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大连朗阁雅思培训—雅思阅读部分的准备和实战技巧International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 俗称“英国使馆考试”，亦被称为“雅思”或“雅词”考试。
它是为了检验要去英国或其他英联邦国家学习的非英语国家学生的英语能力，由英国剑桥大学和澳大利亚高校国际开发署设计的语言考试，英国文化委员会负责在海外组织。
IELTS考试分为ACADEMIC IELTS 考试和GENERAL TRAINING IELTS 考试，前者是针对留学人员和访问学者，后者是针对移民申请者。
两种考试的听力和口语试卷相同，阅读和写作另卷。
IELTS考试有听力、阅读、写作和口语四部分，每部分的满分为9分，总分是四部分的平均分。
阅读、听力和总分可以有0.5分，写作和口试只有整数分。
一般说来，去国外攻读大学本科IELTS总分需要6分（5分也可以获得签证，但需要到国外后进行语言学习，然后再考IELTS。
总分达到6分后，方可就读本科），读研究生要6.5分（个别学校和专业要求7分），并且各单科分数不能低于6分。
A类阅读考试：时间1小时，由三篇独立的文章组成（包括有八种左右的题型），每篇的文章长度在700——1200字，共有38——42道题。
其中至少有一篇文章为文科类型（与社会、经济等文科专业有关），另外两篇涉及理、工、农、医，一般与科技有关。
A类阅读考试的评分标准是：（五分以下略）答对： 16—22题得5分，23—28题得6分，29—35题得7分，36—39题得8分，满分9分既是全对。
G类阅读考试：时间也是1小时，通常由五篇文章组成（主要有7种题型），共有40道题目左右。
它可分为三部分：第一部分考日常事务（实用文章两篇）；第二部分考培训内容（一般与实用类或培训类短期或长期的培训有关，各一篇）；第三部分为一般说明文（篇幅略长）。
G类阅读考试的评分标准是：（五分以下略）答对：18—25题得5分，26—34题得6分，35—37题得7分，38—39题得8分，全对得满分9分。
【精品文档】雅思真题A类阅读第一篇全文-精选word文档本文部分内容来自网络整理，本司不为其真实性负责，如有异议或侵权请及时联系，本司将立即删除！== 本文为word格式，下载后可方便编辑和修改！ ==雅思真题A类阅读第一篇全文Professor Macfarlane has spent many years wrestling with the enigma of the Industrial Revolution . Why did this particular Big Bang - the world - changing birth of industry happen in Britain ? Macfarlane compares the puzzle to a combination lock . There are about 20 different factors and all of them need to be present before the revolution can happen , he says . For industry to take off there needs to be technology , power to drive the factories , large urban populations to provide cheap labour , easy transport to move goods around , an affluent middle - class willing to buy mass produced objects , a market - driven economy and a political system that allows this to happen . Whilst this was the case for England , other countries such as Japan , The Netherlands and France also met some of these criteria . Most historians are convinced there are one or two missing factors that you need to open the lock .The missing factors , Macfarlane proposes , are to be found in every kitchen cupboard - tea and beer , two of the nations favourite drinks fuelled the revolution . The antiseptic properties of tannin , the active ingredient in tea and of hops in beer - plus the fact both are made with boiled water - allowed urban communities to flourish at close quarters without succumbing to waterborne diseases such as dysentery . The theory initially sounds eccentric but his explanation of the detective work that went into his deduction and the fact his case has been strengthened by a favourable appraisal of his research by Roy Porter the scepticism gives way to wary admiration .。
大连朗阁培训中心Research Academy for Foreign Language Examinations雅思考试阅读考题回顾大连朗阁培训中心考试日期：2014 年 10 月 18 日Reading Passage 1Title:Undergraduate Students Study DramaQuestion types:TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN 4 题表格填空题 9 题文章内容回顾文学专业的学生学习戏剧，列举了不同时代的四种剧院的特点，戏剧的发展和影响，让学生观看英国不同时期的不同戏剧。
