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新托福口语练习材料——关于宠物的话题(3)

来自：查字典高考网 2014-12-25

5.DoAnimalsCommunicate?

Whenwethinkofcommunication,wenormallythinkofusingwords-talkingface-to-face,writingmessagesandsoon.Butinfactwecommunicatefarmoreinotherways.Oureyesandfacialexpressionsusuallytellthetruthevenwhenourwordsdonot.

Thentherearegestures,oftenunconscious:raisingtheeyebrows,rubbingthenose,shruggingtheshoulders,tappingthefingers,noddingandshakingthehead.Thereisalsotheevenmoresubtlebody-languageofposture:areyousitting-orstanding-witharmsorlegscrossed?Isthatpersonstandingwithhandsinpockets,heldinfrontofthebodyorhiddenbehind?Eventhewaywedressandthecolourswewearcommunicatethingstoothers.

So,doanimalscommunicate?Notinwords,althoughaparrotmightbetrainedtorepeatwordsandphraseswhichitdoesntunderstand.But,aswehavelearnt,thereismoretocommunicationthanwords.

Takedogsforexample.Theybaretheirteethtowarn,wagtheirtailstowelcomeandstandfirm,withhairerect,tochallenge.Thesesignalsaresurelythecanineequivalentofthehumanbody-languageoffacialexpression,gestureandposture.

Colourcanbeimportantmeansofcommunicationforanimals.Manybirdsandfishchangecolour,forexample,toattractpartnersduringthematingseason.Andmatingitselfiscommonlyprecededbyaspecialdanceinwhichbothpartnersparticipate.

6.ShesAllfortheBirds!

Twiceaweek,58-year-oldMrs.WinifredCassshopsinthemarketforhermainsupplies,toppingupdailybycallingatlocalshopsonherwayhomefromwork.Butshesnotbuyingfamilygroceries!

Shereturnshomeladenwithheavybagsofmixedhencorn,pigeoncorn,peanutsandlargepacketsofbirdfoodtofeedherlargerfamily,thewildbirdsofLeeds.Andshesbeendoingthisfor16years.

Daily,shefeedsthebirdswhichfrequenthergarden,theareaaroundtheshopwheresheworkspart-time,andseveralpatchesofwaste-groundnearherhome.Then,twiceeveryweek,sheloadsthecarryingbasketwithbagsofgrainontohertricycleandsetsouttopedalthe20-nubyterudeyoutothecitycenter.

Inthemorning,birdsonmyownroofathomehangalmostupsidedowntryingtoseemethroughthewindows.Shelaughed.Insevereconditionslastwinter,Ihadasmanyasfourrobinsinmygardenatthesametime,thoughtheyrewellknowntobeterritorialbirds.

ItsamazinghowmanydifferentkindsofbirdsIseeinthecityitself.InparkSquare,aswellastheusualstarlings,pigeonsandsparrows,therearebluetits,greattits,thrushes,doves,andsometimesevenseagulls.

ItallstartedwhenWinifredwasworkingatacaf.Sheusedtothrowoutstalebreadandbuns,anddevelopedsuchaninterestinthewildbirdswhichacceptedherofferingsthatshestartedtakingfoodalongtothoseinCitySquareaswell.

Ononeoccasion,anoldladysittinginthesquareremarkedthatthebirdscoulddowithamorenutritiousdiet.SoWinifredbeganbuyingcornforthem.

Intheend,Iwascarryingsomuchweightandtrampingsofarthatmyfeelandarmsreallyached,shesaid.Itriedusingwheeledshoppers,butwiththeweightofallthatcorntheywerebreakingwithinweeks!SoIsplashedoutandboughtthistricycle.

Winifredhascomeacrossotherwild-lifeonhertravels,too.IstoptofeedfamiliesofhedgehogswhichIfoundatthesideoftherailwaynearthepark,shesaid.

Despiteherloveofbirds,shedneverwanttokeeponebecauseshecantbearseeingthemcaged.

Disasterstruckrecentlywhenacarreversedintoherparkedtrike,damagingitswheels.Buttwolocalbusinessmen,hearingofheractivities,decidedkindlytohelpbyreplacingthewheelsforher.

SonowtheBirdWomanofLeedsisbackinactionagain,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,objecttosterilizationongroundsofinadmissiblecruelty.

8.PetsEatBetterThanPeople

MymouthwateredasIimaginedthelovelysoupIcouldmakefromsomebonesinthebutcherswindow.Therewasalotofmeatonthem,too.SoIwentinandboughtsome.Certainly,onepoundofbonesforyourdog,madam,saidthebutcherbrightly.Mynextstopwasatehfishshop,whereIaskedforsomecheapfish,Foryourcat?askedtheassistant.Asyoumayhaveguessed,neitherbonesnorfishwereforpets-theywereforme,apensioner.Butitmademethinkthatmanyanimalseatbettermealsthanpeople!

9.ABirthdayPresentforaDog!

WehaveafriendwhoworksinaDogParlourWheretheysellcoatsfordogs.Acustomer,choosingacoat,triedtodescribeherdogandthesaleswomansuggestedshebringthedoginsothattheycouldfithim.Horrified,thecustomerrepliedthatshecouldntdothatasitwasforthedogsbirthdaypresentandshedidntwanthimtoseeit!

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