinkofusingwords-talkingface-to-face,writingmessagesandsoon.Butinfactwecommunicatefarmoreinotherways.Oureyesandfacialexpressionsusuallytellthetruthevenwhenourwordsdonot.

　　Thentherearegestures,oftenunconscious:raisingtheeyebrows,rubbingthenose,shruggingtheshoulders,tappingthefingers,noddingandshakingthehead.Thereisalsotheevenmoresubtle"body-language"ofposture:areyousitting-orstanding-witharmsorlegscrossed?Isthatpersonstandingwithhandsinpockets,heldinfrontofthebodyorhiddenbehind?Eventhewaywedressandthecolourswewearcommunicatethingstoothers.

　　So,doanimalscommunicate?Notinwords,althoughaparrotmightbetrainedtorepeatwordsandphraseswhichitdoesn’tunderstand.But,aswehavelearnt,thereismoretocommunicationthanwords.

　　Takedogsforexample.Theybaretheirteethtowarn,wagtheirtailstowelcomeandstandfirm,withhairerect,tochallenge.Thesesignalsaresurelythecanineequivalentofthehumanbody-languageoffacialexpression,gestureandposture.

　　Colourcanbeimportantmeansofcommunicationforanimals.Manybirdsandfishchangecolour,forexample,toattractpartnersduringthematingseason.Andmatingitselfiscommonlyprecededbyaspecialdanceinwhichbothpartnersparticipate.

　　6.She’sAllfortheBirds!

　　Twiceaweek,58-year-oldMrs.WinifredCassshopsinthemarketforhermainsupplies,"toppingup"dailybycallingatlocalshopsonherwayhomefromwork.Butshe’snotbuyingfamilygroceries!

　　Shereturnshomeladenwithheavybagsofmixedhencorn,pigeoncorn,peanutsandlargepacketsofbirdfoodtofeedherlarger"family,"thewildbirdsofLeeds.Andshe’sbeendoingthisfor16years.

　　Daily,shefeedsthebirdswhichfrequenthergarden,theareaaroundtheshopwheresheworkspart-time,andseveralpatchesofwaste-groundnearherhome.Then,twiceeveryweek,sheloadsthecarryingbasketwithbagsofgrainontohertricycleandsetsouttopedalthe20-nubyterudeyoutothecitycenter.

　　"Inthemorning,birdsonmyownroofathomehangalmostupsidedowntryingtoseemethroughthewindows."Shelaughed."Insevereconditionslastwinter,Ihadasmanyasfourrobinsinmygardenatthesametime,thoughthey’rewellknowntobeterritorialbirds.

　　"It’samazinghowmanydifferentkindsofbirdsIseeinthecityitself.InparkSquare,aswellastheusualstarlings,pigeonsandsparrows,therearebluetits,greattits,thrushes,doves,andsometimesevenseagulls."

　　ItallstartedwhenWinifredwasworkingatacafé.Sheusedtothrowoutstalebreadandbuns,anddevelopedsuchaninterestinthewildbirdswhichacceptedherofferingsthatshestartedtakingfoodalongtothoseinCitySquareaswell.

　　Ononeoccasion,anoldladysittinginthesquareremarkedthatthebirdscoulddowithamorenutritiousdiet.SoWinifredbeganbuyingcornforthem.

　　"Intheend,Iwascarryingsomuchweightandtrampingsofarthatmyfeelandarmsreallyached,"shesaid."Itriedusingwheeledshoppers,butwiththeweightofallthatcorntheywerebreakingwithinweeks!SoIsplashedoutandboughtthistricycle."

　　Winifredhascomeacrossotherwild-lifeonhertravels,too."IstoptofeedfamiliesofhedgehogswhichIfoundatthesideoftherailwaynearthepark,"shesaid.

　　Despiteherloveofbirds,she’dneverwanttokeeponebecauseshecan’tbearseeingthemcaged.

　　Disasterstruckrecentlywhenacarreversedintoherparkedtrike,damagingitswheels.Buttwolocalbusinessmen,hearingofheractivities,decidedkindlytohelpbyreplacingthewheelsforher.

　　Sonowthe"BirdWomanofLeeds"isbackinactionagain,doingthejobshelovesbest-caringforthehostoffeatheredfriendswhohavecometorelyonher.

　　7.TooManyPetsinFrance

　　InFranceacampaignhasbeenlaunchedtowarnagainstthedangerofathreateningover-population...ofpets!Thecountryisthesecondmostdenselypopulatedcountryintheworldasfarasdomesticanimalsareconcerned.Atthemomentitisinhabitedbymorethan81/2milliondogsandalmostasmanycats.EverysecondfamilyinParisownsoneormorepets,whichcauseproblemsofhygienethatcannotbesolved.Intheyear2000Francewillhavemorethan15milliondogsifnodrasticmeasuresaretakentostopthisincrease.

　　TheFrenchorganizationfortheprotectionofanimalshasappealedtotheownerstohavetheirdogsandcatsofbothsexessterilized,becausetheanimalsthemselvesareindangerofbecomingthefirstvictims.Everysummer,whentheholiday-exodusbegins,thousandsofdogsandcatsareabandoned,becausetheirowners,unabletotakethemalong,donotwanttoorcannotfindhomeswheretheirpetswillbelookedafterduringtheirabsence.Onlyoneofthreeoftherestrayanimalscanbeadopted,theothertwomustbekilled.

　　Agreatnumberofpet-owners,however,objecttosterilizationongroundsof"inadmissiblecruelty".

　　8.PetsEatBetterThanPeople

　　"MymouthwateredasIimaginedthelovelysoupIcouldmakefromsomebonesinthebutcher’swindow.Therewasalotofmeatonthem,too.SoIwentinandboughtsome.’Certainly,onepoundofbonesforyourdog,madam,’saidthebutcherbrightly.Mynextstopwasatehfishshop,whereIaskedforsomecheapfish,’Foryourcat?’askedtheassistant.Asyoumayhaveguessed,neitherbonesnorfishwereforpets-theywereforme,apensioner.Butitmademethinkthatmanyanimalseatbettermealsthanpeople!"

　　9.ABirthdayPresentforaDog!

　　"WehaveafriendwhoworksinaDogParlourWheretheysellcoatsfordogs.Acustomer,choosingacoat,triedtodescribeherdogandthesaleswomansuggestedshebringthedoginsothattheycouldfithim.Horrified,thecustomerrepliedthatshecouldn’tdothatasitwasforthedog’sbirthdaypresentandshedidn’twanthimtoseeit!"