CAN APES SPEAK?

1.

When people go to the zoo, the animals that often seem the most interesting

are the non-human primates that we call apes chimpanzees, monkeys, gorillas,
etc. We regard apes as the cleverest animals because so much of their behavior
seems to be similar to human behavior.
2.

Apes are social animals. They can spend many hours of the day cleaning

each other and playing. In addition, young apes often look after younger brothers
or sisters. Moreover, apes communicate with each other by means of facial
expressions, gestures or sounds. Apes can even lie to each other. For example, one
researcher who studied apes in the wild reported that a young chimpanzee saw an
older one digging for food. The youngster signaled that a dangerous predator was
coming, and as a result the older chimp hurried away. The youngster then happily
ate the food.
3.

Because apes in the wild seem in many ways similar to human beings,

researchers have been involved for many years in experiments which try to teach
primates to communicate with people.The first such project was the Washoe
project. Washoe lived in a caravan in her trainers garden. The researchers aim
was to teach Washoe ASL (American sign language, i.e., the language that deaf
people use). This language consists of hand and body signs. Washoes teacher
taught her the signs by moving her hands into the proper place. This process is
called moulding.
4.

Further research was conducted by Terrace and his colleagues on a

chimpanzee called Nim. Nim was taught a simple form of ASL.Another study was
carried out by Francine Patterson with a female gorilla called Koko.

1. Give examples of apes: chimpanzees, monkeys, gorillas

2. Why do people consider apes to be very smart?:
We regard apes as the cleverest animals because so much of their behavior
seems to be similar to human behavior
3. their (line 3 par 1) refers to: the monkeys
4. Circle True or False. Justify by quoting from the text.
Apes exchange information using sounds, bodily movements and facial
expressions. True/False Justify: Moreover, apes communicate with each
other by means of facial expressions, gestures or sounds
5. The examples given in paragraph 2 support the main idea that
a. apes communicate with each other
b. apes are social animals
c. apes can even lie to each other
d. apes know how to dig for food
6. Complete the sentence:
We can infer (understand) that older chimpanzee ran away because:
a young chimpanzee saw an older one digging for food. The youngster
signaled that a dangerous predator was coming, and as a result the older
chimp hurried away.
7. According to paragraph 2 give four reasons why apes are social animals:
a. They can spend many hours of the day cleaning each othe and playing
b. apes communicate with each other by means of facial expressions, gestures or sounds
c. young apes often look after younger brothers or sisters
d. Apes can even lie to each other

8. Circle True or False. Justify by quoting from the text.

Only recently researchers have started experiments trying to teach primates
to communicate with people.

True/False Justify: a young chimpanzee saw an older one digging for food.
The youngster signaled that a dangerous predator was coming, and as a
result the older chimp hurried away
9. Circle True or False. Justify by quoting from the text.
Behavior of apes living in nature resembles humans behavior.
Justify: True, Washoes teacher taught her the signs by moving her hands
into the proper place. This process is called moulding
10. this process (last line par 4) refers to: This language consists of hand and
body signs
11. Circle True or False. Justify by quoting from the text.
Washoes teacher wanted to teach her a sign language.
True/False Justify: Washoe lived in a caravan in her trainers garden. The
researchers aim was to teach Washoe ASL (American sign language)
12. Washoe, Nim and Koko are all _____________
a. experiments
b. gorillas
c. chimpanzees
d. apes
13. The experiments with Washoe, Nim and Koko support the main idea that:
apes in the wild seem in many ways similar to human beings
14. Summary
For people the most interesting animals are (1) apes.
We think that they are the (2) cleverest animals because their behavior is
similar to ours. Apes are social animals. They (3) spend together. Young
apes looks after their (4) younger brothers or sisters . Apes can (5
communicate with each and even lie to each other. Researches tried to teach

apes to (6) communicate with people. One example of such project is (7)
Washoe project.
Her teacher wanted to teach her (8) Sign Language . He used process called
(9) ASL . Two more (10) chimpanzee involved a chimpanzee called Nim
and a gorilla called Koko.