❶Gorilla who mastered sign language dies语言天才大猩猩离世

By Harriet/钱大平（译）

◆语篇导读

以出色的手语能力而闻名的大猩猩Koko在美国离世，享年46岁。据说Koko有着较高的智商，能够用手语与人交流。她掌握了超过1000种手语手势，能理解2000多个英语口语词汇，她被人们当成猩猩和人类交流的大使。

Koko，the gorilla（大猩猩），who is said to have been able to communicate by using more than 1，000 hand signs，has died in California at the age of 46.Instructors taught her a kind of American Sign Language and said she used it to express thoughts and feelings.

The abilities of the gorilla，who alsoobviouslyunderstood some spoken English，weredocumentedby animalpsychologistFrancine Patterson.Sheadoptedpets，including a cat she called All Ball.

“Koko—the gorilla was known for her ability to use sign language，and as the primaryambassadorfor her endangered species，she passed away in her sleep at the age of 46.”a Gorilla Foundation press release said.

“Koko touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and she was beloved and will be deeply missed.”

The gorilla，who was said to have an IQ of between 75 and 95，could understand 2，000 words of spoken English.TheaverageIQ for humans on many tests is 100，and most people score somewhere between 85 and 115.

She was born at the San Francisco Zoo in 1971.Dr.Patterson began working with Koko the following year and taught her sign language，the Gorilla Foundation said.

Some scientists havedoubton the gorilla'scommunicativeskills.

However，she was the subject of many documentaries and was the cover star for magazines including National Geographic.She also gained public attention for caring for cats.When her tailless cat All Ball escaped and was killed by a car in 1984，Dr.Patterson wrote that she was very sad.

Koko lived most of her life at the Gorilla Foundation in California.She was filmed meeting the late actor Robin Williams in 2001.

◆词语积淀

obviously/'ɒbviəsli/adv.明显地

document/'dɒkjumənt/vt.用文件证明；记载（详情）

psychologist/saɪ'kɒlədʒɪst/n.心理学家；心理学研究者

adopt/ə'dɒpt/vt.收养；正式通过

ambassador/æm'bæsədə（r）/n.大使；使节

average/'ævərɪdʒ /adj.平常的；平均的；平均数的

doubt/daʊt/v.怀疑；不信任

communicative/kə'mjuːnɪkətɪv/adj.健谈的；交际能力的

◆典语赏析

1.Koko，the gorilla，who is said to have been able to communicate by using more than 1，000 hand signs，has died in California at the age of 46.46岁的大猩猩Koko在加利福尼亚州离世，据说她会使用1000多种手语进行交流。

该句是一个含有定语从句的复合句，who用作关系代词，引导定语从句，修饰先行词Koko，the gorilla。at the age of...是固定搭配，意为“在……岁时”，有时可与when从句互换。

【即时尝试】汤姆在十岁时，就喜欢演奏不同类型音乐的音乐家。

2.Koko—the gorilla was known for her ability to use sign language...大猩猩Koko以出色的手语能力而闻名……

be known for是固定词组搭配，意为“因……出名”；ability是名词，意为“能力；才能”，其后接的动词不定式短语to use sign language作名词ability的后置定语。

【即时尝试】在我们学校，他因能流利地说英语而出名。

3.She also gained public attention for caring for cats.她也因为照顾小猫而受到公众的关注。care for是固定词组，意为“关心；照顾”，此处是介词for的宾语，因此用动名词形式。

【即时尝试】她日夜照顾她年迈的双亲。

译文助读

46岁的大猩猩Koko在加利福尼亚州离世，据说她会使用1000多种手语进行交流。教导员教会她一种美国手语，并说她会使用手语来表达思想和感受。

动物心理学家弗朗辛·帕特森记录了这只大猩猩的能力，她显然能够理解一些英语口语。她（大猩猩）还领养了宠物，包括一只名叫All Ball的小猫。

大猩猩基金会的新闻稿称：“大猩猩Koko以出色的手语能力而闻名，同时她也是大猩猩濒危物种的首席大使，她在睡梦中离世，享年46岁。”

“作为所有大猩猩的大使，Koko触动了数百万人的生命，她深受人们的喜爱，她会被深深地怀念。”

据说这只大猩猩智商在75到95之间，能够理解2000个英语口语单词。在许多测试中，人类的平均智商为100，大多数人的得分在85至115之间。

该大猩猩基金会说她于1971年出生在旧金山动物园。帕特森博士在次年开始与Koko一起工作，并教她手语。

一些科学家对这只大猩猩的交流技巧持有怀疑。

然而，她是许多纪录片的主角，并且是许多杂志的封面明星，包括《国家地理》。她也因为照顾小猫而受到公众的关注。当她的无尾小猫All Ball在1984年逃跑并被一辆汽车撞死后，帕特森博士写道，她表现得很悲伤。

Koko大部分时间生活在加利福尼亚州的大猩猩基金会。她曾被拍摄在2001年与已故演员罗宾·威廉姆斯会过面。