This degree course combines the theory and practice of drama.Thetwo approaches are not merely complementary, but areindivisible inthe study of drama and theatre at degree level.The main teaching modes comprise seminar discussion andpracticalworkshop sessions, which explore play texts, theoreticalwritings,performance traditions and techniques, and examine thetheatre’srole and function in society throughout history. European,Americanand non-Western theatre traditions are studied as well asBritishtheatre.Modules in Technical theatre, lighting, sound, set andcostume,television drama, and playwriting are also available.Practical worktakes place primarily in the Department’s theatre andstudios. The Sir相关英文原文阅读Robert Martin Theatre seats an audience of up to 300 and has a proscenium arch, which is easily adapted to accommodate otherforms of production. The Leonard Dixon Studio and the StanleyEvernden Studio are flexible spaces seating up to 86and 45respectively.Studying AbroadOur courses enable you to study for a selected period of timeininternational destinations such as the USA, Canada, Singaporeandcontinental Europe.AssessmentThe course is assessed solely through coursework, usingvariousmethods according to the module being studied. Methodsinclude:essays/reflective work, seminar participation, online in-class tests,大连朗阁培训中心Research Academy for Foreign Language Examinations annotated bibliographies, performance projects, in-classpresentations, research projects, workbook/log books, groupwork & peer assessments and dissertation.第一篇的题型包括是非无判断题和表格填空题。
海口朗阁7月19日雅思阅读考题回顾7月19日雅思阅读题型完整版即海口朗阁名师解题思路句子填空题判断题流程图填空文章内容回顾介绍了游戏对学龄前儿童的影响，科学家对十几个家庭做深入的实验测试，根据实验研究结果来完善游戏设计。
部分答案分析：句子填空题：1. abilities2. parents3. siblings4. experienced判断题：TRUE, NOT GIVEN, TRUE, FALSE流程填空题：firmsimplicityfull versionfeedback相关英文原文阅读PLAY IS A SERIOUS BUSINESSDoes play help develop bigger, better brains? Bryant Furlow investigatesA. Playing is a serious business. Children engrossed in amake-believe world, fox cubs play-fighting or kittens teaming a ball of string aren’t just having fun. Play may look like a carefree and exuberant way to pass the time before the hard work of adulthood comes along, but there’s much more to it than that. For a start, play can even cost animals their lives. Eighty percentof deaths among juvenile fur seals occur because playing pups fail to sport predators approaching. It is also extremely expensive in terms of energy. Playful young animals use around two or three per cent of energy cavorting, and in children that figure can be closer to fifteen per cent. ‘Even two or three per cent is huge,’ says John Byers of Idaho University. ‘You just don’t。
雅思阅读段落信息搭配题之联想法解题朗阁海外考试研究中心杨颖子段落信息搭配题是雅思阅读中综合难度最高的一种题型，也让很多考生头疼不已。
这种题型要求考生在全文中找出题目中的信息，并且匹配段落。
但是难点在于题目信息一般都是改写过的，也没有很明显的定位词，出题范围又是全文，考生往往会在有限的时间内找不到或者找错。
其实，段落信息搭配题也不是那么难找，题目信息是有规律可循的，只要通过适当联想，很多题目都能很快找到文章的对应点。
经过深入研究，朗阁海外考试研究中心的老师在这里给广大考生介绍一下如何运用联想法来进行解题。
一、抽象变具体段落信息搭配题的题干信息大多包含比较抽象、概括的名词，因此定位词很不明显，在原文中也不显眼。
