GRE阅读题目解析:早期大型哺乳动物智力进化

　　P4

　　1

　　The evolution of intelligence among early large mammals of the grasslands was due in great measure to the interaction between two ecologically synchronized groups of these animals, the hunting carnivores and the herbivores that they hunted.

　　栖息于草地上的早期大型哺乳动物的智力进化，很大程度上取决于生态学意义上同步的动物种群之间的互动，也就是草食动物和他们的猎食者。

　　2

　　The interaction resulting from the differences between predator and prey led to a general improvement in brain functions; however, certain components of intelligence were improved far more than others.

　　因猎食者与猎物之间的差异而造成的互动，导致了脑功能的总体进化;然而，某些部分的进化，相较于其他部分更加显著。

　　3

　　The kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention—that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next.

　　捕猎者越来越狡猾，幸存者则越来越机警，得益于两者的互动不断进化的那种智力，被称为注意力——精神上时刻保持知觉。

　　4

　　It ranges from a passive, free-floating awareness to a highly focused, active fixation.

　　它包括被动地随机巡视，也包括高度集中地主动观察。

　　5

　　The range through these states is mediated by the arousal system, a network of tracts converging from sensory systems to integrating centers in the brain stem.

　　这些不同观察状态的切换由唤起系统调节，这是一个位于脑干的神经集束网络，汇聚从感觉系统采集的信息并加以整合。

　　6

　　From the more relaxed to the more vigorous levels, sensitivity to novelty is increased.

　　从较为放松的状态切换到更活跃的状态，对于新奇动向的敏感度提高了。

　　7

　　The organism is more awake, more vigilant; this increased vigilance results in the apprehension of ever more subtle signals as the organism becomes more sensitive to its surroundings.

　　感觉器官更加清醒，警觉;这份提高了的警觉使动物得以捕捉那些更微小的信号，感官对环境也变得更敏感。

　　8

　　The processes of arousal and concentration give attention its direction. Arousal is at first general, with a flooding of impulses in the brain stem; then gradually the activation is channeled.

　　唤起和集中的过程指示注意力需要集中的方向。唤起首先是总体的，脑干接收到一系列神经脉冲;逐渐地，(注意力的)激活被引导。

　　9

　　Thus begins concentration, the holding of consistent images.

　　进而开始全神贯注，捕捉稳定图像。

　　10

　　One meaning of intelligence is the way in which these images and other alertly searched information are used in the context of previous experience.

　　智力还有一层含义，通过它，这些图像和(通过)其他(途径，比如听觉和嗅觉)警觉地搜寻到的信息，被应用于以往的经验中。

　　11

　　Consciousness links past attention to the present and permits the integration of details with perceived ends and purposes.

　　意识连接之前与当下的观察，并把观察到的细节与意识到的结果和目的加以整合。

　　12

　　The elements of intelligence and consciousness come together marvelously to produce different styles in predator and prey.

　　智力与意识的要素共同产生了猎食者与猎物的不同行为方式，堪称神奇。

　　13

　　Herbivores and carnivores develop different kinds of attention related to escaping or chasing.

　　肉食动物与草食动物发展出不同类型的注意力，偏重逃脱或追踪。

　　14

　　Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression.

　　尽管二者的唤起过程都刺激肾上腺分泌肾上腺素和甲状腺素，其在草食动物的表现主要是恐惧，而肉食动物则主要表现为攻击。

　　15

　　For both, arousal attunes the animal to what is ahead.

　　唤起能够帮助他们进入当前状态。

　　(attune 使协调，使一致，使知悉)

　　16

　　Perhaps it does not experience forethought as we know it, but the animal does experience something like it.

　　也许动物并不会像人类一样深谋远虑，但动物也有类似的机制。

　　17

　　The predator is searchingly aggressive, inner-directed, tuned by the nervous system and the adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard‘s instinctive snap at a passing beetle.

　　猎食者总是伺机而动，遵从自己的直觉，根据神经系统和肾上腺激素调整自己，但它知觉的方式某种意义上更接近于人类的意识，而不是那种，比如说一只饥饿的蜥蜴本能地吃掉路过的甲虫(的方式)。

　　18

　　Using past events as a framework, the large mammal predator is working out a relationship between movement and food, sensitive to possibilities in cold trails and distant sounds—and yesterday‘s unforgotten lessons.

　　以过去的经验作为框架，大型哺乳类肉食动物总结出一种位移与食物的关系，敏感于通过细微的气味，远处的声响和之前的失败经验计算出的概率。

　　19

　　The herbivore prey is of a different mind.

　　草食动物秉持另外一种思维。

　　20

　　Its mood of wariness rather than searching and its attitude of general expectancy instead of anticipating are silk-thin veils of tranquility over an explosive endocrine system.

　　它总是警戒而非搜寻，对周围有一种总体的预期而不是预测，这种薄如绸纱的平静下，是随时准备爆发的内分泌系统。

　　7. The author refers to a hungry lizard (line 47) primarily in order to

　　(A) demonstrate the similarity between the hunting methods of mammals and those of nonmammals

　　(B) broaden the application of his argument by including an insectivore as an example

　　(C) make a distinction between higher and lower levels of consciousness

　　(D) provide an additional illustration of the brutality characteristic of predators

　　(E) offer an objection to suggestions that all animals lack consciousness

　　选C。

　　第17句，aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard‘s instinctive snap at a passing beetle.

　　从 closer…than 这种表达，可以看出 C 项的意思，显然人的意识更高级，爬行动物相对低级。

　　8. It can be inferred from the passage that in animals less intelligent than the mammals discussed in the passage

　　(A) past experience is less helpful in ensuring survival

　　(B) attention is more highly focused

　　(C) muscular coordination is less highly developed

　　(D) there is less need for competition among species

　　(E) environment is more important in establishing the proper ratio of prey to predator

　　选 A

　　句 10、18 都明确提到了过去的经验的重要作用。

　　B 不能根据文段信息判断。

　　C 不能判断。

　　D 不能判断。

　　E 不能判断。

　　9. The author provides information that would answer which of the following questions?

　　□A Why is an aroused herbivore usually fearful?

　　□B What are some of the degrees of attention in large mammals?

　　□C What occurs when the stimulus that causes arousal of a mammal is removed?

　　选 AB

　　A 句 14、15、19、20，食草动物的害怕是观察到危险后，内分泌系统做出迅速反应的结果，尤其是句 15 。

　　B 句 5-9，都在说注意力被调动的不同阶段的表现。

　　C removed 陌生信息。

　　10. According to the passage, as the process of arousal in an organism continues, all of the following may occur EXCEPT

　　(A) the production of adrenaline

　　(B) the production of norepinephrine

　　(C) a heightening of sensitivity to stimuli

　　(D) an increase in selectivity with respect to stimuli

　　(E) an expansion of the range of states mediated by the brain stem

　　选 E

　　A & B 句 14 。

　　C 句 6、7，对刺激的敏感增加了。

　　D 句 7，对于某些细微符号更注意;句 8，注意力被集中于某个特定的方向。都可以认为是关于刺激的选择性增加了。

　　E 陌生信息。

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