Section 2---Unit 06 Left or Right: Which Do Animals Prefer?

 Section 2---Unit 06 Animals

Left or Right: Which Do Animals Prefer?

For a long time, scientists believed that only humans were left- or right-handed. However, recent studies have shown that this isn't true. Just like people, animals favor one side or the other.

In Ireland, scientists studied a group of 42 cats. They gave them three tasks. One was to get a delicious piece of fish out of a bottle. They found that the male cats preferred to use their left paw, and the female cats preferred to use their right.

Being left- or right-handed isn't limited to arms and legs. It can include eyes, ears, claws, and even tails. In Italy, scientists discovered that dogs wag their tails to the right when they see something that they like. When they see something that they don't like, their tails go to the left.

There are lots of other fun examples. Left-handed dolphins swim in a different direction around the pool. Elephants like to swing their trunks in one direction. Even snakes prefer to curl up only one way.

Many people believe that polar bears are left-handed. They say, for example, that polar bears cover their black nose with their right paw, which helps them hide in the snow when they are hunting. Then they can sneak up on a seal, and their left paw will be free to grab it.

Scientists, however, disagree. Some have watched polar bears for thousands of hours. They never saw the bears cover their nose during a hunt. They also saw no evidence that they were left-handed.

Despite this, many websites continue to claim that polar bears are left-handed. Scientists are still learning about animals and their behaviors. The next time you observe an animal, whether it's your pet cat or an elephant, try figuring out yourself 30 which it prefers-left or right.

	arms	第四級	[名詞] 武器;戰爭;戰鬥;兵役
	behaviors	第四級	[名詞] behavior(行為) 的複數
	being	第二級	[名詞] 存在;生存;生命;本質
	claim	第二級	[動詞] 聲稱；認領；索取; [名詞] 主張,斷言
	claws	第四級	[動詞] claw(用爪子抓) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] claw((動物的)爪,腳爪;(蟹,蝦等的)鉗,螯) 的複數
	continue	第二級	[動詞] 繼續
	curl	第四級	[動詞] 使(頭髮)捲曲; [名詞] 捲毛,捲髮
	delicious	第二級	[形容詞] 好吃的
	despite	第四級	[介系詞] 不管,儘管,任憑
	direction	第二級	[名詞] 方向; 指示
	disagree	第二級	[動詞] 不一致,不符
	discovered	第二級	[動詞] discover(發現) 的過去式及過去分詞
	dolphins	第三級	[名詞] dolphin(海豚) 的複數
	evidence	第四級	[動詞] 顯示,表明; [名詞] 證據;證詞;證人;物證
	favor	第二級	[動詞] 支持,擁護;有利於; [名詞] 偏愛;偏袒
	female	第二級	[形容詞] 女性的; [名詞] 雌性動物
	figuring	第二級	[動詞] figure(估計;描繪) 的現在分詞
	found	第二級	[動詞] 建立;建造;鑄造;熔化
	grab	第三級	[動詞] 攫取,抓取; [名詞] 攫取,霸佔
	humans	第二級	[名詞] human(人) 的複數
	hunt	第二級	[動詞] 追獵; [名詞] 打獵;搜尋
	hunting	第二級	[動詞] hunt(追獵) 的現在分詞
	include	第二級	[動詞] 包含
	learning	第三級	[名詞] 學習;學問,學識
	limited	第二級	[動詞] limit(限定) 的過去式及過去分詞
	male	第二級	[形容詞] 男性的; [名詞] 雄性動物
	observe	第三級	[動詞] 看到;觀察
	paw	第四級	[動詞] (用腳爪等)抓;扒; [名詞] 腳爪;爪子
	polar	第六級	[形容詞] 北極的;南極的;截然對立的
	prefer	第二級	[動詞] 更喜歡
	preferred	第二級	[動詞] prefer(更喜歡) 的過去式及過去分詞
	prefers	第二級	[動詞] prefer(更喜歡) 的第三人稱單數現在式
	recent	第二級	[形容詞] 最近的
	saw	第二級	[動詞] 鋸;鋸開; [名詞] 鋸子;鋸條
	scientists	第三級	[名詞] scientist(科學家) 的複數
	seal	第三級	[動詞] 封,密封;蓋章; [名詞] 圖章,印信;封(印); [名詞] seal(圖章,印信;封(印)) 的複數
	sneak	第五級	[動詞] 偷偷地走,溜; [名詞] 溜走,不告而別
	swim	第二級	[動詞] 游泳; [名詞] 游泳;暈眩,眼花;潮流
	swing	第二級	[動詞] 搖擺;揮動; [名詞] 鞦韆;搖擺音樂
	tasks	第二級	[動詞] task(派給...任務;要...做一項工作) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] task(任務;工作) 的複數
	true	第二級	[形容詞] 真實的;正確的; [動詞] 配準,擺正; [副詞] 準確地;真實地
	trunks	第三級	[名詞] trunk(樹幹;大血管) 的複數
	wag	第六級	[動詞] 搖;搖擺;搖尾巴; [名詞] 搖擺; 愛說笑打趣的人
	websites	第四級	[名詞] website(網站) 的複數

