They say that the eyes are the window to the soul. That is, simply looking into a person’s eyes can reveal details about what they are thinking and how they are feeling. In fact, in the animal kingdom, the eyes, and particularly the shape of the pupils, can actually tell us far more information about the animal. For example, some animals, such as cats and foxes, often have narrow, vertical pupils, while others, such as deer and sheep, have far wider and more horizontal ones. Such differences are, without doubt, no coincidence.
In the wild, a fox’s pupils become narrow when the fox is seeking prey. With such pupils, a fox can see vertical objects clearly, even from a distance, whereas horizontal objects go out of focus as they become farther away. This difference between focused and blurry objects helps a fox judge distance, which is vital when it hunts.
By contrast, the more horizontal, almost rectangular pupils of animals like deer, which are often sought as prey, are not believed to help with depth perception in the same way. However, the pupils are believed to provide strong peripheral vision, which refers to the ability to see objects within one’s whole field of vision, not only those directly in front. Such an advantage can help with escaping from larger hunters, who thus may be seen approaching from any direction.
Photo: Pixaby / 照片：Pixaby
Of course, there are exceptions to these trends, and the likelihood is that the pupil shape is dictated by multiple factors. Nevertheless, much like those of humans, animals’ pupils can reveal much about their intentions at any given moment. Truly, the eyes disclose what the tongue never could.
有人說，眼睛是靈魂之窗。也就是說，只要觀察一個人的眼睛，就能看出他在想什麼以及有什麼感覺。事實上在動物界中，眼睛──尤其是瞳孔的形狀 ──可以告訴我們關於動物的更多資訊。例如，有些動物（如貓和狐狸）的瞳孔通常是狹窄而垂直的，而有些動物（如鹿和羊）的瞳孔則是較寬且水平得多。毫無疑問地，這些差異絕非巧合。
在野外，當狐狸尋找獵物時，瞳孔會變窄。有了這樣的瞳孔，狐狸即使從遠處也能清楚地看到垂直的物體，而水平的物體則會隨著距離拉遠而失焦。這種聚焦物體和模糊物體之間的差異有助於狐狸判斷距離，這在捕獵時至關重要。
Photo: Pixaby / 照片：Pixaby
相比之下，鹿等動物的瞳孔較為水平、幾乎呈長方形，這些動物通常被當作獵物，人們不認為牠們的瞳孔是以同樣的方式增進牠們的深度知覺（編按：指對物體遠近距離（即深度）的知覺）。不過，其瞳孔被認為能提供很強的周邊視覺，這是指能夠看到整個視野內的物體，而不僅僅是正前方的物體。這種優勢有助於逃離大型捕食者的獵捕，因此從任何方向接近的捕食者都可能會被看見。
當然，這些趨勢也有例外，瞳孔的形狀很可能是由多種因素決定的。不過與人類的瞳孔一樣，動物的瞳孔在任何時候都能透露出許多意圖。眼睛確實能透露出舌頭無法傳達的訊息。
Words in use
1. vertical a. 垂直的
horizontal a. 水平的，橫的
Nowadays, many firms are seeking vertical integration to increase productivity.
現今有很多公司正在尋求垂直整合，以提高生產力。
Clothes with horizontal stripes tend to make people look wider.
橫條紋的衣服往往會讓人看起來比較胖。
2. coincidence n. 巧合
It was such a coincidence to run into Eddie on my way to work this morning.
今天早上真巧，我去上班途中遇到艾迪。
3. prey n. 獵物
A hawk hovered over the prairie, searching for its prey.
一隻老鷹在大草原上盤旋，尋找著獵物。
4. whereas conj. 而，卻
My sister likes Chinese food, whereas I prefer Japanese food.
我妹妹喜歡中國菜，而我則喜歡日本料理。
5. blurry a. 模糊的
Because of her blurry vision, Amy can’t make out what that sign says.
因為視力模糊，艾咪看不出那標示上寫什麼。
Practical Phrases
1. That is (to say), S + V 也就是說，……
Jill is a great professor. That is, you are lucky to be in her class.
吉兒是很棒的教授。換言之，你能在她班上很幸運。
2. without (a) doubt 毫無疑問地
John is, without doubt, competent for the job.
毫無疑問地，約翰能夠勝任這份工作。
3. by contrast 相較之下
This draft, by contrast, is much easier to understand than the earlier version.
相較之下，這次的草稿寫得比上一個版本更容易理解。
4. at any given moment 在任何時候
The flow of traffic can change at any given moment in the busy city.
在繁忙的城市中，車流隨時都可能在變化。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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