新托福口語(yǔ)練習(xí)材料——關(guān)于寵物的話題(3)
2014-12-25 16:16:27留學(xué)網(wǎng)整理
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!"
