萌犬秘闻视听原文 英汉(4)
If humans were as different as a Pug and a St Bernard, then our heights would range from two to 31 feet tall. 如果人类像哈巴狗和圣伯纳德狗那样迥异,我们的身高范围可能是半米到九米半。
But there's one thing that just about every dog does. Bark. 但是所有的狗都有一个共同的习性:吠叫。
So why do they bark? Where does it come from? Wolves don't bark. They howl. 它们为什么吠叫?从哪儿学来的?狼可不吠。它们嚎叫。
Some scientists think that barking has evolved just for our benefit. 一些科学家认为狗进化出吠的功能是为了人类。
So does this mean that they're talking to us? And if so, what are they saying? 那这是否意味着它们在和我们说话?如果是的话,它们在说什么?
They seem to understand our words. Dig, dig. Come on, speak. 它们似乎明白我们的语言。快挖,快挖。来,说句话。
Good boy. But can dogs really talk to us by barking? 好孩子。但是狗真的能靠吠叫来和我们交谈吗?
I don't think anybody ever understands a dog. 我觉得没人能理解一只狗。
They understand you. I don't think you ever understand a dog. 它们理解你,但我觉得没人能理解狗。
Let's see if these owners can understand what different barks mean.
让我们看看主人们是否明白不同叫声的含义。
Put them on the dog. She's probably better to tell the difference than me.
给狗狗戴上吧。她也许能比我更能辨别。
Ok. Can't hear a thing. It's unhappy. It wants attention. It's frustrated.
好了。什么也听不到。它不开心。它希望得到关注,很沮丧。
I visualise him in an open space on a lead and he wants to be off and to go to somewhere or somebody.
我能想像它在空地上,拴着狗链。它想挣脱锁链去别的地方或是找什么人。
It sounds quite a happy bark. It sounds as if it's playing. 这叫声听起来蛮开心的。听上去它正在玩。
To me, that sounds like you're just about to throw a ball for the dog and there's that level of excitement.
对我而言,这叫声像是你正准备给它丢个球过去时它的那股兴奋劲儿。
It's running all around you. 它在你旁边跑来跑去。
It's been identified that dogs can communicate at least six different emotions to us through their barks.
我们已经能肯定狗能通过吠叫向我们传达至少六种不同的情绪。
That's why I know what you're thinking. 所以我才知道你在想什么。
That just proves, doesn't it, that dogs can talk by barking. 恰恰证明了狗能通过吠叫来沟通,不是吗。
Back with our growing puppy. She's not trying to communicate with us just yet.
再来看看我们成长中的小狗。她目前还没想要和我们沟通。
Only five weeks old, the puppies are still finding their feet and slowly gaining independence from their mother. 它们才五周大,还在努力适应环境,慢慢从妈妈身边独立。
Milk is replaced with a first tentative interest in water. 对奶水的兴趣转向了对水的首次试探。
The tip of a dog's tongue has tastebuds just for water. 狗的舌尖有专门辨别水的味蕾。
They create a desire to drink, which is important, as their natural diet of meat is high in salt.
这些味蕾激发饮水的欲望。这很重要,因为它们天生吃肉,含盐量很高。
But even the simple act of drinking is more complicated than it looks.
即便是简单的饮水动作也比看上去复杂得多。
Dogs curve their tongue into the water to create a large surface area to stick the water to.
狗卷起舌头伸入水中增大与水的接触面积,让水留在舌头上。
They pull it up into their mouth, snapping it shut before all the water escapes.
再把舌头收回口中,在水流光前迅速闭上嘴。
It's a surprisingly complex and beautiful process for such a simple daily requirement.
这样异常复杂且美丽的过程,完成的却是如此简单的日常需求。
And it's also why dogs make such a mess when they're drinking. 这也是狗喝水时总弄得一团糟的原因。
Puppies sleep far more than they are awake, just like human babies.
幼犬睡觉的时间比醒着的时候多得多,就像人类的婴儿一样。
Exhausted from a world of new experiences, they fall into a deep slumber.
被无数新鲜的经历折腾得筋疲力尽后,它们沉沉入睡。
It looks like they're dreaming about chasing rabbits. 貌似它们正梦见自己在追兔子。
But is that just our human sentiments getting in the way? 但这是否只是人类一厢情愿呢
Dogs do dream and by monitoring their brain waves, scientists have found out that puppies dream far more than adult dogs. 狗确实会做梦,通过监测它们的脑电波,科学家发现小狗做梦远多于成年狗。
They can even tell that dogs dream about the day's events, processing their memories.
甚至能判断出它们根据自己的记忆梦到了白天发生的事。
Looks like it's been quite a busy day. But what will the future hold? 看来今天真是忙坏了。但以后会怎么样呢
A fortnight later and our puppy's arrived at one of the world's most high-tech specialist dog centres.
两周后,我们的小狗来到了一家世界上最先进的专业犬类中心。
She's here to find out if she has what it takes to make it as one of the most sought-after dogs in the country.