Lesson 18-1 Porpoises
There has long been a superstition among mariners that porpoises will save drowning 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 lifesaving. On the occasions when they have pushed to shore an unconscious human being they have much more likely done it out of curiosity 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.
porpoise /ˈpɔːrpəs/ 海豚
superstition /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃn/ 迷信;迷信观念
mariner /ˈmærɪnər/ 水手
drown /draʊn/ 淹死，溺死;
defensive /dɪˈfensɪv/ 防御的;防守的;保护的
formation /fɔːrˈmeɪʃn/ 队形, 组成;编队
marine /məˈriːn/ 海的;海生的;海产的
studio /ˈstuːdioʊ/ 工作室;演播室 Marine Studio 海洋摄影室
biologist /baɪˈɑːlədʒɪst/ 生物学家
dolphin /ˈdɑːlfɪn/ 海豚
credit 认为是…的功劳
motive /ˈmoʊtɪv/ 动机;目的;原因
unconscious /ʌnˈkɑːnʃəs/ 无意识的;昏迷的;不省人事的
curiosity /ˌkjʊriˈɑːsəti/ n. 好奇心;求知欲;
bow 船头，船首
beaver /ˈbiːvər/ n. 海狸; v. 埋头苦干
ashore /əˈʃɔːr/ 向岸上, 在岸上的
waterlogged /ˈwɔːtərlɔːɡd/ 水涝的;水淹的;水浸的;
mattress /ˈmætrəs/ 床垫
scent /sent/ 气味;香味;香水;
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