科学家们表示，刺猬之间的交流方式可能远比我们听到的 “呼哧呼哧”、“呼噜呼噜” 和 “哼哼唧唧” 声要丰富得多，因为他们发现刺猬的听觉范围极广。

The researchers discovered that the European hedgehog can hear up to 85kHz, a frequency that's considered ultrasonic, far higher than humans who stop hearing past 20kHz.

研究人员发现，西欧刺猬能听到达到 85 千赫的声音，这已属于超声波频段，远高于人类 20 千赫的听觉上限。

The team now wants to develop sound repellents to be used in cars or lawnmowers that could emit noise at a frequency to scare off hedgehogs.

基于此发现，该团队目前正致力于开发出能安装在汽车或割草机上的声音驱赶器，通过发射特定频率的噪音来吓跑刺猬。

Thousands of hedgehogs a year are killed in road collisions, and the scientists say the discovery could be a game changer. It could also reveal if the animals communicate to each other using noises that humans can't hear.

每年都有数千只刺猬在马路上被撞死，而科学家们表示，这项新发现可能会彻底改变现状。它或许还能揭示这些动物是否会利用人类听觉范围之外的声音进行交流。

词汇表

kHz 千赫（声音的频率单位）
frequency 频率
ultrasonic 超声波的
repellent 驱赶装置或手段
lawnmower 割草机
emit 发出，发射
collision 碰撞，撞击
game changer 打破现状的关键因素
reveal 揭示
communicate 交流，沟通

听力练习

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. This new research could reveal that…
a. hedgehogs hear far more than humans.
b. hedgehogs may be able to communicate with each other.
c. thousands of hedgehogs die on the roads each year.

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. At what frequency do most humans stop hearing?
a. 20kHz
b. 25kHz
c. 85kHz

2. Why do researchers want to develop sound repellents for cars?
a. They want to attract hedgehogs to the roads.
b. They want to communicate with hedgehogs on the roads.
c. They want to scare hedgehogs away from the roads.

3. Scientists say that this discovery doesn't change much about what is already known about hedgehogs.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

4. Hedgehogs could be communicating with each other by…
a. making noises that humans can't hear.
b. making noises that sound like words.
c. moving their noses in different directions.

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. The researchers discovered that the European hedgehog can ________________ 85kHz, a frequency that's considered ultrasonic, far higher than humans who stop hearing past 20kHz.

2. Thousands of hedgehogs ________________ are killed in road collisions, and the scientists say the discovery could be a game changer.

答案

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. b. It could also reveal if the animals communicate to each other using noises that humans can't hear.

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. a. The researchers discovered that the European hedgehog can hear up to 85kHz, a frequency that's considered ultrasonic, far higher than humans who stop hearing past 20kHz.

2. b. The team now wants to develop sound repellents to be used in cars or lawnmowers that could emit noise at a frequency to scare off hedgehogs.

3. b. False. … Thousands of hedgehogs a year are killed in road collisions, and the scientists say the discovery could be a game changer.

4. a. It could also reveal if the animals communicate to each other using noises that humans can't hear.

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. The researchers discovered that the European hedgehog can hear up to 85kHz, a frequency that's considered ultrasonic, far higher than humans who stop hearing past 20kHz.

2. Thousands of hedgehogs a year are killed in road collisions, and the scientists say the discovery could be a game changer.