历年GRE考试真题精选系列七十二
Chimps and children, gulls andGreeks—the ethnologists to their
merry way, comparing bits of human
cultural behavior with bits of
(5) genetically programmed animal
behavior. True, humans are animals;
they share certain anatomical features
with other animals, and some items
of human behavior may seem analogous
(10) to the behavior of other animal But
such analogies can seriously mislead
if we fail to look at the context of a
particular item of behavior. Thus one
ethnologist compares the presentation
(15) of a twig by a cormorant with
gift-giving in humans. Yet the
cormorant’s twig-presentation simply
inhibits attack and is comparable to
other appeasement rituals found in
(20) many species. Human gift-giving
differs in form and purpose not only
from culture to culture. but within
the same culture in various social
contexts Everything significant about
(25) it derives from its social context.
Thus, ethnologists can accomplish
little—beyond reminding us that we
are animals—until they study humans
as cultural beings.
The author is primarily concerned
with
demonstrating the usefulness of
ethnology in discovering the
behavioral limits within which
humans operate
objecting to the degradation of
humanity implicit in the ethnologists’
equation of humans and animals
历年GRE考试真题精选系列七十二
pointing out the dangers inherentin comparing highly dissimilar species,
such as humans and cormorants, rather
than similar ones, such as humans and
apes
refuting the idea that the appeasement
rituals in human cultural behavior can
be profitably subjected to ethnological
analysis
arguing that the ethologists’ assumption
that human behavior can be straight-
forwardly compared with animal behavior
is invalid
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答案：(E)
The author believes that gift-giving
in humans
is instinctive behavior
is analogous to appeasement rituals
in other animals
is not an appropriate subject of study
for ethologists
must be considered within its social
context to be properly understood
may be a cultural remnant of behavior
originally designed to inhibit attack
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答案：(D)
The author’s attitude toward contemporary
ethologists can best be described as
puzzled
conciliatory
defensive
amused
disparaging
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答案：(E)
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