但是这些抽象名词也往往是原文具体化名词的改写词，即题目信息是原文的概括化，这种情况我们称为抽象名词具体化。
这需要我们看到抽象名词时进行联想，把它具体化。
以下有一些高频的抽象名词具体化的例子：（1）Cost／Finance／Funds等表金钱的抽象名词——对应原文金钱数字符号考生在看到题干中含有Cost／Finance／Funds等表金钱的抽象名词，联想到一定是和金钱数字有关，应该先去扫读原文中带有金钱符号的数字，而带有金钱符号的数字往往是非常好找的。
例：剑七Test 2 Passage 2 第14题题目：A Cost Involved in Purifying Domestic Water分析：看到关键词cost, 立马寻找全文是否有带有金钱符号的数字。
扫读过后发现文章D 段和E段都有，而E段数字最多，所以从E段看起。
在E段第二行找到定位句：“£23m for the removal of the bug cryptosporidium from drinking water by water companies.”去除removal和purify改写，花费是£23m, 快速得出答案。
济南新航道学校IELTS READING雅思阅读高分必备习题集注：本习题集仅供济南新航道内部学员使用，严禁翻印，传阅。
Contents1.Amateur naturalist 业余自然学家（P3）municating Styles and Conflict 交流的方式与冲突(P6)3.Health in the Wild 野生动物自愈.(p10)4.The Rainmaker 人工造雨(P13)5.Shoemaker-Levy 9 Collision with Jupiter 舒梅克彗星撞木星(P16)6. A second look at twin studies 双胞胎研究(P19)7.Transit of Venus 金星凌日(P22)8.Placebo Effect—The Power of Nothing安慰剂效应(P25)9.The origins of Laughter 笑的起源(P29)10.Rainwater Harvesting 雨水收集(P32)11.Serendipity:The Accidental Scientists科学偶然性(P36)12.T erminated! Dinosaur Era! 恐龙时代的终结(P40) ADDICTION 电视上瘾(P43)14.E I nino and Seabirds 厄尔尼诺和水鸟(P46)15.T he extinct grass in Britain 英国灭绝的某种草(P50)16.E ducation philosophy教育的哲学(P53)17.T he secret of Yawn打哈欠的秘密(P57)18.c onsecutive and simultaneous translation交替传译和同声传译(P60)19.N umeracy: can animals tell numbers?动物会数数么？(P63)20.G oing nowhere fast(P66)21.T he seedhunters种子收集者(P69)22.T he conquest of Malaria in Italy意大利征服疟疾(P72)READING PASSAGE 1You should spend about 20minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.文章背景：业余自然学家主要讲述的是有一些人，平时喜欢观察自然界的植物生长，养蜂过程，气候变化，等等与大自然相关的变化并且做记录得到一些数据，这种数据叫做“amateur data”. 本文主要介绍业余自然学家以及一些专业自然学家探讨业余自然学家的数据是否能用，以及应该如何使用这些自然学家的数据，其可信度有多少等问题。
大连朗阁雅思培训—雅思阅读原来是这么考的，不看不知道什么才不是被动的刷题，而是有效的备考解题呢?那就需要烤鸭们站在巨人的肩膀上来看考官在出题时，脑袋里在想些神马东西?我们今天就拿雅思阅读题型中的选择题来给大家解析一下考官的出题套路。
如果要问雅思阅读中难度最大的题型是哪种题型，相信99%的烤鸭都会说是选择题。
的确，选择题是最考查学生能力的题型，因为考生必须要读懂句子，正确理解识并识别同义替换，才能选出正确的选项。
所以，这个题目就成了让无数烤鸭在考场上尽折腰的题目，也是想考阅读8+高分的烤鸭们必须要突破的题目。
如果选择题是这样的:出题模式一：句子1：It seems that the viewer can sense the artists’ vision in paintings, even if they can’t explain why.题目：下面哪个选项与上句意思一致?A. mostly favour works of art which they know well.B.hold fixed ideas about what makes a good work of art.C.are often misled by their initial expectations of a work of art.D.have the ability to perceive the intention behind works of art.那么应该90%的同学可以做对，正确答案是D。
如果做不对的同学，请你踏踏实实去背背核心2000词或是学术核心词汇566吧。
但是，选择题的实际出题模式是这样的：出题模式二：这篇文章的标题是：Neuroaesthetics题目：Angelina Hawley-Dolan’s findings indicate that peopleA mostly favour works of art which they know well.Bhold fixed ideas about what makes a good work of art.Care often misled by their initial expectations of a work of art.Dhave the ability to perceive the intention behind works of art.