VOA慢速英语2013 Technology Report - Orangutans With iPads

 

Technology Report - Orangutans With iPads

科技报道 - 猩猩和iPad

From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report in Special English.

这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。

Recently we reported on a program called Apps for Apes. It was started by the New York-based nonprofit organization Orangutan Outreach. The program which introduces Apple’s iPad to orangutans in zoos sparked an interest among our listeners. We decided¹ to answer some of the questions they sent in.

最近我们报道了一个面向猩猩提供的（Apps for Apes）应用程序，它是由总部位于纽约的非营利性组织Orangutan Outreach（猩猩服务组织）开发的。该程序将苹果公司的iPad介绍给了动物园的猩猩，这引起了我们听众们的兴趣。我们决定解答一些他们发来的问题。

But first, we had our own question: how to pronounce the name of the ape. Many people wrongly say "orangutang," with a G at the end. Maybe, because orangutans are orange, people relate the name to the color. But there is no connection. Orangutan Outreach’s Richard Zimmerman explains where the name came from.

但先说我们自己的问题：猩猩的名字怎么发音？许多人错误地把"orangutang"发音为以G结尾。也许因为猩猩是橙色的，人们将它的名字和颜色联系到了一起。但其实两者之间并无联系。猩猩服务组织的理查德·齐默尔曼（Richard Zimmerman）解释了这个名字的由来。

“People in Malaysia and Indonesia would say orang hu tan and it's -- actually, it doesn’t mean orange. Orang is the Malay or Indonesian word for man or human, and utan comes from hutan with an H, which means forest. So essentially², orangutan means person of the forest.”

“马来和印尼人称之为organ hutan，实际上它不是橙色的意思。Orang在马来或印尼语中是男人或人类的意思，而utan来自hutan，意思是森林。所以实质上，organutan意思是森林之子。”

One of our listeners asked how orangutans would react to seeing another orangutan using the iPad when they themselves are not using it. Mr. Zimmerman explains that the orangutans all want to use the tablet when they see it. This desire could come from wanting the same attention that the caretaker gives the ape using the device.

我们的一名听众询问，当猩猩看到另一只猩猩玩iPad，而自己没有iPad玩时会如何反应。齐默尔曼先生解释说，猩猩们看到iPad时都想玩。这种欲望可能源自于希望得到管理员同等重视。

Mr. Zimmerman told us what happens in a situation where the mother of a baby orangutan uses the iPad with an animal caretaker. The baby orangutan will see the iPad and will jump over wanting to become involved. In this case, he advises having two iPads and two caretakers to work with the mother and the baby.

齐默尔曼先生告诉了我们当一只猩猩妈妈和动物管理员一起玩iPad时发生的状况。猩猩宝宝看到iPad也会跳过去想要参与。在这种情况下，他建议提供2台iPad，让两名管理员分别和猩猩妈妈、猩猩宝宝玩。

Another example comes from an animal sanctuary³ in Florida.

另一个例子来自佛罗里达州的动物保护区。

“At the Center for Great Apes in Florida, when we do the enrichment sessions with Mari, a female orangutan, Pongo, with whom she lives, who is a big male, he gets jealous and wants the attention. So he comes running over and wants to use the iPad.” 

“在佛罗里达州的大猩猩中心，当我们和一只名为Mari的雌猩猩进行这个丰富多彩的环节时，和她一起生活的一只名为Pongo的雄猩猩会嫉妒并且希望获得这种关注。所以它会跑过来想要玩iPad。”

Another listener asked us if orangutans react to seeing iPads being used by visitors to a zoo. Mr. Zimmerman says this behavior has not necessarily been documented. But he says orangutans are used to having their pictures taken with other devices.

另一名听众问我们，如果猩猩看到动物园游客在玩iPad会如何反应。齐默尔曼先生说，这种行为不一定会被记录在案。但他说猩猩们习惯于自己被其它设备拍照。

“The orangutans are used to people taking photos of them, so either pointing at them with a camera or a phone, so more of the smaller devices, rather than an iPad.” 

“猩猩们习惯于被人类拍照，所以可以用相机或手机这种更小的设备对准它们拍照，而不是用iPad。”

Mr. Zimmerman adds that the orangutans do recognize the iPad, but to know what they are thinking is a bit more difficult.

齐默尔曼先生补充说，猩猩们都认识iPad，但想知道它们怎么想就比较困难。

Any mind readers out there who can tell us what a great ape is thinking? Or has someone developed an app for that, too?

有没有能猜透别人想法的人能告诉我们大猩猩在想什么？或者有没有人开发出了这样一个应用程序？

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

3 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。