盘点：世界上最聪明的动物们_时事_双语阅读-查字典英语网

盘点：世界上最聪明的动物们

Dolphins 海豚

One way that scientists measure intelligence is something called the mirror-self recognition test. The idea behind this test is to determine whether an animal can recognize themselves in front of a mirror. To figure that out, scientists place a colored marking on the animal’s body. Then they place them in front of a mirror. Most often, if the animals recognize themselves, they will show signs of trying to remove the marking from their bodies, like scratching or rubbing it off.

科学家测试智商的方法之一是镜像自我认知测试。这个测试的目的是看动物是否能认出镜中的自己。首先科学家在被测试的动物身上放置一个有颜色的标记，然后把它们带到镜子前。通常，如果动物认出了镜中的自己，它们会表现出想弄掉标记的迹象，比如挠掉或者蹭掉身上的标记。

Many animals don’t pass this test. When they see their reflection in the mirror they think it’s another animal of their kind, and either run away and try to fight or scare the stranger.

很多种动物都没能通过这项测试，它们看见镜中的自己时以为是另外一只同类，所以它们要么逃走要么发出威胁要么试着和镜中的“敌人”打斗。

When researchers placed markings on dolphins, the aquatic critters investigated the smudges in their reflections. In other words, they knew the marking belonged to them, and not some other animal; they knew the dolphin in the mirror was them.