研究发现猩猩也会“想象”

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🤔️小作业：

1. What is the central claim advanced by the study described in the article?

A. Apes possess imagination that is identical in complexity to that of humans.

B. Imagination is more widespread among animals than previously believed.

C. Certain apes can demonstrate forms of pretend behavior under experimental conditions.

D. Human imagination evolved directly from that of bonobos.

无注释原文：

Apes Can Pretend, an Ability Once Thought Unique to Humans, New Study Suggests

From: The Wall Street Journal

Scientists once thought only humans could use their imagination, but a new study suggests apes can, too.

During a series of experiments, scientists discovered a bonobo called Kanzi could engage in pretend tea parties. He could understand the difference between real and imaginary juice and identify the location of imaginary food and drink when sitting across a table from a person, they said.

“We think of imagination as being this really rich and fundamentally human phenomenon,” said Christopher Krupenye, a cognitive scientist at Johns Hopkins University and co-author of a study published Thursday in the journal Science. “Yet this study really shows our very closest relatives also have this capacity and can share in a sort of pretend world with a human.”

The experiments involved empty pitchers, cups, bowls and jars. Kanzi could follow pretend juice as it was poured from a pitcher into one of two cups, then point to the cup containing the imaginary liquid, even if it had been moved. He also was able to track the location of imaginary grapes after the experimenter pretended to take one from an empty container and place it into a jar.

In another experiment, researchers placed a cup of real juice next to a cup into which they pretended to pour juice. When asked his preference, Kanzi overwhelmingly selected the real beverage.

The bonobo, who lived during the study at the Ape Initiative, a research and conservation nonprofit, was able to use a board of symbols to communicate with humans.

The study involved only a single ape, who had already shown exceptional abilities in previous research, noted Alex Piel, a University College London evolutionary anthropologist who wasn't involved in the work.

“It's less compelling when it's this Einstein of the bonobo world,” Piel said, adding that Kanzi's abilities might not be indicative of those of the rest of his species. (Kanzi has since died.)

While there have been anecdotal reports of wild and captive apes being able to pretend, Krupenye said he thinks this was the first experimental study of pretend behavior in nonhumans.

Playing pretend might be beneficial to a species in a few ways, the study authors say.

Children, for instance, use their imagination to interact with make-believe objects or friends, which lets them practice real-world social scenarios, according to Amalia Bastos, a comparative psychologist at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and study co-author.

“The more you understand what other individuals might be capable of perceiving or what they might believe, the better job you're going to do interacting with these individuals,” she said.

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注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为华尔街日报官方译文，仅供参考

含注释全文：

Apes Can Pretend, an Ability Once Thought Unique to Humans, New Study Suggests

From: The Wall Street Journal

Scientists once thought only humans could use their imagination, but a new study suggests apes can, too.

科学家曾以为只有人类具备想象力，但最新研究表明，猩猩同样可以。

During a series of experiments, scientists discovered a bonobo called Kanzi could engage in pretend tea parties. He could understand the difference between real and imaginary juice and identify the location of imaginary food and drink when sitting across a table from a person, they said.

经过一系列的实验，科学家们发现，一只名叫Kanzi的倭黑猩猩能够在多次模拟“茶话会”场景中完成互动。科学家们说，这只猩猩能区分真实果汁与想象果汁，与人隔桌对坐时能追踪虚拟食物与饮料的空间位置。

bonobo /ˈbɒn.ə.beʊ/ 表示“（非洲的）倭黑猩猩”，英文解释为“a small, intelligent African ape with black or brown fur, similar to a chimpanzee”

“We think of imagination as being this really rich and fundamentally human phenomenon,” said Christopher Krupenye, a cognitive scientist at Johns Hopkins University and co-author of a study published Thursday in the journal Science. “Yet this study really shows our very closest relatives also have this capacity and can share in a sort of pretend world with a human.”

