The of Animal Communication

A Communication is by no means a human monopoly, although our

languages make possible by far the most detailed and subtle forms of
communication that we know of. Most vertebrates (that is, mammals, fish ,
birds, reptiles and amphibians) can distinguish the sounds made by
5 different individuals, so they are able to tell whether a sound is made by a
parent or offspring, another member of their species , or a stranger.
Virtually all owners of cats and dogs can provide evidence of their pet's
skills at communicating: not just with their own species - to warn off an
intruding cat or dog, say - but also with their owners: demanding food,
10 asking to be let out, greeting them when they return home.
B Apes , monkeys and many other primates have evolved fairly elaborate
systems of calls for communicating with other members of their speCies.
These sounds can be placed in three main categories: food calls, warnings of
the presence of predators, and calls for help. The 'vocabulary' of most
15 species amounts to only a handful of distinct sounds. However, the vervet
monkeys of the Rift Valley in Kenya appear to have developed many more
calls, each with its own meaning, making theirs by far the most complex
communication system of any animals other than human beings.
C The monkeys spend most of their time in the treetops , where they are
20 generally safe from predators. However, every morning at first light they
climb down to search for food at ground level . Here they are far more
exposed, and so at greater risk from predators. In order to minimise that
1 In small groups, discuss these risk. one of the vervets acts as a guard.
questions. D If the guard sees a leopard approaching, it emits a loud barking call
25 and the monkeys run into the trees, where the leopard can 't follow them.
• How many different ways of When an eagle is sighted , the warning is a double-syllable cough. Other
communicating can you vervets respond by looking up into the air, then seeking shelter among the
think of, for example, dense branches of trees or bushes, where the eagle won 't follow them for
speaking face- to- face, facial fear of damaging its wings. The warning that a snake is approaching is a
expressions? What can be 30 noise which the researchers who first stud ied vervet communication called
communicated using these a 'chutter' sound (apparently from the noise made by a motorcycle engine
that is getting a lot of fuel). The monkeys stand up on two legs and look in
methods?
the grass, then run to safety.
• How do animals and birds
E Each sound is only used in its own precise situation. In effect, it means
communicate?
35 'There 's a leopard - or eagle , or snake - coming: Experiments using
recordings of the alarm calls when no predators are present show the same
responses . The monkeys understand and respond to the call itself.
Reading F Young vervets imitate the calls , and , like young children , at first
overgeneralise their meaning. A toddler brought up in an English-speaking
2 Skim this passage. Don't worry 40 environment will come to the conclusion that the past tense of
about anything you don't all verbs ends in -ed, and will use goed and runned as the
understand. Either in your head past of go and run , before discovering that not all verbs
or on paper, summarise the follow that 'rule '. Similarly, infant vervets also use the
main topic or point of each leopard warning call when they see various other mammals,
45 the eagle alarm for other birds , and the snake cry for
paragraph in a single sentence.
anything similar to a snake. As they mature and gain
(1) about 625 words experience, they begin to use the calls correctly.
G Eagles are not only a danger to vervet monkeys:
they also prey on small birds, such as the superb
50 starling. This species has its own alarm call for
eagles, which vervets recognise . When a starling
squeaks the warning 'danger in the air', nearby
monkeys repeat it - translating it into their own
term - and all the birds and monkeys rush for
55 safety.

UNIT4
 1 evidence that animals react to warnings even when
they are not in danger
spot 2 why animals place themselves in a dangerous position
In both Academic Reading and General Training Reading. you
may be asked which paragraph of a passage contains various
3 examples of communication between animals and
pieces of information. You may find it helpful to underline the human beings
key words in the question (as in the example below). You 4 an account of different reactions to different sounds
should look for something that fits the whole piece of 5 an instance of one non-human species understanding
information. so in the example it is not just something about
protection. but about how it is organised . ... TF 8 sounds made by another
6 a classification of all animal sounds according to their
function
3 The passage has seven paragraphs labelled A-G.
7 an explanation of the reason for using a particular term
Which paragraph contains the following information?
8 a comparison between the numbers of sounds used
Write the correct letter A-G. by different species
NB You may use any letter more than once. 9 a classification of sounds according to who produces
Example : 0 how a species organises protection for itself them
Answer: ....... C...... 10 evidence of a learning process in animals
(The relevant section of text is underlined .)

Vocabulary Language terms

4 Here are nine words and phrases to do with communication. Complete each
definition with the right ending from the box opposite. Use the examples to help you.
EXAMPLE: 1e
a used primarily to show membership of a
1 accent - the way ... particular group
2 acronym (e.g. UNESCO) - a word .. . b mainly used in a specific field
3 nonverbal communication - communication .. . c made up of the initial letters of a phrase
4 collocation (e.g. on speaking terms) - a phrase .. . d consisting of words that are frequently used
5 false friend (e.g. English gift [= a present] in together
relation to German Gift [= poison]) - a word ... e in which people in a particular area, country or
6 idiom (e.g. to talk the hind legs off a donkey) - a social group pronounce words
phrase, ... f the meaning of which can't be worked out from
7 jargon (e.g. Wi-Pi, in information technology) - the individual words
technical vocabulary .. . g expressing a general belief
8 proverb (e.g. Least said, soonest mended) - a short h resembling a word in another language, but with
saymg ... a different meaning
9 slang (e.g. kisser [= mouth]) - informal words .. . using gestures and movement

5 Label the words and phrases in italics below with Speaking Part 3
one of the words and phrases (1-9) from exercise 4.
1 My newspaper's gone up to a quid. 6 In small groups, discuss these questions.
2 Despite its name, NASA not only carries out • What makes some people sound boring when
research into space, but also into the earth. they are speaking?
3 Would you like to listen to my brand new CD? • Can you give some examples of effective speakers,
4 I'm going to have to buy a new computer - my perhaps a salesperson, or one of your friends?
old one's on its last legs. • How do effective speakers keep the attention of
5 Not all semantic phenomena can be handled by their listeners?
binary features. • How important is non-verbal communication,
such as facial expressions and gestures, when
speaking?

SPOTLIG HT 0 N COMMU N ICATION 27