文章介绍了研究人员对恒河猴进行的数字加法实验，发现猴子具备基础的计算能力，但其对数字总和的判断存在系统性低估，且这种行为反映出其大脑对数量的特定表征方式。
Monkeys seem to have a way with numbers.
猴子似乎对数字很有一套。
A team of researchers trained three Rhesus monkeys to associate 26 clearly different symbols consisting of numbers and selective letters with 0-25 drops of water or juice as a reward. The researchers then tested how the monkeys combined—or added—the symbols to get the reward.
一组研究人员训练了三只恒河猴，让它们将由数字和特定字母组成的26个明显不同的符号与0 - 25滴水或果汁奖励联系起来。然后，研究人员测试猴子如何组合——或者说相加——这些符号来获取奖励。
Here's how Harvard Medical School scientist Margaret Livingstone, who led the team, described the experiment: In their cages the monkeys were provided with touch screens. On one part of the screen, a symbol would appear, and on the other side two symbols inside a circle were shown. For example, the number 7 would flash on one side of the screen and the other end would have 9 and 8. If the monkeys touched the left side of the screen they would be rewarded with seven drops of water or juice; if they went for the circle, they would be rewarded with the sum of the numbers—17 in this example.
带领该团队的哈佛医学院科学家玛格丽特·利文斯通这样描述这个实验：在猴子的笼子里为它们提供了触摸屏。屏幕的一侧会出现一个符号，另一侧则显示圆圈内的两个符号。例如，数字7会在屏幕一侧闪烁，而另一端则是9和8。如果猴子触摸屏幕左侧，就会得到7滴水或果汁作为奖励；如果它们选择圆圈，就会得到数字之和作为奖励——在这个例子中就是17滴。
After running hundreds of tests, the researchers noted that the monkeys would go for the higher values more than half the time, indicating that they were performing a calculation, not just memorizing the value of each combination.
在进行数百次测试后，研究人员注意到，超过一半的时间里猴子会选择数值更高的选项，这表明它们在进行计算，而不仅仅是记住每个组合的数值。
When the team examined the results of the experiment more closely, they noticed that the monkeys tended to underestimate(低估)a sum compared with a single symbol when the two were close in value—sometimes choosing, for example, a 13 over the sum of 8 and 6. The underestimation was systematic: When adding two numbers, the monkeys always paid attention to the larger of the two, and then added only a fraction(小部分)of the smaller number to it.
当团队更仔细地研究实验结果时，他们注意到，当两个数值相近时，与单个符号相比，猴子往往会低估总和——例如，有时会选择13，而不是8和6的总和。这种低估是有规律的：当把两个数字相加时，猴子总是关注较大的那个数字，然后只把较小数字的一小部分加到较大数字上。
"This indicates that there is a certain way quantity is represented in their brains, "Dr. Livingstone says. “But in this experiment what they're doing is paying more attention to the big number than the little one.”
利文斯通博士说：“这表明在它们的大脑中，数量是以某种特定的方式呈现的。但在这次实验中，它们所做的是更关注大数字而非小数字。”
一、重点词汇
1. associate /əˈsəʊʃieɪt/ v. 联系；关联
2. reward /rɪˈwɔːd/ n. 奖励；回报；v. 奖励；奖赏
3. combine /kəmˈbaɪn/ v. 组合；结合
4. describe /dɪˈskraɪb/ v. 描述；形容
5. provide /prəˈvaɪd/ v. 提供；供给
6. flash /flæʃ/ v. 闪烁；闪光
7. sum /sʌm/ n. 总和；总数；v. 总结；概括
8. run /rʌn/ v. 进行；运行；经营
9. note /nəʊt/ v. 注意到；留意到；n. 笔记；记录
10. indicate /ˈɪndɪkeɪt/ v. 表明；显示；暗示
11. perform /pəˈfɔːm/ v. 执行；进行；表演
12. calculation /ˌkælkjuˈleɪʃn/ n. 计算；计算结果
13. memorize /ˈmeməraɪz/ v. 记住；记忆
14. examine /ɪɡˈzæmɪn/ v. 检查；审查；考察
15. underestimate /ˌʌndərˈestɪmeɪt/ v. 低估；对……估计不足
16. systematic /ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk/ adj. 有系统的；有计划的
17. attention /əˈtenʃn/ n. 注意力；关注
18. fraction /ˈfrækʃn/ n. 小部分；少量
二、重点短语与固定搭配
1. have a way with 擅长；对…… 有天生的感知
2. consist of 由…… 组成
3. associate...with... 把…… 与…… 关联起来
4. touch screen 触摸屏
5. in this example 在这个例子中
6. run tests 进行测试
7. pay attention to 关注；注意
8. compare with 与…… 相比
9. close in value 数值相近
10. perform a calculation 进行计算
11. note that... 发现；注意到
12. tend to do sth. 倾向于做某事
13. the sum of …… 的总和
14. more than half the time 超过一半的时间
15. be provided with 被提供
16. on one part of 在……的一部分
17. on the other side 另一边
18. go for 选择；倾向于
19. more than half the time 超过一半的时间
20. the larger of 两者中较大的
