Question

Grandparents are respected in many human societies.But telling stories about old times and overfeeding grandchildren seem like distinctly human traits (特征).Are these classic grandparent behaviors really limited to human beings? Do any animals know their grandparents the way people do? For most species (物种) on Earth,the answer is NO! “Usually, there just aren't grandparents living anymore when an animal is born,” said Mirkka Lahdenper?, a biologist at the University of Turku in Finland. Even if an animal's grandparents are still alive, most species spread out to avoid competing for resources, so the chances of running into a grandparent are small.

But there are a few exceptions, primarily among mammals (哺乳动物) that live in close social groups. Canadian zoologist Anne Innis Dagg described groups of langur monkeys in India in which older females lived with their daughters and grandchildren. The grandmother langurs have a particular job: they protect the group's babies against hurt from humans, dogs and other monkeys. Some female langurs even give their own grandchildren special treatment, cleaning their fur and stepping in when they play too roughly with other young.

Many whale species, too, travel with their families,including both grandmothers and grandcalves. In groups of sperm whales, according to Dagg, old females help babysit the group's young while their mothers dive (潜水) for food. Orca grandmothers often lead their family members and can live for many years after they stop reproducing. In 2015, scientists suggested that these elder orcas help their grandcalves through hard times, because they remember all the best places to find food.

Female elephants rule the whole family. Calves (幼崽) are typically born into groups led by their grandmothers, who can live to around 80 years old. The female elephants form close relationships, said Lahdenper?, and raise their young together. Lahdenper? found that the calves of young mothers were eight times more likely to survive if their grandmothers lived near them than if they didn't. When the calves' mothers were older and more experienced at raising babies, this beneficial “grandmother effect” disappeared even if the actual grandmothers were still around.

It isn't very clear how elephant grandmothers help their inexperienced daughters, said Lahdenper?. It is believed that they may help nurse their grandcalves. But Lahdenper? thinks that the more likely advantage is the wisdom a grandmother elephant has got during her long lifetime.

And what about grandfathers? Studies of humans in recent years have shown that a living grandfather can improve a person's mental health and well?being, said Lahdenper?.

But there are signs of that in the animal kingdom, she said. Male animals seldom socialize with their own children, let alone grandchildren. “Males are usually focusing on producing their own children and aren't providing so much care,” Lahdenper? said.

1.From Paragraph 3, we know that orca grandmothers _______.

A. die after reproducing B. teach the young to dive for food

C. have rich experience D. enjoy travelling with grandfathers

2.The examples of monkeys, whales and elephants show that _______.

A. the “grandmother effect” lasts long in the animal world

B. grandmothers shoulder great responsibilities in their families

C. animal grandfathers can improve grandcalves' mental health

D. most species treat their grandparents like human beings do

3.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A. Animal grandparents are like human grandparents

B. Animal grandmas are born group leaders

C. Are animal grandmas given enough respect?

D. Do any animals know their grandparents?

Answer 1