时差N小时 为何狗要咆哮(上)

In terms of evolution, there has to be a reason for barking, or it probably wouldn't be there.

从进化的角度而言，狗汪汪叫肯定是有理由的，要不这叫声肯定在漫长的进化过程中给淘汰掉了。

Is it to warn of predators¹?

那么这叫声是为了警告捕食者么？

But dogs bark when there are no predators around.

但是周围没有捕食者的时候狗也会汪汪叫。

Is it play?

那么它只是在玩耍吗？

Some dogs play without barking.

有些狗玩的时候也没有发出叫声。

In fact, people who study canine² behavior find there isn't much of a pattern to barking-it seems to be an all-purpose noise.

事实上，研究狗类行为的专家告诉我们，狗的叫声并没有固定的形式。它只是是一种多用途的响声。

Now here's another fascinating thing: adult wolves don't bark.

另一件让人着迷的事情是：成年的狼并不会吠叫。

They growl³, and they whine⁴, but no barking.

它们只是嚎叫、哀鸣，但并不吠叫。

And dogs evolved from wolves.

但是狗是从狼进化而来的。

So where did the bark come in?

那么，狗的这种吠叫声是从何而来的呢？

Mark Feinstein and Ray Coppinger of Hampshire College in Massachusetts have a theory.

对此，来自马萨诸塞州罕布什尔学院的马克?范斯坦和雷?科平杰提出了一种理论。

These biologists have noted⁵ that while adult wolves don't bark, adolescents do.

这两位生物学家注意到，虽然成年的狼不会吠叫，但是狼崽会。

Wolf pup barking seems to be an intermediate noise you grow out of.

狼崽的吠声就好比是在它成长发声过程中的一个中间产物。

1 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 canine   

adj.犬的，犬科的

参考例句：

• The fox is a canine animal.狐狸是犬科动物。
• Herbivorous animals have very small canine teeth,or none.食草动物的犬牙很小或者没有。

3 growl   

v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣

参考例句：

• The dog was biting,growling and wagging its tail.那条狗在一边撕咬一边低声吼叫，尾巴也跟着摇摆。
• The car growls along rutted streets.汽车在车辙纵横的街上一路轰鸣。

4 whine   

v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣

参考例句：

• You are getting paid to think,not to whine.支付给你工资是让你思考而不是哀怨的。
• The bullet hit a rock and rocketed with a sharp whine.子弹打在一块岩石上，一声尖厉的呼啸，跳飞开去。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。