Reading Exercise: Whale Culture

B Humpback and killer whales currently offer the most compelling evidence of culture among cetaceans, with the male humpback song serving as a notable example. Different humpback populations in various oceans sing distinct songs, though within the same ocean they adhere to a uniform song. However, during breeding seasons, song variations occur, seemingly to attract females. Changes initiated by one male, such as adding groans or dropping grunts, are adopted by others until a new consensus song emerges across thousands of whales spanning vast territories, learned solely through imitation from peers.

C Culture's significance is even more apparent in killer whale life. Nowhere is this clearer than on the north-west coast of America, where killer whales are divided into two distinct populations: 'residents' and 'transients'. These groups inhabit the same waters but remain separate, each adhering to its unique culture. Resident pods, typically comprising two or three mothers and their offspring (around 20 whales in total), exhibit stable group dynamics with calves remaining with their mothers into adulthood, and no observed pod-switching. Transients travel in smaller, more variable groups of three to six whales.

D One of the starkest contrasts between transient and resident societies lies in their communication methods. Killer whales use echolocation clicks for prey detection but rely on squeaks, whistles, and whines for social interaction. Transients have a limited repertoire of calls shared across all groups, while residents boast a diverse array of calls. Each resident family group maintains a distinct dialect, adhered to consistently over decades of study, despite regular intergroup interactions.

E. For killer whale dialects to be considered part of their culture, they must be acquired from other pod members. Despite sharing the same waters, the variations cannot be attributed to the physical environment. According to Lance Barrett-Lennard of the University of British Columbia, who has spent seven years analyzing DNA from 270 whales, paternity tests reveal that female killer whales consistently attract mates from different pods with markedly different dialects. This undermines the idea that dialects are genetically inherited. Barrett-Lennard notes, 'A calf precisely mimics the calls of its maternal pod, without any influence from the father.'

F. The question remains: is this cultural behavior? Frans de Waal of Emory University in Atlanta argues that culture is simply another biological adaptation that has evolved in numerous species. Viewing culture in this light helps us understand why and how it might have developed in these creatures. Whales possess several biological traits advantageous for social learning, including advanced cognitive abilities and adept sound recognition, crucial for communication in marine environments. Many species spend years nurturing their young in small, stable, multi-generational societies, facilitating extensive opportunities for teaching and learning.

G. Why have cetaceans evolved the ability to learn from other group members? Whale biologists suggest ecological factors and the necessity to adapt to sudden environmental changes played significant roles in the emergence of culture. While the ocean offers stability in many aspects, food availability fluctuates drastically. Senior members' past experiences and their ability to transmit this knowledge become invaluable during times of scarcity. Killer whale dialects enable group members to identify each other, facilitating the exchange of information about food sources. Barrett-Lennard adds that among resident killer whales, dialects help females avoid inbreeding by choosing mates from other pods.

H. The emphasis on sharing information appears to have driven biological changes in some whale species. Female killer whales, like humans, exhibit an unusual trait: they live up to a quarter century beyond their last offspring, suggesting they have valuable knowledge to impart. What these whale matriarchs offer is cultural knowledge, crucial for the group's survival, passed down directly from one generation to the next.

Questions 1-5

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage? In boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE           if the statement agrees with the information.

FALSE          if the statement contradicts the information.

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

1 Resident killer whales appear to remain with their maternal group for life

2 Resident killer whales have a more restricted range of calls than transients.

3 There is a vocabulary of sounds which is common to all transient killer whales

4 Resident killer whales share the dialects of other resident communities living in the same waters.

5 The dialects of transient killer whales remain constant over time

Queries 6-8

Complete the summary below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer

Write your answers in boxes 6-8 on your answer sheet.

It has been observed that resident killer whales invariably live in fixed family groups, known as 6… . Each of these has its own unique set of calls, despite close contact with other family groups. As the same areas of ocean contain many different groups with widely varying dialects, it is clear that these differences could not have emerged as a result of the whales’ 7… .

According to tests conducted by Lance Barrett-Lennard, a calf communicates exclusively with the dialect of the group to which its 8…  belongs. Barrett-Lennard also rejects the idea that the call patterns are inherited.

Questions 9-11

Choose THREE letters. A-F

Write the correct letters in boxes 9-11 on your answer sheet

Which THREE of these whale characteristics are referenced in the text?

A  intelligence

B  physical strength

C  sensitivity to sound.

D  prolonged life span

E  lengthy period of fertility

F  adaptability to a variety of foods

Questions 12-14

Reading Passage 3 comprises eight paragraphs, labeled A-H

In which paragraph is the following information found?

Write the correct letter A-H in boxes 38-40 on your answer sheet.

12 an example of the kind of information passed by whales to each other

13 a reference to variations in communication styles between different cultures within one species

14 ways in which the skills of whales are favorable for the development of culture

Answers:

1. TRUE (Đoạn C, “Calves stay with their mothers throughout adulthood, and in many years of observation no one has ever seen a whale switch pods.”)

2. FALSE (Đoạn D, “ Transients have only a few such calls, and all transient societies share the same ones. Residents have a much more extensive repertoire.”)

3. TRUE (Đoạn D, “Despite regular interaction between them, each resident pod sticks firmly to its own dialect.”)

4. FALSE (Đoạn E, “Animals with different dialects  share the same waters, so the variations can’t be a product of the physical environment.”)

5. NOT GIVEN (Không có thông tin)

6.  Pods (Đoạn C, “Residents live in stable groups, or ‘pods’, made up of two or three mothers and their offspring – perhaps 20 whales in all.”)

7. physical environment (Đoạn E, “Animals with different dialects  share the same waters, so the variations can’t be a product of the physical environment.”)

8. Mother If dialects were programmed by genetics, call patterns from both father and mother would be passed on the cafl.  A calf uses the calls of its maternal pod very precisely. There’s no input from the father,’ says Barrett-Lennard.”)

9. A

10. C

11. D

(Paragraph F, “Besides their advanced cognitive abilities, whales are skilled at recognizing sounds… Many species spend years nurturing their offspring and reside in small, stable, multi-generational societies…”)

12. H (Đoạn H, “This only makes sense if they have something useful to give their descendants. And what whale matriarchs offer is the most important thing of all – cultural knowledge….”)

13. D (Đoạn D, “Residents have a much more extensive repertoừe, and each family group has its own unique and distinctive set of calls.”)