长期以来，人们认为在人类的社会交往中才有远近亲疏的差别，但是最新的科学研究发现，在大猩猩的社会中，已经有不同层次的社交关系了。
What gorillas tell us about society
by Marion Renault
Gorillas are not only docile（温顺的）, but also incredibly collaborative. And according to a new study published last week, the primates（灵长动物） have rich social lives that parallel the hierarchical structure of human societies in which close-knit groups (families, for example) are nested, like Russian dolls, in increasingly larger communities.
gorilla /ɡəˈrɪlə/ n. 大猩猩
incredibly /ɪnˈkredəbli/ adv. 难以置信地
collaborative /kəˈlæb(ə)rətɪv/ adj. 合作的、协作的
publish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/ v. 发表
rich /rɪtʃ/ adj. 丰富的、丰富多彩的
parallel /ˈpærəlel/ v. 跟…类似、比得上
hierarchical /ˌhaɪəˈrɑːkɪk(ə)l/ adj. 有层次的（由hierarchy加后缀-ical变成形容词）
structure /ˈstrʌktʃə(r)/ n. 结构
close-knit 团结互助的
nest /nest/ v. 嵌套
Russian doll 俄罗斯套娃
increasingly /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli/ adv. 越来越
community /kəˈmjuːnəti/ n. 社区、社交圈
"In humans we've got families, but we also have extended families and friend groups and communities," says Cambridge biological anthropologist（人类学家） Robin Morrison, a co-author of the paper. "We wanted to know, what are those like for apes?"
extended family 大家庭
Cambridge /ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/ 指剑桥大学
biological /ˌbaɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/ adj. 生物的（由biology加后缀-ical变成形容词）
co- 前缀，意思是共同
paper /ˈpeɪpə(r)/ n. 论文
ape /eɪp/ n. 类人猿
To answer that question, Morrison and her colleagues analyzed six years of observational data collected at two research sites in the Republic of Congo（刚果）, mostly at the Mbeli Bai clearing, where scientists have studied the primates for decades.
analyze /ˈæn(ə)laɪz/ v. 分析
observational /ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/ adj. 观察的、观测的（由observation加后缀-al变成形容词）
data /ˈdeɪtə/ n. 数据
republic /rɪˈpʌblɪk/ n. 共和国
clearing /ˈklɪərɪŋ/ n. 林中空地
decade /ˈdekeɪd/ n. 十年
At the sites, researchers watched, identified, and studied western gorillas from platforms established at the edge of forest clearings where abundant, protein-rich vegetation draws the animals to feed for hours at a time. Then, the researchers used statistical analyses to quantify the community structure of the populations.
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人的后缀-er）
identify /aɪˈdentɪfaɪ/ v. 识别、辨认
platform /ˈplætfɔːm/ n. 平台
establish /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ v. 建立、设立
abundant /əˈbʌnd(ə)nt/ adj. 大量的、充足的
protein /ˈprəʊtiːn/ n. 蛋白质
vegetation /ˌvedʒɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 植被
draw /drɔː/ v. 吸引
feed /fiːd/ v. 进食
statistical /stəˈtɪstɪk(ə)l/ adj. 统计的
analysis /əˈnæləsɪs/ n. 分析（analyses /əˈnæləsiːz/ 是复数）
quantify /ˈkwɒntɪfaɪ/ v. 量化
Scientists already knew that gorillas live in small "families" that tend to be made up of one dominant male, called "silverbacks," and several females and their offspring. But in their analysis, Morrison and her colleagues were able to quantify and map the structure of two, hierarchical social tiers – present in both communities they examined – for the first time.
tend /tend/ v. 倾向于
make up 组成、构成
dominant /ˈdɒmɪnənt/ adj. 占优势的、占支配地位的
offspring /ˈɒfsprɪŋ/ n. 子女（单数和复数都是offspring）
map /mæp/ v. 绘制地图、绘制图形
tier /tɪə(r)/ n. 一层
present /ˈprez(ə)nt/ adj. 在场的、存在的
examine /ɪɡˈzæmɪn/ v. 仔细检查
The first social tier above the tight-knit groups consisted of about 13 gorillas, on average, and is akin to human extended families made up of uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandparents. Beyond that, researchers observed a further social tier made up of about 40 gorillas, that spend time together without necessarily being biologically related, like a village or tribe. In fact, the researchers found that 80 percent of those close associations they detected were between distantly related or even entirely unrelated silverbacks.
consist /kənˈsɪst/ of 由…组成
akin /əˈkɪn/ adj. 相似的、类似的
cousin /ˈkʌz(ə)n/ n. 堂兄弟姐妹、表兄弟姐妹
observe /əbˈzɜːv/ v. 观察、观测
necessarily /ˈnesəserɪli/ adv. 必然地（由necessary加后缀-ly变成副词；多跟否定词连用，表示“不一定”）
biologically /ˌbaɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)li/ adv. 生物地（由biological加后缀-ly变成副词）
related /rɪˈleɪtɪd/ adj. 有亲属关系的
tribe /traɪb/ n. 部落
association /əˌsəʊʃiˈeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 联系
detect /dɪˈtekt/ v. 发现、查明
distantly /ˈdɪst(ə)ntli/ adv. 遥远地（由distant加后缀-ly变成副词）
entirely /ɪnˈtaɪəli/ adv. 完全地（由entire加后缀-ly变成副词）
unrelated /ˌʌnrɪˈleɪtɪd/ adj. 没有亲属关系的（由related加上表示否定的前缀un-）
The gorillas' diet may help explain why it might be advantageous for them to develop complex societies. Western gorillas search and seek out a wide array of plants that rarely produce fruit. Early on in life, family groups help train the young on how to forage（觅食）. Later, the researchers speculate, long-term bonds and networks could help larger social tiers remember when certain trees produce fruit or where to find them.
advantageous /ˌædvænˈteɪdʒəs/ adj. 有利的（由advantage加后缀-ous变成形容词）
complex /ˈkɒmpleks/ adj. 复杂的
seek out 寻找、探寻
array /əˈreɪ/ n. 大量
early on 在早期
speculate /ˈspekjuleɪt/ v. 猜测
long-term 长期的
bond /bɒnd/ n. 紧密联系
network /ˈnetwɜːk/ n. 网络（这里指社交关系网）
Although some scientific theories assume that the evolution of a sophisticated "social brain" is unique to hominids, the discovery of the complexity of gorilla societies suggests the social organization observed in humans may have evolved far earlier than previously believed. Instead of developing in humans 100,000 or 200,000 years ago, Morrison says, social hierarchies may have emerged somewhere closer to 8 million or 10 million years ago.
theory /ˈθɪəri/ n. 理论
assume /əˈsjuːm/ v. 假定、假设
evolution /ˌiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)n/ n. 进化
sophisticated /səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/ adj. 复杂巧妙的
unique /juːˈniːk/ adj. 独一无二的
hominid /ˈhɒmɪnɪd/ n. 人科动物（包括现代人和各种原始人）
discovery /dɪˈskʌv(ə)ri/ n. 发现
complexity /kəmˈpleksəti/ n. 复杂性（由complex加后缀-ity变成名词）
suggest /səˈdʒest/ v. 表明
evolve /ɪˈvɒlv/ v. 进化
hierarchy /ˈhaɪərɑːki/ n. 层次体系
emerge /ɪˈmɜːdʒ/ v. 出现
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