Could a Wolf Ever Adopt a Human? PDF

2 Read Text A, and then answer Questions 1(a)–(e) on the question paper. Text A: Could a wolf ever adopt a human? C...

2 Read Text A, and then answer Questions 1(a)–(e) on the question paper. Text A: Could a wolf ever adopt a human? C A new ‘Jungle Book’ movie is in cinemas. Originally inspired by ancient Indian fable texts,& I the tale of Mowgli, an orphaned boy raised by the jungle’s animal inhabitants, is once again delighting audiences. The movie’s story never fails to win viewers over thanks to its fantastic take on a human living among animals in the wild, leaving cinema-goers wondering if there’s any truth behind 5 a boy being raised by wolves. There are various mythological whisperings about babies 2 being reared in this way, including Tarzan – looked after by great apes – and Romulus and Remus, the supposed founders of Rome, who were also said to have been nurtured by wolves. So is there any evidence or science behind such tales? Of other similar stories drifting around, perhaps the most intriguing is that of a boy named 10 Ramu found in a forest in 1976, who, just like Mowgli, was raised by Indian wolves – or so 3 it seemed. He even had claw-like nails. But Ramu’s story soon began to unravel, with people spotting parallels to other published stories. Ultimately, Ramu’s tale could not be confirmed. But the key here is not whether children can survive in the wild – they can – but whether animals of a different species would want to protect someone who isn’t one of their own. 15 Chimpanzees, with their remarkable social traits, are seen as the closest living evolutionary 4 cousins to humans, though this doesn’t necessarily mean they’d adopt a human child. They certainly show empathy and kindness, but they’re also documented as engaging in violence to defend their territory. Nevertheless, chimpanzees do adopt orphaned chimps, both in captivity and in the wild. 20 And there are plenty of cases of animals befriending members of other animal species – 5 cats nursing baby squirrels, even a pod of sperm whales caring for a bottlenose dolphin. Researchers note that ‘instinctive adoption’ (when a creature adopts a member of its own to species) happens most often, ensuring DNA that’s similar is passed on to the next generation. 6 humans have very different DNA to animals There’s a little less scepticism floating around the Internet than usual when it comes to tall 25 tales like Mowgli’s – people like to believe that an animal might adopt an alien-looking, resource-swilling human infant. Perhaps a young human could be adopted by a wild animal ↓ if they contributed something useful. We just haven’t seen verifiable documented evidence of it just yet. & no substantial/proven human babies take up evidence a lot of resources © UCLES 2024 03_0500_12_2024_1.15  3 Read Text B, and then answer Question 1(f) on the question paper. Text B: How is the wolf perceived? The writer of this article has been living alongside a pack of wolves for a number of years, studying and protecting them. O [For many people, their understanding of wolves is a mixture of fact, fiction and half-truths. J 2 [Ridiculous tales told to children 3 (such as a ‘big bad wolf’ who eats a grandmother whole) 3 have[ JIn folklore, the wolf’s native corrupted the imagination of generation after generation. [pack-hunting talents – social planning, coordination and surprise – have been interpreted 3 as undesirable human characteristics such as deception and trickery. 5 6[Classic horror films portray werewolves fanged and bloodthirsty by the light of the full moon. J Oh dear![ Misleading stereotypes still resurface in popular culture and music today, with > wolves constantly portrayed as dangerous threats. People 5 are taught to fear the wolf, so J ignoring evidence to the - many still [ believe that wolves pose a perpetual threat to human life, contrary. 7 10 lack of [ For some cultures the wolf is an animal of great wisdom, revered as a spiritual guide; this 7g is often distorted by modern wolf enthusiasts to make wolves seem otherworldly and unreal. understanding Their view holds the wolf in great esteem, but often does so at the expense of recognition of its place in our ecosystem. Scientists, such as biologists, ecologists and zoologists, study how humans affect wolves 15 9 and vice versa, which is very important for the conservation of this species. But[ scientists can’t get too close to the wild animals without dramatically influencing and altering natural J Much research is therefore conducted remotely with the use of technology pack behaviour. such as camera traps, ‘howl boxes’ and tracking devices such as radio collars. The body of knowledge produced by scientists continues to expand and enrich our understanding of 20 [ wolves. But studying wild wolves remotely or from a great distance has limitations.in what 18 3 can be observed, making it very difficult to develop an understanding of the nuances of the wolf’s character, individuality, devotion to its family, and capacity for communicating emotion and needs. For example, pups ask adults for regurgitated food by licking their muzzles. If there is food around, an adult may growl at pack members to keep them away until they 25 [ have finished eating. Mistakenly, people often interpret this language as being vicious and Il J evil. © UCLES 2024 03_0500_12_2024_1.15 [Turn over