新概念英语4册第18课

Porpoises

There has long been a superstition among mariners that porpoises will save drowing men by pushing them to the surface, or protect them from sharks by surrounding them in defensive formation. Marine Studio biologists have pointed out that, however intelligent they may be, it is probably a mistake to credit dolphins with any motive of life-saving. On the occasions when they have pushed to shore an unconscious human being they have much more likely done it out of curiously or for sport, as in riding the bow waves of a ship. In 1928 some porpoises were photographed working like beavers to push ashore a waterlogged mattress. If, as has been reported, they have protected humans from sharks, it may have been because curiosity attracted them and because the scent of a possible meal attracted the sharks. Porpoises and sharks are natural enemies. It is possible that upon such an occasion a battle ensued, with the sharks being driven away or killed.

Whether it be bird, fish or beast, the porpoise is intrigued with anyting that is alive. They are constantly after the turtles, the Ferdinands of marine life, who peacefully submit to all sorts of indignities. One young calf especially enjoyed raising a turtle to the surface with his snout and then shoving him across the tank like an aquaplane. Almost any day a young porpoises may be seen trying to turn a 300-pound sea turtle over by sticking his snout under the edge of his shell and pushing up for dear life. This is not easy, and may require two porpoises working together. In another game, as the turtle swims across the oceanarium, the first porpoises swoops down from above and butts his shell with his belly. This knocks the turtle down several feet. He no sooner recovers his equilibrium than the next porpoises comes along and hits him another crack. Eventually the turtle has been butted all the way down to the floor of the tank. He is now satisfied merely to try to stand up, but as soon as he does so a porpoises knocks him flat. The turtle at last gives up by pulling his feet under his shell and the game is over.

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长久以来在水手中都有这样一种迷信，海豚会解救溺水的人，把他们顶到岸上，或者摆成一个防御的姿势防止他们被鲨鱼吃掉。海洋生物学家指出，虽然海豚可能很聪明，但认为海豚会救命可能是一个错误。当他们把不醒人世的落水者推到海岸上时他们可能更多的处于好奇心或者是为了运动，就象他们骑在船头的波浪一样。在1928年，一些照片中海豚象海狸一样把一个浸满水的床垫推向岸边。如果象报道的那样，他们保护人类不受鲨鱼的伤害，这可能是好奇心驱使着他们而一顿可能的美食气味吸引了鲨鱼。海豚与鲨鱼是天敌。随后可能的是一场战斗，结果鲨鱼被赶跑或者被杀死。

无论是鸟类，鱼类或者兽类，海豚都会被激起兴趣。它们总是跟在海龟，一种海洋生物，的后面，有一些“侮辱”的动作。海豚的幼崽尤其喜欢用嘴把海龟顶到海面然后再猛推到底部，就象是滑水板。几乎每天都能看到小海豚试着把嘴放在海龟壳的下面然后抬起，试图把300磅重的海龟翻过来。这并不容易，而且可能需要两只海豚合作。另一场竞赛中，当海龟游过水族馆时，一只海豚突然从上面扑下来，用它的头撞击海龟的壳。这使海龟掉落了几英尺。当海龟还没来得及恢复平衡，另一只海豚在另一边的空隙撞击它。最后海龟没有其他的路，只能沉到池塘底部。而当海龟尝试站起来的时候，一只海豚向它水平撞了过去。最后海龟放弃了，它把爪子拖在壳的下面，游戏结束了。