2015考研英语阅读集体行为_大学英语阅读

2015考研英语阅读集体行为

　　Unfortunately, it is impossible to tag more than a few individuals in a herd, flock orswarm.Researchers have therefore tended to extrapolate from these few results by usingvarious computer models. Dr Couzin has done quite a bit of this himself. Most recently, hehas modelled the behaviour of shoals of fish. He posited that how they swim will depend oneach individual s competing tendencies to stick close to the others while not actually getting too close to any particular other fish. Itturns out that by fiddling with these tendencies, a virtual shoal can be made to swirlspontaneously in a circle, just like some real species do.

　　不幸的是，要想标记出一大群动物的行为几乎是不可能的。研究人员因此倾向于通过使用各种计算机模型来推断这些鲜为人知的结论。 Couzin博士身先士卒。最近，他用计算机模仿了鱼群的行为。他设想，鱼群的游动主要取决于每条鱼之间的相互挤碰，而实际上并不会挤碰旁边的其他鱼，只是一种趋势而已。事实证明，鱼群内部像这样彼此间的相互挤碰，不自然的就会是鱼群形成螺旋状。

　　That is a start. But real shoals do not exist to swim in circles. Their purpose is to help theirmembers eat and avoid being eaten. At any one time, however, only some individuals knowaboutand can thus react tofood and threats. Dr Couzin therefore wanted to find out howsuch temporary leaders influence the behaviour of the rest.