文字稿
一項研究表明，非洲野象是睡眠時間最短的哺乳動物。一組科學傢在非洲南部國傢博茨瓦納追蹤記錄瞭兩隻大象在自然環境中的睡眠規律。在動物園中籠養的大象每天睡四到六個小時，然而生活在野外的大象隻休息兩個小時，大多在夜晚入睡。請聽 Helen Briggs 的報道。
Scientists tracked two elephants roaming across Botswana to find out more about the animals’ sleeping habits. Elephants in captivity sleep for four to six hours a day, but it’s always been suspected this might be different in the wild.
In fact, in their natural surroundings, the elephants slept for only two hours, mainly at night. The elephants, both matriarchs of the herd, sometimes stayed awake for days at a time, and they travelled long distances, perhaps to escape lions or poachers. And they only went into rapid eye movement or ‘dreaming sleep’ every three or four days.
Sleep plays a big role in memory. It’s a mystery why an animal known for its incredible memory powers can survive on power naps alone.
詞匯表
roaming 漫步，閑逛
in captivity （動物）被籠養
natural surroundings 自然環境
matriarchs （獸群中的）母系首領
herd 獸群，文中指象群
poachers 偷獵者
rapid eye movement 睡夢中眼部的快速運動，屬於睡眠周期中的一個階段，簡稱 REM
power naps （用短時間來恢復能量的）小睡
測驗
請聽報道並回答下列問題。
1. How many hours a day do elephants in captivity sleep?
2. Why did the elephants travel long distances, according to the text?
3. True or false? The two elephants are both female leaders of the herd.
4. Which word in the text means ‘regularly repeated behaviours or practices’?
答案
1. How many hours a day do elephants in captivity sleep?
Elephants in captivity sleep for four to six hours a day.
2. Why did the elephants travel long distances, according to the text?
According to the text, the elephants travelled long distances, perhaps to escape lions or poachers.
3. True or false? The two elephants are both female leaders of the herd.
True. Both elephants are matriarchs of the herd, and the word ‘matriarch’ here means ‘the most powerful female of a group of family’.
4. Which word in the text means ‘regularly repeated behaviours or practices’?
Habits.
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