Exercises

A. Choose the best answer. Do not refer to the text.

The main idea of the article is that ________. ( A )

(a) scientific experiments have tried to find out if animals can learn to share, cooperate, punish, and show empathy

(b) animals can show concern for each other and act altruistically

(c) some animals in established communities abide by the rule: attack those that find food and don’t share

(d) animals have a basic sense of ownership and respect for property

B. Comprehending the text.

   Choose the best answer.

1. In the extraordinary event taking place in Brookfield Zoo four years ago ________. ( C )

(a) a 3-year-old boy took care of a female gorilla

(b) a 3-year-old boy walked over to the caretaker’s door with the help of a female gorilla

(c) a female gorilla took care of an unconscious boy and took him to the caretaker’s door

(d) a 3-year-old boy and a gorilla made friends and showed empathy

2. After Binti’s rescue of the boy was reported, _______. ( D )

(a) many people doubt the gorilla’s ability to do so

(b) people came to know that Binti had realized that the boy was unconscious

(c) people are certain that Binti was concerned about the boy’s well-being

(d) people still have a lot of questions about why Binti did that

3. Studies of ape intelligence to date have shown that ________. ( C )

(a) orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees have the mental sophistication as a 10-year-old human

(b) what Binti did is enough to warrant conclusions

(c) children can’t fully grasp the difference between a dead being and alive one until they are almost 10 years old

(d) neither children nor gorillas can act altruistically

4. Eduard Stammbch, from University of Zurich, set up an experiment with monkeys to ________. ( A )

(a) test their ability to rein in aggressive behavior and act cooperatively

(b) help them to run a machine to get food

(c) train them to act cooperatively

(d) train them to care for each other

5. Experiments have shown that ________. ( D )

(a) monkeys have no sense of ownership

(b) territorial animals such as sunfish, sparrows do not show respect for property

(c) animals such as lizards, monkeys make no acknowledgment of ownership and property right

(d) animals also have some sense of ownership and property rights

6. Hans Kummer and Marina Gords’s research showed that _________. ( B )

(a) dominant macaques failed to take over free tubes

(b) inhibition plays a crucial role in maintaining social conventions among monkeys

(c) long-tailed macaques share food among themselves

(d) those powerful rhesus monkeys who break rules will never be punished

7.To declare that animals’ behavior is moral as humans understand the word, we need to make sure that _______.( A )

(a) animals understand the thoughts and feelings of others

(b) animals can inhibit their impulses and punish those who violate community rules

(c) we understand the word empathy properly

(d) some animals eat food they have found on the spot

8. Robert Miller’s experiment reached the conclusion that ________. ( B )

(a) rhesus monkeys can not use a facial expression to predict a response

(b) rhesus monkeys can use a facial expression to predict a response

(c) the actors (rhesus monkeys) were aware of the receivers’ feelings when they attended to a facial expression from them

(d) monkeys can be motivated by empathy

C. Understanding vocabulary.

Choose the correct definition according to the context.

1. And one incident is not enough to warrant conclusions. ( C )

(a) help

(b) reach

(c) justify

(d) defend

2. Can other creatures share, cooperate, punish cheaters, show empathy, and act altruistically? ( B )

(a) in a cooperative way

(b) in an unselfish way

(c) in a considerate way

(d) in an aggressive way

3. Rather than chasing specialists away or eating all their popcorn , they began to inhibit their aggression. ( A )

(a) hold back

(b) understand

(c) give up

(d) hide

4. Further, some high-ranking individuals started grooming specialists more often, even during periods when the machine was inoperative. ( D )

(a) flattering

(b) questioning

(c) waiting upon

(d) cleaning the fur and skin of

5. Here, then, is an intriguing example of how inhibition plays a crucial role in maintaining social conventions among monkeys. ( A )

(a) interesting

(b) exciting

(c) emphatic

(d) exclusive

6. This particular species has an interesting convention: Unlike long-tailed macaques, which don’t share food, the rhesus monkeys tend to call out when they find food. ( C )

(a) large gathering

(b) unusual habit

(c) generally accepted practice

(d) strange rule

7. Their first response was to look around, presumably to decide if there were enemies near. ( A )

(a) probably

(b) understandably

(c) explicitly

(d) undoubtedly

8. Moreover, they can punish others and sometimes alleviate another’s pain. ( B )

(a) cause

(b) ease

(c) overcome

(d) worsen

9. In that regard, the roots of our moral intuition are entwined with the self-interest shown by other animals. ( D )

(a) identical

(b) in keeping

(c) filled

(d) entangled

10. As Agesilaus, a Spartan king, said, "If all men were just, there would be no need of valor." ( B )

(a) social justice

(b) personal courage

(c) mutual understanding

(d) scientific experiment

D. Discussing the following topics.

1. What significance do you think the scientific experiments on animals have?

2. Can you give more examples of animals behaving as members of some established community?

3. Discuss Agesilaus's words, "If all men were just, there would be no need of valor."

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