2024届高三英语一轮复习阅读理解天天练（Animals 动物）选自New Scientist

高三十月天天练（Animals 动物）选自New Scientist Roosters act differently when faced with another chicken versus just their own reflection. This may mean that the birds can recognise themselves in a mirror, a key test of self-awareness in animals. The way researchers tailored this mirror test to roosters may open up new methods of determining self-recognition in a diversity of animal species. In the traditional mirror self-recognition test, developed in 1970, researchers place a mark on an animal’s body in a spot that it could only see reflected in a mirror. They note if the animal inspects or touches the mark while examining its reflection, suggesting it understands the reflection represents its own body. Precious few non-human species have passed this test, but those that have include some great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies. In recent years, a few researchers have claimed other species – such as penguins, horses, cleaner wrasse fish and manta rays – have passed the test, but not without controversy. Results from this test are often highly variable. Sonja Hillemacher at the University of Bonn in Germany and her colleagues wondered if this has less to do with the animals not recognising themselves, and more to do with the fact that there is little natural motivation for many animals to investigate the marks. Looking at behaviours relevant to a species’ day-to-day life may give more reliable insights, she says. The team designed a modified mirror test specifically for roosters, taking into account their natural behaviors and social interactions. They introduced two scenarios: one where the rooster encountered another rooster, and the other where it faced its own reflection. Surprisingly, the roosters displayed distinct behaviors in the two situations, indicating a recognition of self versus other. When facing another rooster, the test subjects exhibited aggressive postures and vocalizations, attempting to establish dominance or defend their territory. In contrast, upon