狗的科学：英语精读讲义

Oh dogs, a best friend that always has your back. 習語

啊，狗狗——永远挺你的好朋友。

In fact, studies have shown that men are three times more likely to get a girl's phone number 講解

事实上，研究表明，男性拿到女生电话号码的概率会变成原来的三倍

if they have a dog by their side.

——如果身边有一只狗的话。

And do you ever feel like your dog just gets you? 用詞

你有没有觉得，你的狗狗就是特别懂你？

It turns out that humans and dogs both respond to emotional sounds. 表達脈絡

原来，人和狗都会对带有情绪的声音作出反应。

When your dog hears you crying or laughing,

当你的狗听到你哭泣或大笑时，

the response in their brain is similar to that of a human. 語法

它大脑中的反应与人类很相似。

In fact, they interpret your crying as another dog whining, 短語搭配

事实上，它会把你的哭声理解成另一只狗在呜咽，

which may make you want to cuddle your buddy. 語法

这也许会让你想抱抱这个小伙伴。

But did you know that dogs often curl up into a ball when sleeping 短語動詞

不过，你知道狗狗睡觉时常常会蜷成一团

to conserve body heat 語法

是为了保存体温，

and protect their most vulnerable organs in the abdomen from predators.

并保护腹部最脆弱的器官不受捕食者伤害吗？

Comfy.

真舒服。

If you're not always around to cuddle,

如果你不能总在身边抱抱它，

leaving them some clothes that smell like you 語法

留几件带有你气味的衣服给它

will actually help them with separation anxiety. 用詞

其实能帮助缓解它的分离焦虑。

And while you may think you have the smartest dog, 語法

你可能觉得自家狗狗最聪明，

animal psychologists believe most dogs are about as smart as a 2-year-old human. 語法

但动物心理学家认为，大多数狗的智力和两岁小孩差不多。

Dogs can understand more than 150 words,

狗能听懂150多个词，

count up to five, 短語搭配

数到5，

and notice simple errors such as 1 + 1 = 3.

还能发现1 + 1 = 3这类简单错误。

Dogs are also capable of solving spatial problems. 短語搭配

狗也能解决空间问题。

They learn the location of hidden treats,

它们能记住藏起来的零食在哪里，

find the fastest route to the park,

找到去公园最快的路线，

and operate mechanisms such as latches and simple machines.

还会操作门闩和简单机械之类的装置。

And by the way, 表達脈絡

顺便一提，

dogs aren't completely colorblind as many people think.

狗并不像很多人以为的那样完全是色盲。

But unlike the three specialized receptors in our eyes to distinguish colors, 語法

我们的眼睛有三种专门用来辨别颜色的感受器，

dogs only have two.

而狗只有两种。

Because of this, 表達脈絡

正因如此，

they see black, white, blue, and yellow.

它们能看到黑色、白色、蓝色和黄色。

Meanwhile, their brains don't interpret red and green,

而它们的大脑无法识别红色和绿色，

but instead see gray.

只会把这两种颜色看成灰色。

Of the 75 million domesticated dogs in America,

在美国7500万只家养犬中，

Labradors are the most popular,

拉布拉多犬最受欢迎，

but the most intelligent dog breeds are border collies, poodles, and German shepherds.

但智力最高的犬种是边境牧羊犬、贵宾犬和德国牧羊犬。

However, these are measures of intelligence that compare to our own.

不过，这些智力指标是以人类自身为参照的。

Dogs are amazingly smart in other ways.

狗在其他方面也聪明得惊人。

You've probably heard of drug-sniffing dogs, 講解

你大概听说过缉毒犬，

but did you know that dogs can sense seizures,

但你知道狗还能察觉癫痫发作、

detect low blood sugar, and can sniff out cancer? 短語動詞

检测低血糖，甚至嗅出癌症吗？

In one study,

在一项研究中，

dogs were able to identify 30 of 33 cases of prostate cancer

狗在33例前列腺癌病例中成功识别出了30例，

by smelling participants' urine. 語法

方法就是闻参与者的尿液。

It's believed that dogs' highly sophisticated sense of smell can detect variation 語法

人们认为，狗极为灵敏的嗅觉能够察觉细微变化

and the presence of volatile organic compounds. 用詞

以及挥发性有机化合物的存在。

Their sense of smell is 10,000 to 10 million times more sensitive than humans, 語法

它们的嗅觉灵敏度是人类的1万到1000万倍，

depending on the breed. 語法

具体取决于犬种。

A secreted fluid from their nose helps them smell

狗鼻子分泌的液体有助于它们闻气味，

by capturing scent chemicals in a thin layer of wet mucus on their nose.

因为这些液体会在鼻子上形成一层薄薄的湿润黏液，捕捉气味中的化学物质。

In fact, for a dog,

事实上，对狗来说，

breathing is different than smelling. 用詞

呼吸和嗅闻是两回事。

A small fold of tissue called the alar fold separates the flow of air,

一小片名为鼻翼褶的组织会将气流分开，

depending on whether they're sniffing or breathing, 語法

分流方式取决于它们是在嗅闻还是呼吸，

which also allows them to pick up pheromones in the air 短語動詞

这也让它们能够捕捉空气中的信息素，

to help locate and determine the readiness of possible mates.

从而寻找潜在伴侣，并判断对方是否已准备好交配。

Tinder for dogs. 文化背景

狗狗版Tinder。

On top of it all, 表達脈絡

不仅如此，

humans really do love dogs. 語法

人类确实很爱狗。

A recent study found that dogs activate the same hormonal response

最近一项研究发现，狗会激活同一种激素反应，

that triggers us to love and care for our own babies.

正是这种反应促使我们疼爱并照顾自己的宝宝。

Accompany that with studies showing decreased stress and anxiety, 表達脈絡

再结合那些显示压力和焦虑有所减轻的研究，

and it's clear why they've become such an important part of our lives. 語法

它们为何会成为我们生活中如此重要的一部分，也就不难理解了。

They truly are woman and man's best friend. 文化背景

无论对女性还是男性，它们都是最好的朋友。

Unless you're a cat lover,

除非你是爱猫人士，

in which case you should watch our scientific debate on cats versus dogs, 語法

那你就该看看我们关于猫和狗的科学辩论，

where we try and figure out which precious pet is truly the best. 講解

我们会在其中努力弄清，到底哪种可爱的宠物才是最棒的。

Head on over to that video 短語搭配

快去看看那期视频，

to help us decide which side wins.

帮我们决定哪一方获胜吧。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

记得订阅，每周观看更多科学视频。