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Zoo Animals Show Their Artistic Sides
The pursuit of happiness is so important, America's founding fathers put it in the Declaration of Independence. Any zookeeper will tell you animals need enrichment, just like humans do.
So painting and music are part of the Smithsonian National Zoo's program to keep the animals happy.
Francois, a sloth bear, began his artistic career two years ago. He has a unique way to paint, using his breath. His keeper, Stacey Tabellario, said that although it might look odd, it's actually a very natural behavior.
Sloth bears have got big, big lungs, and they can suck things up and then in the same breath they can exhale a huge amount of air, she said. So we took this natural behavior of the exhale. We stuff up one of those tubes full of paint and ask them to exhale through it. And that expels all of the paint onto the canvas, making these really cool paintings.”
Animal artists come in all shapes and sizes at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. They use a variety of techniques to create masterpieces with nontoxic, water-based paint. Many use their paws or claws. Apes will use paintbrushes.
But like humans, not every animal wants to paint, said small-mammals keeper Kenton Kerns.
Painting is absolutely a choice, he said. So if it is very clear to us if an animal does not want to do a painting session ... we will sTOP right away. We will choose other animal and give them an opportunity to do it.”
Tabellario said 24-year-old Francois seems to enjoy expressing his inner artist.
“When I set up the materials for painting activity, he comes and sits next to them and waits until we are ready to start painting, she said. I also see where his eyes go, that he does see the paints come out of the tube and land on the canvas. ”
Music is also part of the arts enrichment program. Tabellario, who is the zoo's Enrichment and Training Committee chair, says physically and mentally stimulating activities are an integral part of the daily care. Trainiers have a lot of tools — everything from tablet computers to toys in the enclosures.
The program offers other benefits as well, Kerns said.
“Every interaction between keeper staff and their animals creates some sort of bond, he said. And hopefully, especially enrichment sessions like this create a stronger bond.”
The one-of-a-kind works of art created by the animals are popular with zoo visitors and are sold at the zoo’s fundraising events.
词语分析
veteran
困难程度：3星常用词语，属常用6000词
英汉讲解
adj.老练的
n.老手；老兵
参考例句
用作形容词
A good idea soaked into that veteran worker.
那位老工人的头脑里有了一个好主意。
用作名词
The baseball veteran loved to coach young players.
这位棒球老手喜欢指导年轻选手。
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detect
困难程度：4星核心词语，属常用3000词
英汉讲解
v.发觉；知道；探测
参考例句
用作动词
If you read between the lines, you can detect his contrived explanation.
在字里行间，你可以看出他牵强的讲解。
Small quantities of poison were detected in the dead man's stomach.
在死者胃中找到了少量的毒药。
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mental
困难程度：4星核心词语，属常用3000词
英汉讲解
adj.思想的；心理的；精神的；脑力的
n.精神病病人
参考例句
用作形容词
It's clear that mental activity does not sTOP when we're asleep.
非常显然,大家熟睡的时候,思想活动仍然不会停下来。
用作名词
The hospital cares for some fifty mental patients.
这家医院照料五十名左右精神病病人。
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torture
困难程度：3星常用词语，属常用6000词
英汉讲解
n.拷问；痛苦
vt.拷问；使痛苦；曲解
参考例句
用作名词
The use of torture must disgust any civilized person.
施用酷刑必为文明社会的人所不齿。
用作及物动词
He tortured his prisoners.
他拷打犯人。
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agency
困难程度：4星核心词语，属常用3000词
英汉讲解
n.代理；代理处；政府机构
参考例句
用作名词
I hope we can see eye to eye about the other terms of the agency then.
我期望到那时候大家能在代理协议的其他条约上能获得一致建议。
The agent is the person who works for a government agency in secret.
特工职员是为政府部门秘密工作的人。
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rotate
困难程度：3星常用词语，属常用6000词
英汉讲解
v.轮流；旋转
adj.车轮状的
参考例句
用作动词
The post of chairman rotates among members of the committee.
主席一职由委员会的成员轮流担任。
Does the earth rotate on an axis?
地球是绕轴旋转的吗？
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painful
困难程度：3星常用词语，属常用6000词
英汉讲解
adj.痛苦的；疼痛的；费力的
参考例句
用作形容词
It was painful for him to renounce his son.
宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来讲是非常痛苦的。
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