Squirrels often communicate with whistles, chirps and chucks, which sound like the word "chuck".
Whistles and chirps are like the sounds that many birds make. Now scientists have translated some of
their squirrel-speak.
Hare, a professor of zoology at the University of Maniloha in Winnipeg, and his team managed to
record squirrels' alarm calls. The researchers studied the sounds and then played them back to 60 wild
squirrels, which the scientists approached individually with a video recorder to capture(抓拍)their
responses. Some squirrels lifted their heads up and became. alert(警惕的). Creatures that were more
frightened simply ran for their lives and dived into caves.
"In effect then, whistles that mix with chucks say 'there's an enemy of average threat that's here', and
whistles without chucks say 'there's an enemy of seemingly average threat around here somewhere', while pure chirps say, 'I'm hiding here because there's an immediate danger.'" Hare told Discovery News.
Hare and some other researchers believe such sounds are part of an advanced language that develops
just as all other communication systems.
Although squirrels risk their lives when they call out to warn others of threats, other squirrels might
admire this behaviour, thus increasingly the caller's social status, like humans who look up to heroes.
Hare added that other animals, such as birds, probably understand at least some squirrel language, since
they also may benefit from the alarm calls.
In fact, another Canadian study found that deep-voiced, black-capped chickadees have their own
language too. According to certain research, there are a lot of tidings in chickadees' calls, such as
directing fellows' activities, keeping in contact between mates, and raising alarms.
While chickadees and other birds are often welcomed into gardens by homeowners, squirrels are
frequently viewed as pests(害兽) . Hare wishes a greater understanding of the complex social lives and
communication systems of squirrels will provide hope that humans will gain a greater appreciation and
stop doing harm to these animals.
1. The text mainly talks about ________.
A. the study on the language of squirrels
B. the comparison between squirrels and chickadees
C. the calling for the protection of squirrels
D. the ways for squirrels to escape from their enemies
2. If a squirrel is in a very dangerous situation, it would probably make ________.
A. whistles with chucks
B. pure chirps
C. whistles without chucks
D. repeated chucks
3. The underlined word"tidings"in Paragraph 6 probably means________.
A. difficulties
B. praises
C. messages
D. languages
4. What can be learned from this text?
A. Squirrels communicate with each other as humans do.
B. Some squirrels understand the recorded alarm calls.
C. Other animals also well understand the language of squirrels.
D. Birds such as chickadees don't have their own language.
