A
We’ve certainly seen a dog nursing a wound, or a deer calling out in pain. But many animals suffer in silence. The most silent sufferers in the animal world may be fish.
Do fish feel pain? A new study from the University of Liverpool has found that fish feel pain in a way that’s “strikingly similar” to humans. For the study, Lynne Sneddon, from the university’s Institute of Integrative Biology, reviewed the existing body of research-98 studies in all-and concluded that they feel pain just as sharply as we do.
“When subject to a potentially painful event, fish show changes in behavior such as stopping feeding and reduced activity, which are prevented when a pain-relieving drug is provided. In fact, like us, they breathe heavily and stop eating when they’re hurting. They will even rub the part of their body that aches.” Sneddon notes in a university release.
To understand pain in other species, scientists look at nociceptors, which send signals to the brain when the body is being damaged. Humans have them throughout their skin, bones and muscles. Nociceptors have also been found in many other species, including even those tiny fruit flies. Fish have the same means to detect pain signals and the equipment to receive them.
Besides, the fishermen’s opinion that fish feel no pain just doesn’t add up from an evolutionary view. Pain is an efficient messenger that tells us that we’ve got a problem. An animal that can’t feel it won’t get that memo(备忘录), even if it hurts itself.
“If we accept fish experience pain, then this has great significance for how we treat them,” Sneddon says. “Care should be taken when handling fish to avoid damaging their sensitive skin and they should be humanely caught and killed.”
21. What will a fish do when its lips get hurt?
A. It might rub its lips. B. It will keep its mouth open.
C. It will swim around like crazy. D. It will keep eating to forget pain.
22. What is the significance of the study according to Sneddon?
A. People will treat fish in a kinder way.
B. People can understand evolution better.
C. People can develop more drugs to save fish.
D. People will think of more ways to catch fish.
23. What does the underlined part “add up” probably mean?
A. disappear B. put forward C. make sense D. happen