原文出题点：Angelina Hawley-Dolan, of Boston College, Massachusettes, responded to this debate by asking volunteers to view pairs of paintings - either the creations of famous abstract artists or the doodles of infants, chimps and elephant. They then had to judge which they preferred. A third of the paintings were given no captions, while many were labelled incorrectly-volunteers might think they were viewing a chimp’s messy brushstrokes when they were actuall y seeing an acclaimed masterpiece. In each set of trials, volunteers generally preferred the work of renowned artists, even when they believed it was by an animal or a child. It seems that the viewer can sense the artist’s vision in paintings, even if they can’t explain why.出题模式一，其实就是雅思选择题的本质所在。
如何精读雅思阅读文章朗阁海外考试研究中心提高阅读理解能力没有捷径，有的是一条对大部分人来说很难坚持的路——精读文章。
当然，“泛读”也可以达到一定的阅读目的和提高阅读速度的效果，但对于大部分考生来说，只有在一定量“精读”积累的基础上，“泛读”才更高效、更有意义。
本文中，朗阁海外考试研究中心的老师将以剑桥真题中剑 6 TEST 2 PASSAGE 2的文章GREYING POPULATION STAYS IN THE PINK的前两个自然段为例，演示如何精读雅思阅读文章。
正式开始演示如何精读雅思阅读文章之前，我们先确认已做好了两件事：1. 在规定时间内已经完成了文章后面相应的习题并核对了正确答案；2. 准备好一本让人有欲望整理笔记的笔记本。
然后，在一个安静的地方，关掉手机，开始精读文章。
Elderly people are growing healthier, happier and more independent, say American scientists.这句话对于绝大多数的考生来说并不存在理解上的问题。
如果精读的目的只是为了“读懂每句话”，那么这句话一遍读过去，完全理解了，就可以开始读第二句了。
但是如果想充分利用雅思阅读文章中的句子，让自己在“阅读能力”和“写作能力”方面都有所提高，那不妨尝试从以下几个方面主动思考一下。
1. 思考此句和文章标题之间的关系首段的首句可以理解为对于文章标题的解释、对于全文的总起。
读完首句，不妨思考一下首句和文章标题之间的关系。
理解此句中的elderly people就是标题中的greying population, 此句中的healthier, happier and more independent就是标题中的stays in the pink。
这样的思考不但可以锻炼逻辑思维能力，而且可以让自己越来越适应英文文章的“套路”，并能在自己的写作中自然地流露出来。
大连朗阁雅思培训—备考干货：雅思阅读如何快速读懂文章？无论什么英语阅读考试，有一个问题始终会有所争议——先看文章，还是先看题目。
有些考生是先把文章精读一遍再去看题目，而有些考生是先浏览题目，再看文章。
孰是孰非，争论不休。
之所以有这样的讨论，重要原因在于，很多同学认为文章中的每个段落、每个句子甚至每个单词对于阅读理解而言都同等重要。
是不是这样呢?我们一起来看一个雅思考试中所出现的段落。
Privately held companies are voluntarily adding more scrutiny, as well. In a recent survey that drew responses from 1400 CFOs in such businesses, 58 percent said they are responding to new corporate-governance standards. Of those, 36 percent are creating or expanding internal auditing, according to Robert HALF management Resources. An American company with $3 billion to $4 billion in revenue typically has about 16 internal auditors. The job is often a training ground for future management positions, but those who stay in the field and become directors earn an average of just under $100,000. The IIA offers certification for internal auditors, but many firms do not require it.参考译文：私营公司现在也开始更加注重企业的内部审计工作。
雅思考试阅读考题回顾朗阁海外考试研究中心祝丹霞考试日期2016年6月18日Reading Passage1Title Thomas YoungQuestion types TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN Summary Completion文章内容回顾文章介绍了关于托马斯杨的一本传记，里面描述了他在事业和科学研究方面的主要成就。
题型难度分析第一篇的题型包括简答和判断题。
本篇文章简答和判断的难度适中，但是有个别题型定位比较难。
题型技巧分析判断题注意事项：1.找出题目中的关键词，最好先定位到原文中的一个段落。
将题目中的关键词与原文各段落的小标题或每段话的第一句相对照。
有些题目能先定位到原文中的一个段落，这必将大大加快解题时间，并提高准确率。
但并不是每个题目都能先定位到原文中的一个段落的。
2.从头到尾快速阅读该段落，根据题目中的其它关键词，在原文中找出与题目相关的一句或几句话。
确定一个段落后，答案在该段落中的具体位置是未知的。
所以，需要从头到尾快速阅读该段落，找出该段落中与题目相关的一句话或几句话，通常是一句话。
3.仔细阅读这一句话或几句话，根据第二大步中的原则和规律，确定正确答案。
4.要注意顺序性，即题目的顺序和原文的顺序基本一致。
剑桥雅思推荐原文练习剑6Test4Passage2Reading Passage2Title Children's Behavior in ClassroomQuestion types Information Containing&Multiple Choices&Summary文章内容回顾说一个研究，根据实验步骤第一、二、三步和实验结果填。
