Question

Social Bond of Animals

Friendship is an important part of human life. Friends can share our joys and our hardships. We aren’t alone. Many different animals also make friends.

Recently , a British research team finished an eight-year study of Indo-Pacific dolphins off the coast of Western Australia. These dolphins can use different tools to search for food. The researchers found that these dolphins are more willing to hang out with partners that like the same tool. Other factors, like family closeness or sex, have no influence on this relationship.

“It suggests that dolphins form social bonds （纽带）based on shared interests,w UK biologist Simon Allen told Science Daily. "Using different tools is time-consuming （耗时间的）” for dolphins to cooperate.

Apart from dolphins, elephants, horses and bats are also known to form friendships. Are friendships only limited to the same species? Of course not, The

Atlantic reported in 2015, a goat Timur was originally left in the tiger Amur's enclosure （围场）as a meal. But instead of eating Timur, Amur likes to play with it and gets jealous when others are close to his friend.

The Atlantic said it’s not unusual among captive （圈禁的）animals. That's because in captivity, animals don’t need to spend much time and energy marking their territory （领地）or looking for mates the way they would in the wild. They are actually more likely to feel bored. " In this particular situation, the animal's motivation to engage （参与）socially and playfully may be higher than eating. n

More interestingly, animals not only make friends but also try to keep lasting friendships. Take bats for example. In 2011, scientists found bats prefer to hang out with a few certain friends, keeping loose ties to the rest of their group.

Humans aren't so different. “We do not work, play and live together with the same friends all the time，" Swiss zoologist Gerald Kerth explained. “ But nevertheless, we are able to maintain long-term relationships …despite our often highly dynamic （动态的）social lives."

1.What did the recent British research find about dolphins?

A.They form a group to look for food together.

B.They form friendships based on family closeness.

C.They are likely to make friends based on interests.

D.They are better at building friendships than other animals.

2.What can we infer from Gerald Kerth’s words?

A.Animals like to hang out with different friends.

B.Animals might feel bored with friends of the same species.

C.Humans are better at keeping long-term bonds than animals.

D.Humans and animals make and keep friendships in similar ways.

3.What's the passage mainly about?

A.How animals form and keep friendship.

B.The importance of friendship for animals.

C.How to build strong ties with your friends.

D.The different ways humans and animals socialize.

Answer 1