Shark Men 鯊魚冒險家‏

 It is a beautiful, sunny day at the beach. You are enjoying a refreshing swim in the ocean when someone suddenly screams, "Shark!" The life guards1 spot the fin2 sticking out of the water and start shouting for everyone to get ashore. Everyone is hysterical3 and climbing to get out as fast as they can because they don't want to be eaten alive by a great white shark. At least, this is what Hollywood wants you to believe.

這一天的海邊風和日麗。您正在海裡享受清涼暢快的游泳滋味，這時忽然有人大喊：『有鯊魚！』救生員看到水面上伸出一片魚鰭，然後就開始大喊要所有人快點上岸。每個人都歇斯底里、連滾帶爬地盡速離開水裡，因為他們不想被一隻大白鯊給生吞活咬。至少，這是好萊塢電影要您這麼相信的。

　　However, great white sharks don't actually have a taste for human flesh4. As the world's largest predatory5 fish, they prefer to feed on sea lions6, seals7, dolphins, and whales. Great whites are famed for their huge, powerful mouths which are lined with as many as 300 razor-sharp teeth. They are also feared for their size and speed. Adult great whites average 4.6 meters in length, weigh about 2,200 kilograms, and shoot through the ocean at over 40 kilometers per hour.
不過大白鯊其實並不喜歡吃人肉。身為世界上最大的掠食性魚類，牠們偏好以海獅、海豹、海豚以及鯨魚為食。大白鯊以牠們那張強而有力、裡頭排列著多達三百顆利齒的血盆大口而聞名。牠們也因其體型和速度讓人心生畏懼。成年大白鯊的平均身長達四點六公尺，重量約兩千兩百公斤，並以每小時超過四十公里的速度在海裡穿梭。
　　Recently, scientists have realized that their numbers are decreasing. National Geographic Channel and a team of experts are out to find a solution to this problem on "Shark Men."
近來科學家瞭解到牠們的數量正在減少當中。國家地理頻道和一群專家試圖要在《鯊魚冒險家》的節目裡為這個問題找出解決之道。

Building Your Vocabulary

1. refreshing　a. 清涼的
I love a glass of refreshing lemonade on a hot summer day.
我喜歡在炎炎夏日裡喝一杯清涼解渴的檸檬汁。
2. line　vt. 沿某物排列成行
Crowds lined the street to watch the parade.
街上排滿了要觀看遊行的人群。
3. razor-sharp　a. 銳利的；鋒利的
I cut my finger on the razor-sharp blade.
我的手指頭被鋒利的刀片給割傷了。
4. decrease　vi. 減少；降低
The city's crime rate has decreased lately.
這座城市的犯罪率近來降低了。

Phrases for Learning

1. stick out　　突出
Ian is the short boy whose ears stick out.
伊恩是那個矮矮的、有著一對順風耳的男孩。
2. have a taste for...　　喜愛∕愛好……
My wife has a taste for expensive perfume.
我的太太喜歡搽昂貴的香水。
3. feed on...　　（動物）以……為食
Some birds feed on insects and seeds.
有些鳥類以昆蟲和種子為食。
4. be famed for...　　以……聞名
This village is famed for its fresh seafood.
這座村莊以其新鮮的海產聞名。

Extra Words

1. life guard　n. 救生員
2. fin　n. 魚鰭
3. hysterical　 a. 歇斯底里的
4. flesh　n.（人或動物的）肉
5. predatory　a. 掠食性的
6. sea lion　n. 海獅
7. seal　n. 海豹

Tips In Use

...as many as 300 razor-sharp teeth. （……多達三百顆利齒……） 　　razor-sharp 中的 razor 為一名詞，意指『剃刀』，而 sharp 則是形容詞，表『鋒利的』，兩字合在一起即表『如剃刀般鋒利的』，故引申為『極為銳利』之意。此類用法會利用前面名詞的特性，來強調其後的形容詞，常見的尚有： ice-cold 冰冷的 sky-high 如天高的 rock-hard 石頭般堅硬的 paper-thin 薄如紙的 snow-white 雪白的 Christine wishes that she could have snow-white skin. （克莉絲汀希望她能擁有雪白的肌膚。）