Marvin Gaye's 1973 hit single helps monkey get it on

Marvin Gaye's 1973 hit single helps monkey get it on

Transcript¹

In order to encourage mating among an endangered species of monkeys, a park in England brought in a Marvin Gaye impersonator to perform and put the monkeys in the mood to get it on.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

In Europe, there are only two species of wild primates². The first is humans. And the second is the Barbary macaque. It's an endangered population. An estimated eight to 10,000 remain in the wild.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

More than 100 live at the Trentham Monkey Forest in England. Curators at the park have been trying to get them to, well, multiply. And to encourage them, they've turned to something that's worked for generations of humans...

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LET'S GET IT ON")

MARVIN GAYE: (Singing) I've been really trying, baby.

FADEL: ...The baby-making music of Marvin Gaye.

MARTIN: And they didn't just play recordings³. They hired an impersonator to perform live.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LET'S GET IT ON")

DAVE LARGIE: (Singing) Don't you know how sweet and wonderful life can be?

MATT LOVATT: While he was performing, we did notice a lot more grooming⁴ amongst some of the monkeys, and certainly a male and a female. At one point, I did think we were going to get some live action mating.

MARTIN: That's Matt Lovatt, the park's director. He hopes the publicity⁵ from the stunt⁶ is going to help the park highlight the struggles of the macaque.

LOVATT: Unfortunately, in the wild, lots of the reason that they are in such a difficult position is through human activity. It's through deforestation, illegal logging, but also babies being taken, used in the pet trade.

FADEL: As for whether it will bring about more babies, it's too early to say. Birthing season for Barbary macaques is in the summer. But hopefully, Marvin will work his magic.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SEXUAL HEALING")

GAYE: (Singing) Hot, just like an oven. I need some loving. And, baby, I can't...

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 primates   

primate的复数

参考例句：

• Primates are alert, inquisitive animals. 灵长目动物是机灵、好奇的动物。
• Consciousness or cerebration has been said to have emerged in the evolution of higher primates. 据说意识或思考在较高级灵长类的进化中已出现。

3 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

4 grooming   

n. 修饰, 美容，（动物）梳理毛发

参考例句：

• You should always pay attention to personal grooming. 你应随时注意个人仪容。
• We watched two apes grooming each other. 我们看两只猩猩在互相理毛。

5 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

6 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。