2011年高考英语上海卷 - 阅读理解B

Humpback whales
座头鲸

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Humpback whales are sometimes called performers of the ocean. This is because they can make impressive movements when they dive. The name “humpback”, which is the common name for this whale, refers to the typical curve shape the whale’s back forms as it dives.
座头鲸有时被称为海洋表演者，因为它们潜水时的动作令人印象深刻。“座头鲸”是这种鲸鱼的通称，指的是鲸鱼在潜水时背部的通常曲线形状。

Sometimes the humpback will dive with a fantastic movement, known as a breach. During breaching the whale uses its powerful tail flukes to lift nearly two-thirds of its body out of the water in a giant leap. A breach might also include a sideways twist with fins stretched out like wings, as the whale reaches the height of the breach.
有时座头鲸会以一种奇妙的动作潜入水中，这种动作被称为“破浪”。在破浪过程中，鲸鱼利用其强大的尾鳍将身体的近三分之二从水中一跃而出。破浪过程中，当鲸鱼到达破浪的高度时，鳍也可能像翅膀一样伸出，侧向扭曲。

A humpback whale breathes air at the surface of the water through two blowholes which are located near the top of the head. It blows a double stream of water that can rise up to 4 meters above the water.
座头鲸通过位于头顶附近的两个喷水孔在水面呼吸空气。它喷出双股水流，最高可达水面4米。

The humpback has a small dorsal fin located towards the tail flukes about two-thirds of the way down its back. Other distinguishing features include large pectoral fins, which may be up to a third of the body length, and unique black and white spots on the underside of the tail flukes. These markings are like fingerprints: no two are the same.
座头鲸有一个小的背鳍，位于其背部三分之二处，靠近尾鳍，尾鳍下侧有独特的黑白斑点。这些标记就像指纹：没有两个是相同的。

Humpback whales live in large groups. They communicate with each other through complex “songs”.
座头鲸群居生活，通过复杂的“歌声”相互交流。

Quick Facts
简介

Size:
大小

14m~18m in length
长14~18米

30~50 tons in weight
重30~50吨

Living:
生活：

Open ocean and shallow coastline waters
公海和浅水海岸线水域

Environment:
环境：

From warm tropical waters, where they breed, to cold polar waters, where they eat.
从它们繁殖的温暖热带水域到进食的寒冷极地水域。

Diet:
食物：

Shellfish, plants and fish of small size
贝类、植物和小型鱼类

Hunting:
捕食：

Sometimes in groups, in which several whales form a circle under the water, blowing bubbles that form a “net” around a school of fish. The fish are then forced up to the surface in a concentrated mass.
有时成群，几头鲸鱼在水下围成一圈，在一群鱼周围吐泡，形成“网”。然后，这些鱼被集中推至水面。

Current state:
当前状况：

endangered; it is estimated that there are about 5000~7000 humpback whales worldwide.
濒危；据估计，全球约有5000至7000头座头鲸。