(单词翻译:单击)
In terms of evolution, there has to be a reason for barking, or it probably wouldn't be there.
从进化的角度而言,狗汪汪叫肯定是有理由的,要不这叫声肯定在漫长的进化过程中给淘汰掉了 。
Is it to warn of predators?
那么这叫声是为了警告捕食者么?
But dogs bark when there are no predators around.
但是周围没有捕食者的时候狗也会汪汪叫 。
Is it play?
那么它只是在玩耍吗?
Some dogs play without barking.
有些狗玩的时候也没有发出叫声 。
In fact, people who study canine behavior find there isn't much of a pattern to barking-it seems to be an all-purpose noise.
事实上,研究狗类行为的专家告诉我们,狗的叫声并没有固定的形式 。它只是是一种多用途的响声 。
Now here's another fascinating thing: adult wolves don't bark.
另一件让人着迷的事情是:成年的狼并不会吠叫 。
They growl, and they whine, but no barking.
它们只是嚎叫、哀鸣,但并不吠叫 。
And dogs evolved from wolves.
但是狗是从狼进化而来的 。
So where did the bark come in?
那么,狗的这种吠叫声是从何而来的呢?
Mark Feinstein and Ray Coppinger of Hampshire College in Massachusetts have a theory.
对此,来自马萨诸塞州罕布什尔学院的马克?范斯坦和雷?科平杰提出了一种理论 。
These biologists have noted that while adult wolves don't bark, adolescents do.
这两位生物学家注意到,虽然成年的狼不会吠叫,但是狼崽会 。
Wolf pup barking seems to be an intermediate noise you grow out of.
狼崽的吠声就好比是在它成长发声过程中的一个中间产物 。