Text 16 Animal Education (1) 动物的教育问题

1. Animals perform many useful and entertaining jobs. Dogs are particularly valuable in guiding the blind, protecting property, finding lost people, and hunting criminals. Horses are used in guarding herds, carrying men in lands where there are no roads, and helping farmers work their land. Pigeons have long been used to carry messages. Wild animals from the jungles, forests and seas are very popular performers in circuses and moving pictures. People realize that, although animals may not have the same intelligence as human beings, they are smart enough to learn certain things.动物承担了许多实用性和娱乐性的工作。例如狗在给盲人引路、追踪罪犯、保护财产、寻找失踪的人以及打猎等方面尤为重要。马用来保护畜群，在无路地带驮人，还可以帮农民种地。鸽子长久以来被用作传递信息。丛林、森林或海洋里的野生动物在马戏团的节目表演和动画片的制作方面非常普遍。人们认识到，尽管动物不像人一样聪明，可它们能学习一些具体的事情。

2. The first thing a dog is taught is to obey. It should not take too long for him to learn commands. Simple orders, such as “sit”, “lie down”, “stay there”, and “come here”, can even be taught by a child.第一就是教狗听命令，要不了多久，狗就可以学会一些口令。如“坐”、“躺下”、“站住”、“过来”，等简单的口令。甚至一个小孩子都可以教会这些。

3. Training a dog to be a watchdog often produces unexpected results. Some dogs quickly learn the difference between unwanted people and friends. This is because their masters welcome friends and invite them into their houses. However, some dogs will always attack the postman who comes to deliver letters. One explanation for this behavior is that, although the postman comes to the house often, he never enters the house. Therefore, the dog thinks the postman is someone who is not wanted, but keeps coming back anyway.把狗训练成一只看门狗，常会产生一些意想不到的结果。一些狗很快学会区分哪些是朋友哪些是不受欢迎的人。原因是他们的主人总是迎接并请他们的朋友进入房间。可是有些狗总是对来送信的邮差叫嚷。对此有一个解释，就是虽然邮差每天都来但它从不进屋。于是狗就认为邮差是一个不受欢迎的人，想方设法阻止他。

4. Masters of dogs who attack postmen can easily show the dog that the postman is a friend and that the dog does not need to treat him as an unwanted person. A dog is quite ready to do what his master wishes. And a dog is always happy when he is praised for understanding correctly.这时，狗的主人可以很容易地教狗了解邮差是朋友，不得对他们无礼。狗很快学会按主人的意愿做。做对了受到表扬时狗会很高兴。

5. Dogs can be taught to obey commands when the sound of a word is connected with a certain act. Two important factors in teaching a dog to obey commands are: using the same word each time for the same act, and teaching only one act at a time. Dogs can learn not only to sit, lie down, come, and stay in place when their masters go away, but also to jump, carry, and fetch.当把一个词和一个特定的动作联系起来时，狗就会学会执行命令。在教狗学会执行这些命令时应注意两点：一是每次都说同样的词做同样的动作。其次是一次只做一个动作。狗不仅能学会坐、躺下来和当他们的主人离开时呆在原地不动，而且还可以学会跳，拿着和去取回等命令。

6. After a dog learns to carry an object, he can learn to bring something back from a distance. A stick can be thrown far away, and the dog enjoys running after it, and searching for it until he finds it. After a lot of practice, the dog can retrieve a stick (or other object) even when he has not seen it thrown. To teach a dog this skill, the master makes a simple trail by walking some distance in a straight line. Then he leaves the stick at the end of the trail. The dog learns to follow the straight line at first. Then, later, he learns to follow more irregular lines. Eventually, he can learn to follow an odor instead of looking for an object. With this skill he can be very useful in tracking down lost people or criminals.当狗学会了拿东西，它可以学会从远处把东西取回。把一只棍子扔到远处，这只狗就欢快地追上它，到处找直到找着。经过多次训练，狗即使没看见棍子（或其它东西）被扔出去，仍可以把它找回来。为教狗学会这个本领，主人按走直线走得远一些的办法并做简单的记号，之后把小棍留在路的那头。起初狗学会走直线，然而后来学会一些不太规则的路线。最后它能学会跟踪气味。有了这个本领，它在寻找失踪的人或追寻罪犯方面很有用处。

