英语听力精选进阶版 20446（在线收听）

意大利研究人员称，与人类相同，犬类可以快速模仿同类动物的表情，同时也展示出能读懂同胞情感的能力。以下是 Helen Briggs 的报道。

The ability to feel empathy is built into the human brain. We smile or laugh almost instantly in response to others. Until now this ability was thought to extend only to our closest animal relatives such as orangutans and chimps.

Now researchers at the University of Pisa say dogs may be able to tune into the emotions of their canine companions. After studying hours of videotapes of dogs playing in a park, they said the animals can mimic each other's facial expressions and movements in a split-second, building social bonds.

The Italian scientist believe dogs may be showing a basic form of empathy which could have evolved when their ancestors became domesticated