Reading Comprehension

(   ) 1. What is paragraph two mainly about?

(A) An Irish scientist who studies cats' preference for fish

(B) A study involving cats and its findings

(C) Three tasks involving male and female cats

(D) A demonstration on how cats get fish out of a bottle

(   ) 2. Which of the following animals is NOT mentioned in the article?

(A) Elephant           (B) Snake                (C) Rat                    (D) Dolphin

(   ) 3. Which one of the following statements is true about polar bears?

(A) Many people believe polar bears are left-handed because they use their left paw to cover their nose.

(B) The finding that polar bears cover their nose while hunting is supported by scientists.

(C) Scientists disagree with the popular belief that polar bears are left-handed.

(D) The claim from many websites that polar bears are left-handed is based on scientific research.

(   ) 4. In the last paragraph, what does the author suggest we do?

(A) Watch animals, and try to find out if they are left- or right-handed.

(B) Talk to scientists, and ask them which animals are left- or right-handed.

(C) Become a scientist to understand if animals prefer one side.

(D) Adopt a cat to observe if cats are left- or right-handed.

	adopt	第四級	[動詞] 採納;收養;接受
	article	第二級	[名詞] 文章;報導；論文;物件;條款
	author	第二級	[動詞] 開創,發起;著作,編寫; [名詞] 作者;作家
	based	第二級	[動詞] base(以...為基地) 的過去式及過去分詞
	belief	第二級	[名詞] 相信;信仰
	claim	第二級	[動詞] 聲稱；認領；索取; [名詞] 主張,斷言
	demonstration	第四級	[名詞] 實地示範
	disagree	第二級	[動詞] 不一致,不符
	dolphin	第三級	[名詞] 海豚
	female	第二級	[形容詞] 女性的; [名詞] 雌性動物
	following	第二級	[形容詞] 接著的,其次的;下面的; [介系詞] 在...以後; [名詞] 一批追隨者;下列事物(或人員)
	hunting	第二級	[動詞] hunt(追獵) 的現在分詞
	involving	第四級	[動詞] involve(使捲入,連累;牽涉) 的現在分詞
	male	第二級	[形容詞] 男性的; [名詞] 雄性動物
	mentioned	第二級	[動詞] mention(提到,說起) 的過去式及過去分詞
	observe	第三級	[動詞] 看到;觀察
	paragraph	第四級	[名詞] (文章的)段,節
	paw	第四級	[動詞] (用腳爪等)抓;扒; [名詞] 腳爪;爪子
	polar	第六級	[形容詞] 北極的;南極的;截然對立的
	prefer	第二級	[動詞] 更喜歡
	preference	第五級	[名詞] 偏愛;優先(權)
	rat	第二級	[名詞] 老鼠
	research	第四級	[動詞] 調查,探究; [名詞] (學術)研究;調查,探究
	scientific	第三級	[形容詞] 科學的
	scientist	第三級	[名詞] 科學家
	scientists	第三級	[名詞] scientist(科學家) 的複數
	statements	第二級	[名詞] statement(陳述,說明;結單) 的複數
	suggest	第二級	[動詞] 建議
	supported	第二級	[動詞] support(支持) 的過去式及過去分詞
	tasks	第二級	[動詞] task(派給...任務;要...做一項工作) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] task(任務;工作) 的複數
	true	第二級	[形容詞] 真實的;正確的; [動詞] 配準,擺正; [副詞] 準確地;真實地
	websites	第四級	[名詞] website(網站) 的複數