Orangutans1

Broadcast: Jan 17, 2003
By George Grow

This is the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.

Orangutans are great apes² that live in coastal2 jungles on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. A team of international scientists has found evidence³ that some orangutans have developed their own culture. They found evidence that orangutan groups have different ways to communicate, eat and use tools.

The findings⁴ suggest that the animals' early ancestors3 may have created their own culture as early as fourteen-million years ago. That is when orangutans and other great apes last had a common ancestor⁵. Earlier studies had shown that great ape¹ culture had been in existence for up to seven-million years.

For scientists, culture is the ability to invent and learn ways of doing things. These methods must not be the direct⁶ result of biology or the environment. They are learned⁷ from others and passed on to individuals.

Science magazine published the study about orangutans. The scientists collected evidence from years of observations⁸ in six areas on Borneo and Sumatra. The scientists found that the animals demonstrated⁹ a total of twenty-four signs of cultural activity. Several actions were demonstrated in some orangutan groups, but not others.

For example, members of some groups make a kissing noise by tightening¹⁰ their mouths and sucking¹¹ in air. Some groups use leaves to clean themselves or protect their hands from sharp objects. Yet other groups use leaves to crush¹² insects or gather water. The scientists found that some of the animals use sticks as tools to remove insects from holes in trees. Other orangutans use sticks to remove seeds from fruit or to touch their bodies.

The study also found that some orangutan groups play a sport for fun. The animals climb up a dead tree and ride on the tree as it falls down. They hold onto another tree just before the dead tree hits the ground. Other orangutans often watch this activity.

For years, scientists thought that only humans had cultures. However, evidence for socially-learned traditions among animals is increasing. The best evidence came from a study of chimpanzees4 in Africa in nineteen-ninety-nine. Scientists say the growing amount of evidence about animal culture reduces the differences between humans and animals and between culture and nature.

This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by George Grow.
1. orangutan [ErANu:5tAN] n. 猩猩
2. coastal [5kEustl] adj. 海岸的, 沿海的
3. ancestor [5AnsIstE] n. 祖先, 祖宗
4. chimpanzee [5tFImpEn5zI:] n. [动]非洲的小人猿, 黑猩猩

1 ape   

n.猿；类人猿；vt.模仿

参考例句：

• Man has evolved from the ape.人是从类人猿进化而来的。
• We can't ape the Japanese system.我们不能完全仿效日本的体系。

2 apes   

猿( ape的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We watched two apes grooming each other. 我们看两只猩猩在互相理毛。
• Chimpanzees and gorillas are both apes. 黑猩猩和大猩猩都是类人猿。

3 evidence   

n.明显，显著，明白，迹象，根据，[物]证据，证物

参考例句：

• The first signs of spring are in evidence.春天的最初迹象已显然可见。
• From the evidence I must conclude that you are wrong.从证据看，我敢断定你错了。

4 findings   

n.发现物( finding的名词复数 )；调查（或研究）的结果；（陪审团的）裁决

参考例句：

• It behoves us to study these findings carefully. 我们理应认真研究这些发现。
• Their findings have been widely disseminated . 他们的研究成果已经广为传播。

5 ancestor   

n.祖先；祖宗

参考例句：

• This machine is the ancestor of the modern computer.这台机器是现代电脑的始祖。
• She has worshipped her ancestor.她已拜过她的祖先。

6 direct   

adj.直接的；直达的；v.指挥；知道；监督；管理

参考例句：

• This train is direct,you do not have to change.这辆火车是直达的，你不必换车。
• The army is under the king's direct command.军队由国王直接统帅。

7 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

8 observations   

n.观察资料( observation的名词复数 )；观察力；注意；言论

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion. 他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He made valuable observations on the prices. 他对物价问题提出了宝贵的意见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 demonstrated   

举行示威游行（或集会）( demonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )； 示范。展示； 显示； 论证

参考例句：

• All of those demonstrated the correctness of his analysis. 这一切都证明了他分析的正确性。
• The fireman demonstrated great courage in saving the child. 那位消防队员在抢救孩子的过程中，表现了极大的勇气。

10 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

11 sucking   

adj.吸奶的；授乳的；乳臭未干的；尚未断奶的v.吸，吮( suck的现在分词 )；舐，吮吸

参考例句：

• The baby was sucking away at the empty feeding-bottle. 那个孩子正在吮吸着空奶瓶。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man is sucking at a cigar. 老人在抽烟斗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 crush   

v.压垮，压倒，压服，镇压；压碎，碾碎

参考例句：

• This machine is made to crush the rock into powder.这台机器是用来把石头压成碎末的。
• You can't crush so many people into the classroom.不能让这么多人挤进教室。