Till as late as 1960s we believed that one of the major difference between us and the res lt of the animal kingdom
Answers
Till as late as 1960s we believed that one of the major difference between us and the res lt of the animal kingdom
Answer:
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: (12 Marks)
(CBSE 2019, Chennai)
1. Till as late as the 1960s, we believed that one of the major differences
between us and the rest of the animal kingdom was our ability to make
and use tools. But then, our egos suffered a devastating blow: in the
jungles of Gombe in Africa, Jane Goodall observed a chimpanzee pluck
and trim a stem of grass and insert it into a termite mound. The furious
termites climbed up the stem only to be happily eaten up by the chimp.
The chimp kept repeating the process. He had, in fact, fashioned his own
fishing rod and gone fishing for termites. We were not alone! And that was
not all. Chimps were also observed using rocks to bash open hard shells
and fruits (which other monkeys also do), to throw them at their enemies
and wave sticks around. Even worse, adolescent females, especially, were
seen sharpening sticks with their teeth and thrusting these like spears
into hollows where bush-babies were hiding in fear and then checked the
spear tips for blood! Chimps were also seen chewing up leaves and using
these like sponges to suck up water from the waterholes to enable them
to drink.
2. The gorillas and orangutans were not far behind. In 2005, a western
lowland gorilla (a lady, this time) was observed picking up a stick and
using it to check the depth of a pool she wanted to cross. Then, she
walking stick. Orangutans (as well as chimpanzees) have
been observed using broad leaves as umbrellas during downpours-and
orangutans that are accustomed to our company (never a good influence)
imitate the way we wash clothes by the riverbank or use a saw to cut wood.