“我们总把想象力视为一种极为丰富的、从根本上说是人类独有的现象”，约翰斯·霍普金斯大学(Johns Hopkins University)认知科学家克里斯托弗·克鲁佩涅(Christopher Krupenye)说，克鲁佩涅也是周四发表在《科学》(Science)杂志上的这项研究的作者之一。“可这项研究证明，我们最近的亲缘物种同样具备这种能力，甚至能与人类共享一个‘假想世界’。”

cognitive /ˈkɒɡ.nə.tɪv/ 表示“认知的；感知的；认识的”，英文解释为“Cognitive means relating to the mental process involved in knowing, learning, and understanding things.”举个🌰：As children grow older, their cognitive processes become sharper. 随着孩子们长大，他们的认知过程也变得越来越敏锐了。

The experiments involved empty pitchers, cups, bowls and jars. Kanzi could follow pretend juice as it was poured from a pitcher into one of two cups, then point to the cup containing the imaginary liquid, even if it had been moved. He also was able to track the location of imaginary grapes after the experimenter pretended to take one from an empty container and place it into a jar.

实验中用到了空的壶、杯、碗、罐等容器。当研究人员假装将果汁从壶中倒入两个杯子中的一个时，Kanzi能追踪假想果汁的位置，即便杯子被移动过，它仍能正确指出假装盛有果汁的杯子。在另一项测试中，实验者假装从空容器中取出一颗葡萄放入罐子，Kanzi也能准确追踪这颗“假想葡萄”的位置。

pitcher /ˈpɪtʃ.ər/ 表示“罐，壶”，英文解释为“a large, round container for liquids that has a flat base, a handle, and a very narrow raised opening at the top for pouring”如：an earthenware pitcher 陶罐，也可以表示“投球手”，英文解释为“a player who pitches the ball in a baseball game”

表示“罐子，坛子；广口瓶”，英文解释为“a glass or clay container with a wide opening at the top and sometimes a fitted lid, usually used for storing food”如：a jar of coffee 一罐咖啡，a jam jar 果酱罐子。

liquid /ˈlɪk.wɪd/ 可以作形容词，也可以作名词，表示“液体”，英文解释为“a substance, such as water, that is not solid or a gas and that can be poured easily”举个🌰：Mercury is a liquid at room temperature. 水银在室温下为液体。

In another experiment, researchers placed a cup of real juice next to a cup into which they pretended to pour juice. When asked his preference, Kanzi overwhelmingly selected the real beverage.

在另一项实验中，研究人员将一杯真果汁与一只假装倒入果汁的杯子并排放置。Kanzi几乎毫不犹豫地选择了真果汁。

overwhelmingly /ˌoʊvərˈwelmɪŋli/ 表示“压倒性地；不可抵抗地”，英文解释为“strongly or completely; in an overwhelming way”举个🌰：The team were overwhelmingly defeated in yesterday's game. 在昨天的比赛中这支球队遭遇了惨败。

beverage /ˈbev.ər.ɪdʒ/ 表示“饮料”，英文解释为“a drink of any type”举个🌰：Hot beverages include tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. 热饮包括茶、咖啡和热巧克力饮料。

The bonobo, who lived during the study at the Ape Initiative, a research and conservation nonprofit, was able to use a board of symbols to communicate with humans.

Kanzi在研究期间生活在非营利研究与保护组织“猿类倡议”(Ape Initiative)。它能用符号板与人类交流。

conservation /ˌkɒn.səˈveɪ.ʃən/ 表示“（对动植物、自然地区、历史建筑等的）保护”，英文解释为“the protection of plants and animals, natural areas, and interesting and important structures and buildings, especially from the damaging effects of human activity”如：wildlife conservation 野生生物保护，a conservation area 保护区。

non-profit /ˌnɒnˈprɒf.ɪt/ 表示“（机构）非营利性的”，英文解释为“not intended to make a profit, but to make money for a social or political purpose or to provide a service that people need”

The study involved only a single ape, who had already shown exceptional abilities in previous research, noted Alex Piel, a University College London evolutionary anthropologist who wasn't involved in the work.