制定出确定的规则，实验前培训老师，老师被规定向学生介绍解释规则，然后看学生的praise behaviour有没有改变。
positive;harmful;praise;combination题型难度分析本篇文章题目难度较上一篇有所增加，因为段落细节匹配一直都是考生比较害怕费时难定位的题型。
考研屋为大家整理了1月12日雅思真题:雅思阅读真题,仅供参考！！
阅读一个针叶林，一个storytelling,有亚里士多德，荷马，一个是讲一本关于音乐和大脑什么的书。
阅读第一篇spotaliar9分达人里有第二三篇都有matching第三篇有填空小作基本线图描述四个气车公司造车时间大作政府是否该投资建公共图书馆
阅读第一篇是撒谎者第二篇是科学历史上的对错然后很多科学家的名字啊这样第三篇是雪崩
阅读第一个是说谎者，第三个讲雪崩。
第二个忘了。
阅读第一篇上面提到了说谎者的第二篇忘了第三篇讲雪崩的
阅读第一篇是如何识破说谎者，第二篇不记得了，第三篇是讲有关雪崩
阅读第一篇很简单，关于longleafpineforest，以及wildlife。
第二篇storytelling，第三篇一个人对一本书的读后感。
后两篇挺难的，有答案的各位
分享下啊
阅读山火对北美树的影响，2.讲故事，亚力士多得牛逼3.某人对另一哥们音乐与神经学的书的理解
阅读一篇讲storytelling，一篇讲一个人对一个叫S的人写的music与brain 的book的评价，还有一篇讲forestfires。
有个fire对GG鸟影响的流程图要填空。
考生可收藏考研屋雅思频道,查看更多关于雅思考试相关信息！！
考研辅助网考研路上必备的交流学习网站。
大连朗阁雅思培训—雅思写作拿高分审题正确是关键1. In some countries, it is now possible for people to buy a wide variety of foods transported from all over the world. To what extent do the benefits of this development outweigh the drawbacks?考题解释：在一些国家，如今人们可以买到来自于世界各地的食物。
你认为这件事情的利益是否超过了它的缺点？审题：在阅读这个题目的时候，千万不要把注意力放到分析进口食品这个事情上去。
文章的论点在于人们买到全世界食品的这个现象，是好还是不好，而非进口食品的好坏。
2. Nowadays, many charities and organizations publicize their activities by giving names toa particular day, such as National Childr en’s Day and National Non-smoking Day. Why do they do so? What effects will these special days have?考题解释：在当今社会，很多慈善机构将一年中的某一天命名为国际儿童节，或者是无烟节，从而达到宣传的目的。
他们为什么这么做？这样做的影响有哪些？审题：这个题目是比较典型的分析解决型的文章，但是题目所涉及的关于慈善机构的话题对于大多数考生来说还是非常陌生的，所以题目比较难。
有些同学会把这个题目写成分析设立儿童节，无烟节的原因和影响上，这是不正确的。
我们在审题时要对题目中“such as”，“like”，“for example”后的名词的上一级名词作重点分析，而非停留在这些例子上。
大连朗阁雅思培训—雅思阅读选择题关键在于判断避免陷阱扫除干扰在雅思阅读考试中，亲切指数最高的题型一定是选择题摘得头筹，因为在国内的各种英语考试中选择题占了相当大的比例。
在近两年的雅思考试中，选择题占了20%的比重，重要性不可小觑。
但是考生往往反映雅思阅读的选择题不易做对，究其原因还是因为选项中的陷阱一个接一个，干扰项不易辨别。
考试的过程中，该题型就成了纠结指数最高的题型，拿不定主意，浪费时间，导致整体分数不高。
那么如何辨析选项中的正确选项与干扰项呢？吕鸥老师指导我们可以把选择题的选项按照判断题的TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN的标准来分析，这样就有利于我们解开这个乱麻一样的题型了。
一、正确选项在文中有定位点，并且替换正确，这就是正确选项的定义，这跟判断题中的TRUE/YES很像。
但在雅思考试中，判断题的出题范围通常是一至两句，而选择题的定位句往往不止一句，许多时候需要结合好几句话理解。
同时，国内考生最容易在选择题上犯的一个错误就是主观臆断或过度推断，经常根据自己的常识或感觉选出答案，在文中根本没有找到相应的定位点。
因此我们一定要遵循“有其意则选之，无其意必弃之”的答题原则。
在剑桥后期的几本真题中，选择题的陷阱越来越少，也就是说在正确答案句周边出现的词汇没有很多，而是总结归纳题的数量在逐渐增加，这也是和判断题的趋势保持一致的。
这就需要学生在平时的阅读备考中，要增强自己的长句阅读能力，无论是抓句子主干，还是掌握主要词汇，两者必须齐头并进。
二、错误选项错误选项是指和原文意思完全矛盾的选项，相当于判断题中的FALSE/NO，考生往往对于错误选项很容易辩出。
如剑7 Test 4 Passage 3 第29题题目：Researchers discovered that high noiselevel are not likely to interfere with theA. successfulperformance of a single task.B. tasks ofpilots or air traffic controllers.C. ability torepeat numbers while tracking moving lines.D. ability tomonitor three dials at once.原文：But there are limits to adaptation andloud noise becomes more troublesome if the person is required to concentrate onmore than one task. For example, high noise levels interfered with theperformance of subjects who were required to monitor three dials at a time, atask not unlike that of an airplane pilot or an air-traffic controller.Similarly, noise did not affect a subject’s ability to track a moving line witha steering wheel, but it did interfere with the subject’s ability to repeatnumbers while tracking.题干问的是噪音不太可能会影响的事情，我们通过定位发现原文中写道，“For example, high noise levels interfered with the performance ofsubjects who were required to monitor three dials at a time，a task notunlike that of an airplane pilot or an air-traffic controller”, 即噪音会影响同时操作三个方向盘的人和类似飞行员和空中管制员那样的任务，对应B和D选项的内容，由此可把B和D选项排除。