7. Dogs are extremely useful as companions for blind people. When a dog has been properly trained, he will always lead his blind master in the right direction and keep him out of danger. For example, seeing-eye dogs learn never to cross a busy road when cars are coming, even if their masters command them to do so.狗成为盲人相当可靠的朋友。当给一条狗这方面的训练时，它总是给盲主人正确引路并使其避开危险。例如导盲犬知道在汽车快开过来时决不横跨川流不息的马路，即使主人命令他们这样做，它们也原地不动。

8. Horses are also able to learn many things. Horses that are used for guard or police duty must learn never to be frightened of noises, traffic, and other disturbances. Racing horses are able to run much faster than other horses, but they are also quite high strung. Therefore, it is necessary for those people who train them to be very patient and understanding.马也能学会一些事情。用作护卫或警卫任务的马必须学会不怕噪音、汽车喇叭和其它干扰。赛马能比其他马跑得快。但他们很容易受到惊吓，然而有必要要让训马人非常耐心和善于理解。

9. Pigeons have a natural instinct to return home, even if they are very far away and the trip is hard or dangerous. Men utilize this homing instinct to send messages on small pieces of paper which are fastened to the pigeons’ backs or legs. In war time, pigeons have been known to fly as fast as 75 miles an hour and to cover distances of 500 to 600 miles. These homing pigeons begin their training when they are about four weeks old. After a few weeks they can begin flying and carrying messages. If all goes well, their flying career lasts about four years.鸽子有飞得很远而且不怕路途险峻的天性。人们利用这个天性把纸条系在鸽子的背部或腿上让它传信。在战争年代，据说鸽子一小时能飞75英里且能连续不停地飞五六百英里。鸽子在长到四个星期时就开始它们的训练。几星期之后，它们就能会飞和传信了。如果情况良好，它们能连续飞四年。

10. Animals can learn to do many things that, while not necessarily useful, are very amusing to watch. In circuses, animals are taught to do the tricks that are most compatible to their physical and temperamental make-up. Lions and tigers can be taught to leap and spring gracefully when told to do so, or to stay in place on command. Elephants learn to walk in line, to stand on their hind legs, to lie on their sides, and to sand on their heads. They can also learn to dance.动物能学会做许多事情，也许不一定有用但可以非常具有观赏性。在马戏团里，动物学会做一些最适合它们身体特征和习性的特技。狮子和老虎能按命令学会跳起和弹跳或呆在原地。大象学会走直线或后腿站立，侧躺或倒立。他们还能学会跳舞。

11. Another trainer had an elephant and a tiger. After many weeks of living in the same cage, the two animals became accustomed to each other. Then the tiger was taught to jump on the elephant’s back. Both animals became so interested in the act (as well as the praise and food they received after the act) that they forgot they were natural enemies. Later a lion was added to the act. This also took a lot of patient training. However, when the three animals grew accustomed to each other they made a most successful circus act.另一个驯兽员有一只大象和一只老虎。把它们关在同一笼子几周之后，这两个动物开始彼此相互习惯。教老虎跳到大象的背上。两个动物对这个游戏都很感兴趣，甚至忘了它们是天敌。后来又加进一只狮子，当然需要投入大量耐心的训练。然而当这三个动物彼此适应时，它们就成功地为马戏团表演了。

12. The moving pictures and television can use trained animals too. Some animals, such as skunks and foxes, are easy to film. All you have to do is to make a trail in front of the camera by dragging something that smells good to the animas over the ground. Big animals, such as lions and tigers, can be photographed as they bound happily back to their families and dinner. If a movie actor is nearby, the well-trained animal will pay no attention to him. However, the audience may imagine that the actor escaped a terrible death by the skin of his teeth.利用受过训练的动物也能拍动画片和电视节目。有些像鼬和狐狸这样的动物很容易拍摄。你所需要做的是把一些好闻的食物扔在镜头前的地上做个记号。大的动物像大象、狮子和老虎，可以在它们蹦跳着回到家开始吃饭时进行拍摄，假如一个摄影师靠近时，训练得较好的动物可能都没注意到他。然而观众可能会认为这们演员是虎口脱险，幸免惨死的。