Dolphins are the second brightest creatures after humans in the world - even more clever than
chimpanzees(黑猩猩). Experts say it is now time for dolphins to be treated as "non-human persons"
after research showed their brains have many features connected with high intelligence. Just like us: A
bottlenose dolphin shakes hands. They believe it is cruel to keep such intelligent animals in amusement
parks, or to kill them for food or by accident when fishing. Some 300,000 whales and dolphins die in
this way every year.
A study carried out by Lori Marino, a zoologist at Emory University in Atlanta, scanned (扫描) the
brains of dolphin species and compared them to the brains of humans, monkeys and chimpanzees. She
said, "Many dolphin brains are larger than our own and second in whole only to the human brain when
corrected for body size."
Dolphins have long been known for their intelligence. However it had been believed that chimpanzees - who can achieve the intelligence levels of three-year-old children - were the brighter of the two.
New studies suggest that in fact dolphins - especially species such as the bottlenose - are more
intelligent. They have particular personalities, a strong sense of the self and can think about the future.
They are also “cultural” animals, with new types of behavior being picked up by one dolphin from another. In one piece of research, bottlenose dolphins were shown to be able to recognize themselves in a mirror
and use it to observe various parts of their bodies.
Dolphins' famous intelligence has also made its way into fiction. In Douglas Adams's story, the
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, dolphins escape from Earth after humans fail to understand their
warnings that the planet is about to be destroyed.
1. Why are dolphins considered as "non-human persons"?
A. Because they are highly intelligent creatures.
B. Because they can shake hands like humans.
C. Because they can amuse humans in parks.
D. Because they are more lovely than chimpanzees.
2. The brains of dolphins are smaller than those of .
A. whales
B. monkeys
C. chimpanzees
D. humans
3. According to the research, bottlenose dolphins can .
a. think about the future
b. learn from each other
c. recognize themselves in mirrorsd. help humans protect the earth better
A. a, b, d
B. a, c, d
C. a, b, c
D. b, c, d
4. What can we infer from the passage?
A. People haven't treated dolphins well enough.
B. Whales are just as intelligent as dolphins.
C. Monkeys have larger brains than chimpanzees.
D. Dolphins will develop more human behaviors.
5. Douglas Adams let dolphins appear in the story to .
A. draw people's attention
B. show their intelligence
C. prove humans' intelligence
D. express their warnings