大连朗阁雅思培训—雅思阅读材料之如何善待自己1. Stop Beating Yourself Up停止苦逼Would you say the things you think about yourself to another person? If not, you owe yourself an apology. How could you love a person who believes such nasty things about you? Even if you did mess up, get over it. Big goof that’s mostly irrelevant? Laugh at it. Serious mistake that had repercussions? Learn from it. The important thing is to drop your baggage and move on.你会不会把内心对自己的那些看法用来评价另外一个人？如果不会，那你还欠自己一个道歉。
你怎会爱上听信有关你的坏话的人呢？就算你确实搞砸过，那也是过去了。
难得犯了糊涂？一笑而过吧。
犯了后果严重的错误？那就吸取教训。
重要的是抛开包袱，继续前行。
2. Think Positive积极思考Focus on your strengths (instead of your weaknesses). Leap out of bed (don’t crawl out of it). Look at every day as a new opportunity (not the same old story).不要老盯着缺点，而应多想想优点。
要一跃而起，不可拖拉磨叽。
不要认为日无新事，其实每天都是新机遇。
3. Be Thankful充满感恩Be aware of all the things you should be thankful for. Make note of the people, places, things and activities that bring you the most joy. If you slow down, you’ll realize you have an awful lot t o be thankful for.用心留意所有值得感恩的事情。
雅思考试阅读考题回顾朗阁海外考试研究中心方晓静考试日期2016年6月16日station at Gombe-the first of its kind-is more famous, but Nishida‟s site at Mahale is the second oldest chimpanzee research site in the world. )D In these initial studies, as the chimpanzees became accustomed to close observation, the remarkable discoveries began. Researchers witnessed a range of unexpected behaviors, including fashioning and using tools, hunting, meat eating, food sharing and lethal fights between members of neighboring communities.E As early as 1973, Goodall recorded 13 forms of tool use as well as eight social activities that appeared to differ between the Gombe chimpanzees and chimpanzee populations elsewhere. She ventured that some variations had what she termed a cultural origin. But what exactly did Goodall mean by "culture"? According to the Oxford Encyclopedic English Dictionary, culture is defined as "the customs . . . and achievements of a particular time or people. "The diversity of human cultures extends from technological variations to marriage rituals, from culinary habits to myths and legends. Animals do not have myths and legends, of course. But they do have the capacity to pass on behavioral traits from generation to generation, not through their genes but bylearning. For biologists, this is the fundamental criterion for a cultural trait: it must be something that can be learned by observing the established skills of others and thus passed on to future generationsF What of the implications for chimpanzees themselves? We must highlight the tragic loss of chimpanzees, whose populations