Animal Communication
Communication among animals has risks, as when an animal that makes a noise reveals itself to a predator. But it also has important advantages. Communication serves animals’ needs to survive and reproduce and their ability to project their genes into future generations by aiding close relatives. When a male cowbird sings his song, he is attending to his need to attract a female cowbird and get his genes into the next generation. Worker honeybees, which are honeybees that do not reproduce, perform dances to communicate to other bees in the hive the location of a food source, with specific paths, speeds, and angles indicating the distance and direction of the food. By imparting this information, a worker bee is aiding the survival of her sisters in the hive and the further reproductive efforts of her mother(this is the only way worker bees can help spread their genes).
Animals do not only communicate with their relatives. Prey also communicate with predators, as when a gazelle stots (jumps up suddenly in the air)to communicate to the lion stalking it that he has been spotted and thus is unlikely to catch the gazelle. They should both save themselves the bother of a pointless chase that will just waste their time and energy. Sometimes predators listen in on the communications of their prey-as when dolphins detect the sounds made by fish. In discussing animal communication, it is customary to identify a signaler and the recipient of a signal. This does not imply that either individual is consciously aware or even unconsciously intends to send or receive the signal. An older view construed communication as a cooperative activity in which a sender and receiver collaborated to get a message across. It is now understood that the picture can be much more complex. Receivers may eavesdrop on signals that the signaler would rather they did not pick up. Bats, for example, listen in on the mating calls of male frogs in order to locate and attack them.
Some species are sensitive to the presence of potential eavesdroppers and modify their signals accordingly. Monkeys that raid farmers’ crops have quiet alarm calls, known as “conspiratorial whispers,” that they use to warn each other of the arrival of the farmer. These calls are clear enough that the monkeys hear each other but quiet enough that the farmer does not detect them. In other situations, signalers compete to get their message across with ever louder, larger, and brighter signals. It is thought that the large bright tail of the peacock evolved in this way as a form of competition among male birds to impress the females.
The tail of the peacock is an example of an honest signal- one that is intended to provide accurate information. The size and bright coloration of an impressive male’s feathers indicate health, requiring adequate nutritious food, energy and preening (grooming) to maintain. Peacocks do not have the resources to fake their tails. Furthermore, having bright, flashy feathers or a long train that might slow you down can come at the cost of being more susceptible to predators. A male that is fit enough to survive despite this potential handicap must surely be a prize for a lucky female.
The deep notes of frogs’ and toads’ mating calls are also honest signals of their owner’s size. The laws of physics impose a necessary relationship between the depth of a tone and the size of the body that produces it: a big body means a deep call. While this is generally true, a recent study showed that males of one species of green frog, Rana clamitans, may sometimes lower the dominant frequency of their calls during territorial contests in order to make the calls sound deeper and the frog seem larger than normal. In other words, not all signals are honest. Examples of dishonest signals include the behavior of mimics, which copy the behavior of another individual. For example, two species of fireflies emit similar patterns of flashes of light. Females of one species, the Photinus species, use their characteristic flashing pattern to attract mates. Females of the other species, the Photuris species, mimic the flashing pattern of Photinus females so that they can lure Photinus males and eat them.
1
Communication among animals has risks, as when an animal that makes a noise reveals itself to a predator. But it also has important advantages. Communication serves animals’ needs to survive and reproduce and their ability to project their genes into future generations by aiding close relatives. When a male cowbird sings his song, he is attending to his need to attract a female cowbird and get his genes into the next generation. Worker honeybees, which are honeybees that do not reproduce, perform dances to communicate to other bees in the hive the location of a food source, with specific paths, speeds, and angles indicating the distance and direction of the food. By imparting this information, a worker bee is aiding the survival of her sisters in the hive and the further reproductive efforts of her mother(this is the only way worker bees can help spread their genes).
Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
AWorker honeybees do not reproduce and instead spend their time looking for food and performing a variety of dances.
BWorker honeybees, which do not reproduce, indicate details about the location of food to others in their hive through complex dances
CWhen looking for food over long distances, worker honeybees perform dances with specific speeds, paths, and angles.
