VOA常速英语2019--新研究：马来熊可模仿小伙伴表情

The sun bear is indigenous¹ to Southeast Asia, and considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The bears have a reputation for being loners and very shy, but it turns out they are very communicative with each other. Marina Davila-Ross from the University of Portsmouth says it is the way they communicate that makes them special. We examine the facial expressions of sun bear. We found that they mimic² each other quite rapidly. When one sun bear is showing a facial expression during play, the other one is showing exactly the same facial expression. And such precise mimicking³ has only been found before in gorillas⁴, and we know that humans are showing these behaviors.

马来熊是东南亚的本土生物，世界自然保护联盟它列为渐危物种。马来熊以喜欢独处、性格腼腆而闻名，但现在我们发现它们其实很乐于与彼此交流。马里纳来自朴茨茅斯大学，她表示，马来熊彼此交流的方式十分特别。我们观测了马来熊的面部表情，并发现它们会迅速地模仿彼此。只要在玩儿的时候有一只马来熊做出面部表情，另一只就会做出一模一样的表情。这样精准的模仿此前只在大猩猩身上发现过，此外就是我们都知道人类会有这样的行为。

Having found this behavior in the sun bear, Davila-Ross and her colleagues want to look at more species to see if this kind of special facial mimicry⁵ is not that special after all. We believe that this is something that is more of a common ability that we can find across different mammalian species, and it’s really important for research to examine more animals that are not primates⁶ and and dogs for these complex behaviors. But the researchers are quick to point out that, just because these animals are capable of facial mimicry does not necessarily mean they are using it like humans use it, to share feelings for instance.

在发现马来熊有这样的行为之后，马里纳和几位同事想观测一下更多的物种，看看这种特殊的面部模仿行为是否真的是如此罕见。我们认为这种能力在不同的哺乳动物中都十分常见，很重要的一点是：我们的研究要检测灵长类动物和够累是否存在这样的复杂行为。不过，研究人员也很快指出一点，那就是：这些动物能进行表情模仿并不意味着它们能像人类一样来使用面部表情，比如通过面部表情来表达情绪。

And we can’t say anything like we’ve known bears have emotional contagion⁷ or even empathy, but we can say that one of the key behaviors associated with it which is facial mimicry is there. So what are the bears communicating the researchers are not completely sure, but think the bears may be telling each other when their play time gets too rough.

我们不能下定论说熊类有情绪感染能力或者同理心，不过可以确定的是它们与此有关的一种主要行为是存在的。所以，马来熊表达的内容，科学家不是十分确定，但马来熊可能是在给彼此的嬉戏时间加一点乐趣。

1 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

2 mimic   

v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人

参考例句：

• A parrot can mimic a person's voice.鹦鹉能学人的声音。
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another.他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

3 mimicking   

v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的现在分词 )；酷似

参考例句：

• She's always mimicking the teachers. 她总喜欢模仿老师的言谈举止。
• The boy made us all laugh by mimicking the teacher's voice. 这男孩模仿老师的声音，逗得我们大家都笑了。 来自辞典例句

4 gorillas   

n.大猩猩( gorilla的名词复数 )；暴徒，打手

参考例句：

• the similitude between humans and gorillas 人类和大猩猩的相像
• Each family of gorillas is led by a great silverbacked patriarch. 每个大星星家族都由一个魁梧的、长着银色被毛的族长带领着。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 mimicry   

n.（生物）拟态，模仿

参考例句：

• One of his few strengths was his skill at mimicry.他为数不多的强项之一就是善于模仿。
• Language learning usually necessitates conscious mimicry.一般地说，学习语言就要进行有意识的摹仿。

6 primates   

primate的复数

参考例句：

• Primates are alert, inquisitive animals. 灵长目动物是机灵、好奇的动物。
• Consciousness or cerebration has been said to have emerged in the evolution of higher primates. 据说意识或思考在较高级灵长类的进化中已出现。

7 contagion   

n.(通过接触的疾病)传染；蔓延

参考例句：

• A contagion of fear swept through the crowd.一种恐惧感在人群中迅速蔓延开。
• The product contagion effect has numerous implications for marketing managers and retailers.产品传染效应对市场营销管理者和零售商都有很多的启示。