一項對鳴鳥解決問題能力的測試揭示了交通噪音是如何損害這些動物的能力的。科學家們給珍珠鳥設計了一組 “覓食任務”，分別在有噪音和無噪音的環境下進行。

Rather than studying birds in the wild, these researchers brought recordings of traffic noise from the nearby road into their lab and put captive zebra finches to the test.

這些研究人員并沒有在野外研究鳥類，而是將在附近道路上錄好的交通噪音帶進他們的實驗室，并對圈養的珍珠鳥進行測試。

The scientists designed tasks to mimic the problem-solving the birds have to do to find food – flipping over leaf-like lids to reveal a treat and working out how to reach a food reward that's hidden inside a cylinder.

科學家們設計了一些任務來模擬鳥兒覓食時必須解決的問題。例如，翻開葉子狀的蓋子發現食物，并想辦法獲得藏在圓筒中的食物獎勵。

In a quiet laboratory, birds were twice as likely to succeed, and to find the food, than when traffic recordings were being played.

在一個安靜的實驗室里，鳥兒成功找到食物的可能性是播放交通噪音錄音時的兩倍。

The discovery adds to mounting evidence that the sound we put into the environment has unexpected negative impacts on wildlife.

這一發現進一步證明，人為噪音對野生動物產生了意想不到的負面影響。

Studies have shown that noise can affect insect behaviour, and noise pollution in the ocean has even been linked with whale strandings.

有研究已經表明，噪音會影響昆蟲的行為，海洋中的噪音污染甚至與鯨魚擱淺有關。

But these researchers say that with clever engineering of tyres and road surfaces, there is scope to insulate the natural world from at least some of our noise.

但這些研究人員表示，通過對輪胎和路面進行的巧妙設計，至少有希望將一些人為噪音隔離在自然界之外。

詞匯表

recordings 錄音
captive 圈養的
zebra finches 珍珠鳥，斑胸草雀（學名）
mimic 模仿，仿效
flipping over 翻開
lids 蓋子
treat （獎勵性的）食物
reward 獎勵
mounting 越來越多的
strandings 擱淺
engineering 設計，建造
tyres 輪胎
road surfaces 路面
insulate 使隔音，使隔離

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. True or false? The researchers studied birds on a nearby road.

2. What tasks did the scientists set in order to mimic the problem-solving the birds have to do to find food?

3. In the experiment, were the birds more likely to find food in a quiet or noisy environment?

4. What could help reduce traffic noise, according to the researchers?

答案

1. True or false? The researchers studied birds on a nearby road.
False. Rather than studying birds in the wild, these researchers brought recordings of traffic noise from the nearby road into their lab. 

2. What tasks did the scientists set in order to mimic the problem-solving the birds have to do to find food?
Some tasks involved flipping over leaf-like lids to reveal a treat and working out how to reach a food reward that's hidden inside a cylinder.

3. In the experiment, were the birds more likely to find food in a quiet or noisy environment?
The birds were twice as likely to find food in a quiet environment.

4. What could help reduce traffic noise, according to the researchers? 
Researchers say that with clever engineering of tyres and road surfaces, there is scope to insulate the natural world from at least some of our noise.