Scientists recently examined studies on dog intelligence and compared them with research into the minds of other intelligent animals. The researchers found that dogs are among the more intelligent carnivores(食肉动物), social hunters and domestic animals, but that their intelligence does not _26_ other intelligent animals in any of those categories: though a significant body of research has examined dog cognition _27_ , the authors of this new study found little to warrant the _28_ of work that has been devoted to the topic.
Stephen Lea, lead author of the new study, argues that many researchers seem to have designed their studies to _29_ how clever dogs are, rather than simply to study dogs’ brains. Lea and a colleague examined more than 300 studies of dog cognition, comparing the studies’ results with those from research into other animals. The researchers made specific comparisons between the different species in different categories of intelligence. These comparisons _30_ that dogs are intelligent, but their intelligence is not as _31_ as some researchers might have believed.
In many areas, though, comparisons were not possible. For example, the researchers noted that both dogs and cats are known to be able to recognize and _32_ human voices. But the investigators could not find any data to indicate which species can remember a greater number of _33_ human voices, so it was impossible to compare the two on that front. However, not all researchers agree _34_ with the findings of this study. Zachary Silver, an American researcher, believes the authors of the new study _35_ the idea that an excessive amount of research has been devoted to dogs, as the field of dog cognition is young, and there is much to be learned about how dogs think.
A) affirmed
B) approximately
C) completely
D) differentiate
E) distinct
F) domain
G) formidable
H) outperformed
I) overstated
J) pledge
K) previously
L) prospective
M) prove
N) surpass
O) volume
答案解析：
26. 根据 "but that their intelligence does not... other intelligent animals" 可知，这里需要一个动词，与 "other intelligent animals" 构成动宾关系，并与前面的 "among the more intelligent" 形成转折。空格所在句句意为“……但它们的智力并没有超过其他聪明的动物”。surpass意思是“超过，超越”，符合句意，所以选N。
27.根据 "Though a significant body of research has examined dog cognition..." 可知，这里需要一个副词，修饰 "examined"，表示研究是在过去进行的。空格所在句句意为“尽管已有大量研究先前检验过狗的认知能力”。previously意思是“先前，以前”，符合句意，所以选K。
28. 根据 "warrant the... of work" 可知，这里需要一个名词，表示研究的“量”。空格所在句句意为“……作者们发现几乎没有证据能证明值得投入如此大量的研究”。volume意思是“量，体积”，the volume of work意为“工作量，研究量”，符合句意，所以选O。
29. 根据 "designed their studies to... how clever dogs are" 可知，这里需要一个动词原形，表示研究的目的。空格所在句句意为“许多研究者似乎设计研究是为了证明狗有多聪明”。prove意思是“证明”，符合句意，所以选M。
30. 根据 "These comparisons... that dogs are intelligent" 可知，这里需要一个过去分词作谓语，表示比较研究得出的结论。空格所在句句意为“这些比较证实了狗是聪明的”。affirmed意思是“证实，断言”，符合句意，所以选A。
31. 根据 "but their intelligence is not as... as some researchers might have believed" 可知，这里需要一个形容词，用来形容狗的智力水平。空格所在句句意为“……但它们的智力并不像一些研究者认为的那样强大”。formidable意思是“强大的，令人敬畏的”，符合句意，所以选G。
32. 根据 "recognize and... human voices" 可知，这里需要一个动词原形，与 "recognize"(识别)并列。空格所在句句意为“狗和猫都能识别并区分人的声音”。differentiate意思是“区分，辨别”，符合句意，所以选D。
33. 根据 "remember a greater number of... human voices" 可知，这里需要一个形容词词，修饰 "human voices"，表示“大概的”声音。空格所在句句意为“……没有数据表明哪个物种能记住更多不同的人的声音”，distinct 表示“不同的”符合句意，所以选E。
34. 根据 "not all researchers agree... with the findings" 可知，这里需要一个副词，修饰 "agree"，表示同意的程度。空格所在句句意为“然而，并非所有研究者都完全同意这项研究的发现”。completely意思是“完全地”，符合句意，所以选C。
35. 根据 "believes the authors... the idea that..." 可知，这里需要一个过去分词作谓语，表示作者们对某个观点的态度。空格所在句句意为“……该研究的作者们夸大了‘有过多研究投入狗’这一观点”。overstated意思是“夸大”，符合句意，所以选I。
