一項(xiàng)對(duì)鳴鳥(niǎo)解決問(wèn)題能力的測(cè)試揭示了交通噪音是如何損害這些動(dòng)物的能力的。科學(xué)家們給珍珠鳥(niǎo)設(shè)計(jì)了一組 “覓食任務(wù)”，分別在有噪音和無(wú)噪音的環(huán)境下進(jìn)行。

Rather than studying birds in the wild, these researchers brought recordings of traffic noise from the nearby road into their lab and put captive zebra finches to the test.

這些研究人員并沒(méi)有在野外研究鳥(niǎo)類，而是將在附近道路上錄好的交通噪音帶進(jìn)他們的實(shí)驗(yàn)室，并對(duì)圈養(yǎng)的珍珠鳥(niǎo)進(jìn)行測(cè)試。

The scientists designed tasks to mimic the problem-solving the birds have to do to find food – flipping over leaf-like lids to reveal a treat and working out how to reach a food reward that's hidden inside a cylinder.

科學(xué)家們?cè)O(shè)計(jì)了一些任務(wù)來(lái)模擬鳥(niǎo)兒覓食時(shí)必須解決的問(wèn)題。例如，翻開(kāi)葉子狀的蓋子發(fā)現(xiàn)食物，并想辦法獲得藏在圓筒中的食物獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)。

In a quiet laboratory, birds were twice as likely to succeed, and to find the food, than when traffic recordings were being played.

在一個(gè)安靜的實(shí)驗(yàn)室里，鳥(niǎo)兒成功找到食物的可能性是播放交通噪音錄音時(shí)的兩倍。

The discovery adds to mounting evidence that the sound we put into the environment has unexpected negative impacts on wildlife.

這一發(fā)現(xiàn)進(jìn)一步證明，人為噪音對(duì)野生動(dòng)物產(chǎn)生了意想不到的負(fù)面影響。

Studies have shown that noise can affect insect behaviour, and noise pollution in the ocean has even been linked with whale strandings.

有研究已經(jīng)表明，噪音會(huì)影響昆蟲的行為，海洋中的噪音污染甚至與鯨魚擱淺有關(guān)。

But these researchers say that with clever engineering of tyres and road surfaces, there is scope to insulate the natural world from at least some of our noise.

但這些研究人員表示，通過(guò)對(duì)輪胎和路面進(jìn)行的巧妙設(shè)計(jì)，至少有希望將一些人為噪音隔離在自然界之外。

詞匯表

recordings 錄音
captive 圈養(yǎng)的
zebra finches 珍珠鳥(niǎo)，斑胸草雀（學(xué)名）
mimic 模仿，仿效
flipping over 翻開(kāi)
lids 蓋子
treat （獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)性的）食物
reward 獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)
mounting 越來(lái)越多的
strandings 擱淺
engineering 設(shè)計(jì)，建造
tyres 輪胎
road surfaces 路面
insulate 使隔音，使隔離

閱讀理解：請(qǐng)?jiān)谧x完上文后，回答下列問(wèn)題。

1. True or false? The researchers studied birds on a nearby road.

2. What tasks did the scientists set in order to mimic the problem-solving the birds have to do to find food?

3. In the experiment, were the birds more likely to find food in a quiet or noisy environment?

4. What could help reduce traffic noise, according to the researchers?

答案

1. True or false? The researchers studied birds on a nearby road.
False. Rather than studying birds in the wild, these researchers brought recordings of traffic noise from the nearby road into their lab. 

2. What tasks did the scientists set in order to mimic the problem-solving the birds have to do to find food?
Some tasks involved flipping over leaf-like lids to reveal a treat and working out how to reach a food reward that's hidden inside a cylinder.

3. In the experiment, were the birds more likely to find food in a quiet or noisy environment?
The birds were twice as likely to find food in a quiet environment.

4. What could help reduce traffic noise, according to the researchers? 
Researchers say that with clever engineering of tyres and road surfaces, there is scope to insulate the natural world from at least some of our noise.