没有参与这项研究的伦敦大学学院(University College London)进化人类学家亚历克斯·皮尔(Alex Piel)指出，这项研究仅涉及一只猿类个体，而这只个体在过往研究中已展现出非凡的认知能力。

anthropologist /ˌænθrəˈpɒːlədʒɪst/ 表示“人类学家”，英文解释为“a person who studies anthropology”

📍anthropology /ˌænθrəˈpɒlədʒɪ/：the study of the human race, especially of its origins, development, customs and beliefs 人类学。

“It's less compelling when it's this Einstein of the bonobo world,” Piel said, adding that Kanzi's abilities might not be indicative of those of the rest of his species. (Kanzi has since died.)

“当研究对象是‘倭黑猩猩界的爱因斯坦’时，结论的说服力会打折扣”，皮尔表示，Kanzi的能力可能并不代表整个物种的普遍水平。(Kanzi已去世。）

compelling /kəmˈpel.ɪŋ/ 1）表示“（理由、论证等）令人信服的，很有说服力的”，英文解释为“If a reason, argument, etc. is compelling, it makes you believe it or accept it because it is so strong.”如：compelling evidence 强有力的证据。

2）表示“引人入胜的；激动人心的；扣人心弦的”，英文解释为“very exciting and interesting and making you want to watch or listen”举个🌰：I found the whole film very compelling. 我觉得整部影片都很扣人心弦。

species /ˈspiː.ʃiːz/ 表示“（动植物的）种，物种”，英文解释为“a set of animals or plants in which the members have similar characteristics to each other and can breed with each other”举个🌰：Mountain gorillas are an endangered species. 山地大猩猩属于濒危物种。

While there have been anecdotal reports of wild and captive apes being able to pretend, Krupenye said he thinks this was the first experimental study of pretend behavior in nonhumans.

克鲁佩涅说，尽管先前已有关于野生与圈养猿类具备假装能力的零星报告，但他认为，这是首次针对非人类假装行为的实验性研究。

anecdotal /ˌænɪkˈdəʊt(ə)l/ 表示“逸事的；趣闻的；传闻的”，英文解释为“based on anecdotes and possibly not true or accurate”，如：anecdotal evidence 传闻的证据。

表示“被监禁的；被关起来的；被困住的”，英文解释为“kept as a prisoner or in a confined space; unable to escape”，如：captive animals 关在笼子里的动物。

Playing pretend might be beneficial to a species in a few ways, the study authors say.

该研究的作者们说，假装游戏可能从多方面对一个物种产生积极影响。

Children, for instance, use their imagination to interact with make-believe objects or friends, which lets them practice real-world social scenarios, according to Amalia Bastos, a comparative psychologist at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and study co-author.

苏格兰圣安德鲁斯大学(University of St Andrews)比较心理学家、该研究的合著者阿玛莉亚·巴斯托斯(Amalia Bastos)解释说，比如儿童会借助想象力与假想中的物体或朋友互动，练习现实社交场景。

make-believe /ˈmeɪk.bɪˌliːv/ 表示“虚幻，假想”，英文解释为“believing or imagining things that appear to be attractive or exciting, but are not real”举个🌰：He lives in a world of make-believe/make-believe world. 他生活在虚幻的世界里。

“The more you understand what other individuals might be capable of perceiving or what they might believe, the better job you're going to do interacting with these individuals,” she said.

“你越能理解其他个体的感知能力或潜在信念，就越能有效地与其互动”，她说。

perceive /pəˈsiːv/ 1）表示“感知，察觉，注意到，意识到”，英文解释为“to see something or someone, or to notice something that is obvious”举个🌰：He perceived a tiny figure in the distance. 他注意到远处有个很小的身影。

2）表示“认为；看待；视为”，英文解释为“to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something”举个🌰：How do the French perceive the British? 法国人是如何看待英国人的？

📍《经济学人》（The Economist）一篇讲述Bitcoin的文章中提到：Scarcity is a trait of many things that are perceived to have value. 稀缺性正是许多被视为有价值的事物共有的特征。

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