are being decimated just when we are at last coming to appreciate these astonishing animals more completely. Populations have plummeted in the past century and continue to fall as a result of illegal trapping, logging and, most recently, the bushmeat trade. The latter is particularly alarming: logging has driven roadways into the forests that are now used to ship wild-animal meat-including chimpanzee meat-to consumers as far afield as Europe. Such destruction threatens not only the animals themselves but also a host of fascinatingly different ape cultures.G Perhaps the cultural richness of the ape may yet help in its salvation, however. Some conservation efforts have already altered the attitudes of some local people. A few organizations have begun to show videotapes illustrating the cognitive prowess of chimpanzees.One Zairian viewer was heard to exclaim, "Ah, this ape is so like me, I can no longer eat him. "H How an international team of chimpanzee experts conducted the most comprehensive survey of the animals ever attempted. Scientists have been investigating chimpanzee culture for several decades, but too often their studies contained a crucial flaw. Most attempts to document cultural diversity among chimpanzees have relied solely on officially published accounts of the behaviors recorded at each research site. But this approach probably overlooks a good deal of cultural variation for three reasons. First, scientists typically don‟t publish an extensive list of all the activities they do not see at a particular location. Yet this is exactly what we need to know-which behaviors were and were not observed at each site. Second, many reports describe chimpanzee behaviors without saying how common they are; with- out thisinformation, we can‟t determine whether a particular action was a once-in-a-lifetime aberration or a routine event that should be considered part of the animals‟ culture. Finally, researchers‟ descriptions of potentially significant chimpanzee behaviors frequently lack sufficient detail, making it difficult for scientists working at other spots to record the presence or absence of the activities.J To remedy these problems, the two of us decided to take a new approach. We asked field researchers at each site for a list of all the behaviors they suspected were local traditions. With this information in hand, we pulled together a comprehensive list of 65 candidates for cultural behaviors.K Then we distributed our list to the team leaders at each site. In consultation with their colleagues, they classified each behavior in terms of its occurrence or absence in the chimpanzee community studied. The key categories were customary behavior (occurs in most or all of the able-bodied members of at least one age or sex class, such as all adult males), habitual (less common than customary but occurs repeatedly in several individuals), present (seen at the site but not habitual), absent (never seen), and unknown.。
