TED演讲:谈乌鸦的智慧(6)

 We move to the third stage, where we only give them a coin. 我们开始了第三阶段的训练。只把一枚硬币留在机器上。

Now, like most of us who have gotten used to a good thing, this really pisses them off. 此时乌鸦飞过来，看到没有食物，自然觉得很泄气--我们人也一样嘛。

So they do what they do in nature when they're looking for something: sweep things out of the way with their beak¹. 所以它们出于寻找食物的本能--用它的喙在机器上扫来扫去。

They do that here, and that knocks the coins down the slot. 不经意的把硬币碰到硬币口里去了。

When that happens, they get a peanut. This goes on for some time. 于是它获得了一颗花生。

The crows learn that all they have to do is show up, wait for the coin to come out, put it in the slot, then get their peanut. 于是它们也学会了，每次都来这里，只要把机器上的硬币丢到硬币口，就能吃得到花生。

When they're good and comfortable with that, we move to the final stage, where they show up and nothing happens. 当他们对此过程非常熟练及满足以后，我们进入训练的最后一个阶段，它们来到机器旁边，却发现什么也没有。

This is where we see the difference between crows and other animals. 注意，就是这个关键的地方可以看出乌鸦是多么聪明。

Squirrels, for example, would show up, look for the peanut, go away. 要是一只松鼠，它来到机器旁，寻找花生，找不到就走了。

Come back, look for the peanut, go away. 隔天再来，又是没有，又跑回去。

They do this maybe half a dozen times before they get bored, and then they go off and play in traffic. 如此反复五六次，它们也就觉得没意思了。

Crows, on the other hand, show up and they try and figure it out. 而乌鸦则不一样，它们要寻找出一个究竟。

They know this machine has been messing with them through three different stages of behavior. 通过前面三个阶段，并且这样的玩笑越开越大。

They figure there must be more to it. So they poke² at it and peck at it. 它们觉得肯定还有更多方式获得花生。它们又是用头撞，又是用嘴咬。

And eventually some crow gets a bright idea: 偶尔间有一些乌鸦想到了一个绝妙的主意：

"Hey, there's lots of coins lying around from the first stage, “嘿，大家还记得地面上放的那一大堆硬币么，

hops³ down, picks it up, drops it in the slot, and we're off to the races. 于是它们飞过来，衔起硬币，扔进投币孔。

That crow enjoys a temporary monopoly on peanuts, until his friends figure out how to do it, and then there we go. 它们发现了怎么吃得上花生了！这样的技巧先是为第一批到来的乌鸦所垄断，可慢慢的别的乌鸦也学会了……故事到此为止。

So, what's significant about this to me isn't that we can train crows to pick up peanuts. 从这个故事我们得出结论：我们可以训练乌鸦，让它们通过售货机吃上花生。

Mind you, there's 216 million dollars' worth of change lost every year, but I'm not sure I can depend on that ROI from crows. 你知不知道，每一年都有价值2.16亿的硬币丢在大街上。嘿，当然，我不是想靠乌鸦来赚钱。

Instead, I think we should look a little bit larger. I think crows can be trained to do other things. 我们的眼光可以放远一点：我觉得我们可以训练乌鸦来做其他事。

For example, why not train them to pick up garbage after stadium events? 比如，为何不可以通过训练，让乌鸦给体育馆捡垃圾？

Or find expensive components⁴ from discarded electronics? Or maybe do search and rescue? 或者让它们帮助我们从大堆的废弃电子元件里头挑出有用的部件？又或者让它们参与搜救工作？

The main point of all this for me is, we can find mutually beneficial systems for these species. 我这个演讲的主要的一个观点是，我们可以寻找到一种与此类动物共存的途径。

We can find ways to interact with these other species that doesn't involve exterminating⁵ them, 我们能找到与其他族群共处的方式，而不仅仅是灭绝它们，

but involves finding an equilibrium⁶ with them that's a useful balance. Thanks very much. 我们可以和它们实现共赢。非常感谢大家。

1 beak   

n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻

参考例句：

• The bird had a worm in its beak.鸟儿嘴里叼着一条虫。
• This bird employs its beak as a weapon.这种鸟用嘴作武器。

2 poke   

n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• We never thought she would poke her nose into this.想不到她会插上一手。
• Don't poke fun at me.别拿我凑趣儿。

3 hops   

跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• The sparrow crossed the lawn in a series of hops. 那麻雀一蹦一跳地穿过草坪。
• It is brewed from malt and hops. 它用麦精和蛇麻草酿成。

4 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

5 exterminating   

v.消灭，根绝( exterminate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Man is exterminating too many species for zoos to be much help. 人类正在导致过多物种灭绝，动物园也无济于事。 来自辞典例句
• Germany is exterminating the Jews of Europe. 德国正在灭绝欧洲犹太人。 来自辞典例句

6 equilibrium   

n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静

参考例句：

• Change in the world around us disturbs our inner equilibrium.我们周围世界的变化扰乱了我们内心的平静。
• This is best expressed in the form of an equilibrium constant.这最好用平衡常数的形式来表示。