Irish scientists monitoring dolphins living in a river estuary in the southwest of the country believe they may have developed a unique dialect to communicate with each other. The Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation 1 has been studying a group of up to 120 bottle-nose dolphins in the River Shannon2 using vocalisations collected on a computer in a cow shed3 near the River Shannon.

　　As part of a research project, student Ronan Hickey digitised and analysed a total of 1,882 whistles from the Irish dolphins and those4 from the Welsh dolphins on a computer and separated them into six fundamental whistle types and 32 different categories5. Of the categories, he found most6 were used by both sets of dolphins7 but eight were only heard from the Irish dolphins.

　　We are building up a catalogue of the different whistle types they use and trying to associate them with behaviour like foraging, resting, socialising and the communications of groups with calves, project leader Simon Berrow said. Essentially we are building up what is like a dictionary of words they use or sounds they make.

　　Berrow, a marine biologist, said the dolphins clicks are used to find their way around and locate prey. The whistles are communications. They do a whole range of other sound like barks, groans and a kind of gunshot, he said. The gunshot is an intense pulse of sound. Sperm whales use it to stun their prey.

　　When I first heard it I was surprised as I thought sperm whales were the only species who used it. We can speculate the dolphins are using it for the same reason as the sperm whales. Borrow said.

　　References in local legend8 indicate there have been dolphins in the Shannon estuary for generations and they may even have been resident there as far back as the 6th century9.

　　They are regularly seen by passengers on the Shannon ferry and an estimated 25,000 tourists every year take special sightseeing tours on local boats to visit them.

　　練習：

　　1. The difference in eating habits between the bottle-nose dolphins and the sperm whales interested the SDWF scientists.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　2. Ronan Hickey analysed almost 2,000 different dialects of the bottle-nose dolphins.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　3. Of the 32 categories, eight were produced only by the Irish dolphins.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　4. Whistles could also be used to communicate between adult dolphins and baby dolphins.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　5. Sperm whales can produce stronger ultrasonic waves to kill their prey than dolphins.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　6. As early as the 6th century, Irish fishermen started raising dolphins in the Shannon estuary.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　7. Irish dolphins attract tourists and over 25,000 people come to see them every year.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　答案與題解：

　　1. C 本題所說的意思是寬吻海豚與巨頭鯨送食習慣上大相徑庭，這一點令科學家很感興趣。題句表達的內容短文中找不到，故答案為 C。

　　2. B 題句的意思是： Ronan Hickey分析了愛爾蘭海豚發出的近 2000種不同的方言。這句話與短文中敘述的意思不符。第三段第一句說： Ronan Hicke分析了愛爾蘭海豚和威爾士海豚發出的近 2000種不同的嘯聲 。所以，本題選項 B是答案。

　　3. A 題句表達的意思與第三段第二句所述的內容相符。 32種嘯聲中有 8種是愛爾蘭海豚獨有的。所以答案是 A。

　　4. A 短文第四段第一句說科學家正在設法將嘯聲與海豚的行為特性聯系起來，其中也包括成年海豚與小海豚之間的聯絡這一行為。題句的意思與原句的意思相符，所以答案是 A。

　　5. C 本題所說的態思是鯨魚能發出比海豚更強烈的超聲波去殺死獵物。題句表達的內容短文中找不到，故答案為 C。

　　6. B 短文第七段說的是，早在公元 6世紀海豚就在香農河河口繁衍生息，而沒有說早在公元 6世紀漁民開始在香農河河口養殖海豚。題句的意思與文章的意思不符，所以答案是 B。

　　7. A題句表達的意思與最后一段的意思相符。原文說大約每年有 25000名游客專程到此乘坐當地的小船觀看海豚。所以答案是 A。

　　Irish scientists monitoring dolphins living in a river estuary in the southwest of the country believe they may have developed a unique dialect to communicate with each other. The Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation 1 has been studying a group of up to 120 bottle-nose dolphins in the River Shannon2 using vocalisations collected on a computer in a cow shed3 near the River Shannon.

　　As part of a research project, student Ronan Hickey digitised and analysed a total of 1,882 whistles from the Irish dolphins and those4 from the Welsh dolphins on a computer and separated them into six fundamental whistle types and 32 different categories5. Of the categories, he found most6 were used by both sets of dolphins7 but eight were only heard from the Irish dolphins.

　　We are building up a catalogue of the different whistle types they use and trying to associate them with behaviour like foraging, resting, socialising and the communications of groups with calves, project leader Simon Berrow said. Essentially we are building up what is like a dictionary of words they use or sounds they make.

　　Berrow, a marine biologist, said the dolphins clicks are used to find their way around and locate prey. The whistles are communications. They do a whole range of other sound like barks, groans and a kind of gunshot, he said. The gunshot is an intense pulse of sound. Sperm whales use it to stun their prey.

　　When I first heard it I was surprised as I thought sperm whales were the only species who used it. We can speculate the dolphins are using it for the same reason as the sperm whales. Borrow said.

　　References in local legend8 indicate there have been dolphins in the Shannon estuary for generations and they may even have been resident there as far back as the 6th century9.

　　They are regularly seen by passengers on the Shannon ferry and an estimated 25,000 tourists every year take special sightseeing tours on local boats to visit them.

　　練習：

　　1. The difference in eating habits between the bottle-nose dolphins and the sperm whales interested the SDWF scientists.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　2. Ronan Hickey analysed almost 2,000 different dialects of the bottle-nose dolphins.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　3. Of the 32 categories, eight were produced only by the Irish dolphins.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　4. Whistles could also be used to communicate between adult dolphins and baby dolphins.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　5. Sperm whales can produce stronger ultrasonic waves to kill their prey than dolphins.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　6. As early as the 6th century, Irish fishermen started raising dolphins in the Shannon estuary.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　7. Irish dolphins attract tourists and over 25,000 people come to see them every year.

　　A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

　　答案與題解：

　　1. C 本題所說的意思是寬吻海豚與巨頭鯨送食習慣上大相徑庭，這一點令科學家很感興趣。題句表達的內容短文中找不到，故答案為 C。

　　2. B 題句的意思是： Ronan Hickey分析了愛爾蘭海豚發出的近 2000種不同的方言。這句話與短文中敘述的意思不符。第三段第一句說： Ronan Hicke分析了愛爾蘭海豚和威爾士海豚發出的近 2000種不同的嘯聲 。所以，本題選項 B是答案。

　　3. A 題句表達的意思與第三段第二句所述的內容相符。 32種嘯聲中有 8種是愛爾蘭海豚獨有的。所以答案是 A。

　　4. A 短文第四段第一句說科學家正在設法將嘯聲與海豚的行為特性聯系起來，其中也包括成年海豚與小海豚之間的聯絡這一行為。題句的意思與原句的意思相符，所以答案是 A。

　　5. C 本題所說的態思是鯨魚能發出比海豚更強烈的超聲波去殺死獵物。題句表達的內容短文中找不到，故答案為 C。

　　6. B 短文第七段說的是，早在公元 6世紀海豚就在香農河河口繁衍生息，而沒有說早在公元 6世紀漁民開始在香農河河口養殖海豚。題句的意思與文章的意思不符，所以答案是 B。

　　7. A題句表達的意思與最后一段的意思相符。原文說大約每年有 25000名游客專程到此乘坐當地的小船觀看海豚。所以答案是 A。