DBecause worker honeybees do not reproduce, their role in the hive is to find sources of food.
2
Communication among animals has risks, as when an animal that makes a noise reveals itself to a predator. But it also has important advantages. Communication serves animals’ needs to survive and reproduce and their ability to project their genes into future generations by aiding close relatives. When a male cowbird sings his song, he is attending to his need to attract a female cowbird and get his genes into the next generation. Worker honeybees, which are honeybees that do not reproduce, perform dances to communicate to other bees in the hive the location of a food source, with specific paths, speeds, and angles indicating the distance and direction of the food. By imparting this information, a worker bee is aiding the survival of her sisters in the hive and the further reproductive efforts of her mother(this is the only way worker bees can help spread their genes).
The word “imparting” in the passage is closest in meaning to
Alearning
Bacting on
Cmaking known
Dcollecting
3
Animals do not only communicate with their relatives. Prey also communicate with predators, as when a gazelle stots (jumps up suddenly in the air)to communicate to the lion stalking it that he has been spotted and thus is unlikely to catch the gazelle. They should both save themselves the bother of a pointless chase that will just waste their time and energy. Sometimes predators listen in on the communications of their prey-as when dolphins detect the sounds made by fish. In discussing animal communication, it is customary to identify a signaler and the recipient of a signal. This does not imply that either individual is consciously aware or even unconsciously intends to send or receive the signal. An older view construed communication as a cooperative activity in which a sender and receiver collaborated to get a message across. It is now understood that the picture can be much more complex. Receivers may eavesdrop on signals that the signaler would rather they did not pick up. Bats, for example, listen in on the mating calls of male frogs in order to locate and attack them.
The word “customary” in the passage is closest in meaning to
Anecessary
Bcommon practice
Ceasy
Dhelpful
4
Animals do not only communicate with their relatives. Prey also communicate with predators, as when a gazelle stots (jumps up suddenly in the air)to communicate to the lion stalking it that he has been spotted and thus is unlikely to catch the gazelle. They should both save themselves the bother of a pointless chase that will just waste their time and energy. Sometimes predators listen in on the communications of their prey-as when dolphins detect the sounds made by fish. In discussing animal communication, it is customary to identify a signaler and the recipient of a signal. This does not imply that either individual is consciously aware or even unconsciously intends to send or receive the signal. An older view construed communication as a cooperative activity in which a sender and receiver collaborated to get a message across. It is now understood that the picture can be much more complex. Receivers may eavesdrop on signals that the signaler would rather they did not pick up. Bats, for example, listen in on the mating calls of male frogs in order to locate and attack them.
According to paragraph 2, which of the following is the reason for a gazelle to stot?
ATo communicate the presence of a predator to its relatives
BTo communicate to a predator that it is a dangerous prey animal
CTo warn a predator that chasing it will probably be unsuccessful
DTo check for predators that may be stalking it
5
Animals do not only communicate with their relatives. Prey also communicate with predators, as when a gazelle stots (jumps up suddenly in the air)to communicate to the lion stalking it that he has been spotted and thus is unlikely to catch the gazelle. They should both save themselves the bother of a pointless chase that will just waste their time and energy. Sometimes predators listen in on the communications of their prey-as when dolphins detect the sounds made by fish. In discussing animal communication, it is customary to identify a signaler and the recipient of a signal. This does not imply that either individual is consciously aware or even unconsciously intends to send or receive the signal. An older view construed communication as a cooperative activity in which a sender and receiver collaborated to get a message across. It is now understood that the picture can be much more complex. Receivers may eavesdrop on signals that the signaler would rather they did not pick up. Bats, for example, listen in on the mating calls of male frogs in order to locate and attack them.
Why does the author include the information that bats “listen in on the mating calls of male frogs in order to locate and attack them”?
