研究表明狗确实能听懂人类说话

    This is What's Trending Today....
    这里是今日热点节目。

    Researchers at a university in Hungary say there is truth to what many dog owners always believed.
    匈牙利一所大学的研究人员表示,很多狗主人一直相信的某种说法是有道理的。

    Dogs do understand what humans say.
    狗能明白人类在说什么。

    The researchers made images of the brains of 13 dogs using a machine that records brain activity.
    研究人员采用一种记录大脑活动的机器为13只狗做了大脑成像。

    The dogs were trained to lie down in the machine for seven minutes. During that time, they listened through headphones to their trainers' voices.
    这些狗被训练好躺在机器下维持7分钟。在此期间,他们通过耳机听到它们训练者的声音。

    Dog owners may think the news is not surprising. But scientists are impressed.
    狗主人可能会认为这一消息并不奇怪。但是科学家留下了深刻的印象。

    Brian Hare is a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University. He called one of the findings a "shocker."
    布莱恩·黑尔(Brian Hare)是美国杜克大学进化人类学教授。他称其中一项调查结果令人震惊。

    The brain imaging showed dogs processed words using the left side of their brains, just as humans do. They use the right side of their brains to understand tone and pitch.
    大脑成像显示狗像人类一样使用左脑处理语言。它们使用右脑来理解语调。

    The study showed dogs understand words and how they are said. Meaningful words said in a neutral way did not have the same effect as the same words said in an encouraging way.
    研究表明狗能理解人们说的话以及说话的语气。不带感情色彩的说些有意义的话,与用鼓励的方式说同样的话效果完全不同。

    Attila Andics was the lead researcher on the project.
    阿提拉·安蒂克斯(Attila Andics)是该项目的首席研究员。

    "Dog brains care about both what we say and how we say it," he said.
    他说,“狗的大脑会同时留意我们说了什么以及我们是如何说的。”

    Researchers say they think dogs are tuned in to what people say because dogs have lived with people for a long time.
    研究人员表示,他们认为狗了解人类说什么,是因为狗与人类长期在一起生活。

    Andics said he thinks other animals probably can understand human language like dogs do. But those animals are not very interested in what humans have to say.
    安蒂克斯表示,他认为其它动物可能也像狗一样能听懂人类语言。但是这些动物对人类说的话不是很感兴趣。

    People reacted to the story on Facebook and Twitter. They said they always knew their pets could understand them. And they were happy to see scientific support for what they experienced every day.
    人们在Facebook和Twitter上对该新闻做出了回应。他们表示,他们一直都知道自己的宠物能够理解他们。他们也很高兴看到他们每天所经历的事情有了科学支持。

    One reader from Virginia said she thought her dog could probably read her mind, too.
    来自弗吉尼亚州的一位读者表示,她认为她的狗或许还能读懂她的想法。

    Someone in California joked that he always knew his dog ignored him.
    加州有人开玩笑说,他一向认为他的狗不理他。

    And Greg Matos in Boston called the study "fascinating!"
    波士顿的格雷格·马托斯(Greg Matos)称这项研究令人着迷!

    And that's What's Trending Today.
    以上就是今日热点的全部内容。

    I'm Dan Friedell.
    我是丹·费里德尔。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利,未经授权请勿转载,违者必究!)