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8. Monkeys
New Words新单词
climb
读音：[klaɪm]
释义：爬，攀登
long
读音：[lɒŋ]
释义：长的
forest
读音：[ˈfɒrɪst]
释义：森林，丛林
fruit
读音：[fru:t]
释义：水果，果实
arm
读音：[ ɑ:m]
释义：手臂
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Most of us find monkeys very interesting. This is because they look a little like us and can do some of the things we do. Some kinds of monkeys are very clever. When they are young, they learn how to use their eyes and their arms to ask their mothers for food. They can learn other things, too. When monkeys live near people, they can learn to understand some of the things people say.
我们大多数人都认为猴子很有趣。这是因为它们长得有点像我们，而且会做一些我们做的事。一些猴子非常聪明。它们小时候会学习怎么用眼睛和手臂找它们的猴妈妈要食物。它们也能学习其他东西。当猴子靠近人类生活时，它们能学会理解人类说的一些事情。
There are many different kinds of monkeys. Most live in the forests of Asia, Africa and South America. Some monkeys are small. Others are very big. Adult monkeys can be one-and-a-half meters tall. In the forests, most monkeys live up in the trees. They are very good at climbing, and it is easy for them to climb from tree to tree.
猴子有很多不同种类。大多数猴子生活在亚洲、非洲还有南美洲的森林里。有些猴子很小，有些猴子很大。成年猴子能有1.5米那么高。在森林里，大多数猴子生活在树上。猴子非常擅长爬树，对于猴子来说，从一棵树爬到另一棵树是很容易的。
Monkeys sometimes come to the ground to eat, but at night they climb back into the trees to sleep. If you look at the arms of a monkey, you will see that they are very long. Those long arms help the monkeys to climb trees. On the ground, monkeys can stand up and walk like people.
猴子有时候会下地觅食，但是晚上它们会爬回树上睡觉。如果你看看猴子的手臂，你会发现它们的手臂非常长。那种长臂帮助猴子爬树。在地面上，猴子们能够像人一样站立行走。
Usually, monkeys like to eat fruit. In most forests, it is easy for them to find all the fruit they need. Their long arms help them to do this, too. Their long arms make it easy to get the fruit from the tall trees.
通常猴子喜欢吃水果。在大多数森林里，它们能轻易找到自己需要的水果。它们的长臂在这件事上也会帮到它们。它们的长臂使它们可以很容易从高高的树上摘到水果。
Young monkeys drink their mothers’ milk. Later, when the monkeys are three to four years old, they can find their own food. They can look for their own food, but they still live with their families. The adult monkeys protect and look after the young ones. Most monkeys live to be forty or fifty years old.
年幼的猴子要喝猴妈妈的乳汁。之后当猴子们长到三四岁的时候，它们可以自己觅食。它们能够自己觅食，但是它们仍然和猴子种群生活在一起。成年猴子保护并照顾年幼的猴子。大多数猴子可以活到四五十岁。
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Pat
Mom, do you know what we studied at school today?
Mom
No, Pat. What did you study?
Pat
We studied monkeys. We learned all about them
Mom
Monkeys? Oh, I like monkeys. Some of them are just like people.
Pat
I know. Our teacher said that in zoos and other special places, monkeys can learn to understand what people say.
Mom
Yes. They can learn to understand what we say, but they can never learn to speak like us.
Pat
Our teacher said that, these days, there are not so many monkeys still living wild in the forests.
Mom
And did she tell you why?
Pat
Yes. She told us that because the world’s forests are getting smaller and smaller, there are not so many places for monkeys to live.
Mom
That’s right. These days, a lot of monkeys live in zoos. Maybe that’s better for the monkeys .
Pat
Why?
Mom
Because the people who work in the zoos can protect and look after the monkeys.
Pat
I don’t think it’s better. I think most monkeys want to live in the forests. I don’t think it’s right to keep monkeys in zoos.
Mom
M..mm.m, maybe you’re right. They should live in a big place where it’s easy for them to move around and climb lots of trees.
佩特
妈妈，您知道我们今天在学校里学习了什么吗？
妈妈
不知道，佩特。你们学习了什么？
佩特
我们学习了猴子。我们学习了所有关于它们的知识。
妈妈
猴子？噢，我喜欢猴子。有些猴子就像人一样。
佩特
我知道，我们老师说在动物园里还有其他特定地点，猴子能够了解人们说的话。
妈妈
是的，它们能够学会理解我们说的话，但它们学不会像我们一样说话。
佩特
我们老师说，现在还住在森林里的猴子不多了。
妈妈
那她告诉你们为什么了吗？
佩特
是的。她告诉我们因为世界上的森林面积正变得越来越小，没有那么多地方给猴子生存了。
妈妈
没错。现在，许多猴子都生活在动物园里。也许那样对猴子来说更好。
佩特
为什么？
妈妈
因为动物园里的工作人员能够保护并照顾这些猴子。
佩特
我认为这样并没有更好。我认为大多数猴子想要住在森林里。我认为把猴子们养在动物园里是不对的。
妈妈
唔……也许你是对的。它们应该生活在宽敞的地方，可以很自如地四处活动和爬树。
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1. Why do people find monkeys interesting?
2. How big can some adult monkeys be?
3. What are monkeys good at?
4. What do they eat?
5. How long do monkeys live?
6. Why are there not many monkeys in the wild now?
7. Where do you think monkeys should live?
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