一直以来，狗狗都是人类的好伴侣。有些人认为自己养的狗狗能读懂自己心中所想的事情。狗狗们真的会 “读心术” 吗？现代科学通过 “brain scan（脑部扫描）” 等方式研究狗狗的大脑，揭开了它们能感知人类情绪、甚至在一定程度上 “读懂” 我们内心感受的原因。本文浅谈狗狗和人类之间的情感联系。

词汇：pets and emotions 宠物和情感

1  Everyone knows that dogs are supposed to be our best friends. Could it be that they know what we are thinking? Whether it's getting excited at the prospect of a walk or knowing that tasty food is coming soon, are our dogs reading our minds?

2  Now, by mind-reading we're not talking about knowing our deepest thoughts in detail, but various psychologists have suggested that dogs might have a theory of mind. What this means is that they are aware that other creatures, like humans, are able to see and understand things in different ways. In various experiments it appears that dogs are able to identify who is paying them attention. They are more likely to ask for food from someone if there is a reason that the human would know where the dog treats are. If dogs have been forbidden food by someone, they are more likely to try and get it quietly.

3  As well as these behavioural studies, there are other things that show how dogs are able to relate closely to humans. Brain imaging studies have shown not only that canine brains react to human voices, but that they also show an emotional response to those human sounds which demonstrate strong feelings, such as laughing or crying. Brain scan studies have also shown that human faces also provoke an emotional response in dogs. Other studies have shown that sweat from people feeling scared could make dogs feel more stressed than sweat from happy people.

4  There is some debate about whether dogs have evolved to respond to human emotions as they have become domesticated or whether this behaviour is a learned reaction to stimuli. Experiments like those described above have also been carried out on wolves that have been raised by humans, who may have learned to respond to their carer's behaviour, but do not have the genes of a domesticated species. Wolves did show some abilities to respond to human emotions, but were less able to pick up more subtle clues.

5  Whether it's learned or innate, dogs' ability to read human emotions and intentions are one reason that we have included them in our lives for centuries. It's also why they have been successful as assistance dogs, helping their owners to get through everyday life.

测验与练习

一、将标题和段落配对。

Paragraph 1 _______
Paragraph 2 _______
Paragraph 3 _______
Paragraph 4 _______
Paragraph 5 _______

a. nature or nurture
b. companions and assistants
c. not just cats
d. different perspectives
e. canine brain responses
f. friendly mind readers?

二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. Dogs develop a detailed picture of what we are thinking.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

2. Look at paragraph 3. What does 'they' refer to in the following sentence? 'They are more likely to ask for food from someone if there is a reason that the human would know where the dog treats are.'
a. humans
b. psychologists
c. dogs

3. Dogs know when they have to be secretive when getting food.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

4. Dogs show greater emotional responses than other commonly domesticated animals.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

5. Dogs are better than wolves at responding to _______ signs from their carers.
a. obvious
b. subtle
c. quick

三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。

It has been suggested that dogs have a 1) _______ – they understand the perspective of others. 2) _______ studies have shown how dogs act in response to humans' actions. It appears that they are 3) _______ of what humans might be thinking. 4) _______ to familiar faces and voices can be seen on brain scans. Studies have tried to show whether these reactions are 5) _______ or learned behaviours.

subtle
aware
domesticated
behavioural
innate
emotional responses
theory of mind

（答案见词汇表后）

词汇表

excited 兴奋的，激动的
deepest thought 内心最深处的想法
psychologist 心理学家
theory of mind 心智理论
aware 意识到的
pay attention 关注，注意
forbid 禁止，不准
behavioural 行为上的
brain imaging 脑成像
canine 犬科动物的
emotional response 情感反应
brain scan 脑部扫描
provoke 激起，引起
stressed 焦虑的，紧张的
evolve 进化
domesticated 驯化的
learned reaction 后天习得的反应
stimulus 刺激，刺激物
carer 照顾者，看护者
gene 基因
subtle 微妙的，含蓄的
innate 先天的

答案

一、将标题和段落配对。

Paragraph 1 f) friendly mind readers?
Paragraph 2 d) different perspectives
Paragraph 3 e) canine brain responses
Paragraph 4 a) nature or nurture
Paragraph 5 b) companions and assistants

二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. b. False. Now, by mind-reading we're not talking about knowing our deepest thoughts in detail, but various psychologists have suggested that dogs might have a theory of mind.

2. c. The pronoun 'they' refers to dogs in the previous sentence. In various experiments it appears that dogs are able to identify who is paying them attention'.

3. a. True. If dogs have been forbidden food by someone, they are more likely to try and get it quietly.

4. c. Not given. The text does not mention other commonly domesticated animals.

5. b. Wolves did show some abilities to respond to human emotions, but were less able to pick up more subtle clues.

三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。

It has been suggested that dogs have a theory of mind – they understand the perspective of others. Behavioural studies have shown how dogs act in response to humans' actions. It appears that they are aware of what humans might be thinking. Emotional responses to familiar faces and voices can be seen on brain scans. Studies have tried to show whether these reactions are innate or learned behaviours.