ATo illustrate how senders and receivers collaborate in getting a message across
BTo help explain why the intended receiver of a signal may not pick it up
CTo support the point that an older view of animal communication is too simple
DTo show that eavesdropping animals sometimes do not understand a signaler’s reason for sending a message
6
Some species are sensitive to the presence of potential eavesdroppers and modify their signals accordingly. Monkeys that raid farmers’ crops have quiet alarm calls, known as “conspiratorial whispers,” that they use to warn each other of the arrival of the farmer. These calls are clear enough that the monkeys hear each other but quiet enough that the farmer does not detect them. In other situations, signalers compete to get their message across with ever louder, larger, and brighter signals. It is thought that the large bright tail of the peacock evolved in this way as a form of competition among male birds to impress the females.
Why does the author discuss the “conspiratorial whispers” of monkeys?
ATo illustrate a particular way of adapting a signal to the presence of unwanted listeners
BTo suggest that animal communication can be as complex as human communication
CTo point out similarities between the alarm signals of monkeysand the signals of peacocks
DTo explain how monkeys communicate with farmers
7
The tail of the peacock is an example of an honest signal- one that is intended to provide accurate information. The size and bright coloration of an impressive male’s feathers indicate health, requiring adequate nutritious food, energy and preening (grooming) to maintain. Peacocks do not have the resources to fake their tails. Furthermore, having bright, flashy feathers or a long train that might slow you down can come at the cost of being more susceptible to predators. A male that is fit enough to survive despite this potential handicap must surely be a prize for a lucky female.
Why are female peacocks attracted to male peacocks that have “bright, flashy feathers or a long train”?
ASuch males are slow and easy for the females to catch
BSuch males are the most likely to be healthy and fit.
CSuch males provide the best protection against predators.
DSuch males are not providing honest signals and fool the females into choosing them.
8
The deep notes of frogs’ and toads’ mating calls are also honest signals of their owner’s size. The laws of physics impose a necessary relationship between the depth of a tone and the size of the body that produces it: a big body means a deep call. While this is generally true, a recent study showed that males of one species of green frog, Rana clamitans, may sometimes lower the dominant frequency of their calls during territorial contests in order to make the calls sound deeper and the frog seem larger than normal. In other words, not all signals are honest. Examples of dishonest signals include the behavior of mimics, which copy the behavior of another individual. For example, two species of fireflies emit similar patterns of flashes of light. Females of one species, the Photinus species, use their characteristic flashing pattern to attract mates. Females of the other species, the Photuris species, mimic the flashing pattern of Photinus females so that they can lure Photinus males and eat them.
Paragraph 5 suggests which of the following about Photinus males?
AThey use honest signals to attract females.
BThey often copy one another’s behavior.
CThey often eat Photuris females.
DThey sometimes mistake Photuris females for females of their own species.
9
Animals do not only communicate with their relatives. Prey also communicate with predators, as when a gazelle stots (jumps up suddenly in the air)to communicate to the lion stalking it that he has been spotted and thus is unlikely to catch the gazelle.[■] They should both save themselves the bother of a pointless chase that will just waste their time and energy. [■]Sometimes predators listen in on the communications of their prey-as when dolphins detect the sounds made by fish.[■] In discussing animal communication, it is customary to identify a signaler and the recipient of a signal. [■]This does not imply that either individual is consciously aware or even unconsciously intends to send or receive the signal. An older view construed communication as a cooperative activity in which a sender and receiver collaborated to get a message across. It is now understood that the picture can be much more complex. Receivers may eavesdrop on signals that the signaler would rather they did not pick up. Bats, for example, listen in on the mating calls of male frogs in order to locate and attack them.
Look at the four squaresthat indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage
But prey-predator communication is not always advantageous for both animals.
Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square sentence to the passage.
10
Animals communicate in a variety of ways.
AAlthough communication can sometimes be dangerous, it can also provide benefits that increase survival and reproductive success
BCommunication is not always a cooperative or intentional activity and can include predators listening to prey to locate the prey.
CAnimal signals can be honest, but some animals send out false information when competing against or hunting other animals
DNot every signal involves a signaler and a recipient, because some animals send and receive signals unconsciously
EFarmers often listen to monkey calls in order to detect the monkeys and protect their crops from them.
FSome animals use signals to cooperate during territorial contests against other species as well as during predator attacks.
