英语听力文摘 English Digest 187、驯化狐狸
时间：2019-02-24 作者：英语课 分类：英语听力文摘 English Digest
Dmitry Belyaev, Foxes, And Domestication 1
你与猫或狗玩耍过吗？在远古，狗对我们的祖先来说还是一种比较危险的动物呢。那么，现在为什么它们这么听话？我们的祖先又是如何驯化它们的呢？今天，就让我们一起听听研究人员是怎样驯化狐狸的吧。
Have you ever played with a dog or cat and wondered why they are so tame? How did our ancient ancestors take wild, and potentially dangerous, carnivores and turn them into “man’s best friend”?
In 1959 a Russian geneticist name Dmitry Belyaev began an experiment to try and understand how domestication worked. He started by selecting 130 of the captive wild foxes from a nearby fur farm that showed the least amount of fear and aggression 3 towards humans.
With each successive generation he selected which foxes would breed based solely 4 on tameness. Only the foxes that behaved in the friendliest and tamest manner towards humans were selected to breed.
Amazingly, after only ten years of selected breeding, the team had developed a strain of foxes with dog like tameness towards humans: tail wagging, face licking, playful friendliness 5. But that’s not all. Although the scientists always selected foxes based only on behavior, the tame foxes have several other traits that differentiate 6 them from wild foxes.
Traits including: white patches of fur on the face, the loss of the fox’s strong musky odor, wagging tails that curl up over the back, drooping 7 ears and dog like barks and whines 8.
Interestingly, many of these are traits that Darwin noted 9 in the Origin of Species as being common among most domesticated 10 animals.
Now in the 50th year, the research is ongoing 11. The project’s long term goals are not just to understand the process of domestication, but to identify the genes 12 that influence tame and aggressive behaviors.
The team also hopes that defining the genes important to friendly, outgoing and social behaviors in foxes, might someday lead to genetic 2 discoveries that may help treat or prevent autism and other human neurological disorders 13 in which social reciprocity is impaired 14.
- The first was the domestication of animals. 第一个阶段是驯养动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- In northwestern China, there is no evidence for endemic domestication of any animals. 在中国西北，没有任何当地动物驯化的迹象。 来自辞典例句
- It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
- Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。
- So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
- Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。
- Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
- The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。
- Behind the mask of friendliness,I know he really dislikes me.在友善的面具后面，我知道他其实并不喜欢我。
- His manner was a blend of friendliness and respect.他的态度友善且毕恭毕敬。
- You can differentiate between the houses by the shape of their chimneys.你可以凭借烟囱形状的不同来区分这两幢房子。
- He never learned to differentiate between good and evil.他从未学会分辨善恶。
- The colony whines a centerless loud drone that vibrates the neighborhood. 蜂群嗡嗡喧闹的哀鸣振动邻里。 来自互联网
- The web whines with the sound of countless mosquitoes and flies trapped in its folds. 蜘蛛网内发出无数只被困在蜘蛛丝间的蚊子与苍蝇所发出来的声音。 来自互联网
- The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
- Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
- He is thoroughly domesticated and cooks a delicious chicken casserole. 他精于家务，烹制的砂锅炖小鸡非常可口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The donkey is a domesticated form of the African wild ass. 驴是非洲野驴的一种已驯化的品种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
- The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。
- You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪
- Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》