第三篇 Shark Attack!
Craig Rogers was sitting on his surfboard, scanning the distance for his next wave，when his board suddenly stopped moving. He looked down and was terrified to see a great white shark biting the front of his board. “I could have touched its eye with my elbow,” says Craig. The shark had surfaced so quietly that he hadn't heard a thing.
In his horror and confusion，he waved his arms and accidentally cut two of his fingers on the shark's teeth. He then slid off the opposite side of his surfboard into the water. Then, with Craig in the water and blood flowing from his fingers，the five-meter-long shark simply swam away, disappearing into the water below.
Although sharks are often categorized as killers that hunt and eat as many humans as they can, this is factually inaccurate. Sharks very rarely kill humans. A person has a greater chance of being struck by lightning or drowning in a bath than of being killed by a shark. Only 74 people have been reported killed by great whites in the last century. But great white sharks can reach six meters in length and weigh 2,200 kilograms or more. With frightening ja
ws that can hold up to 3,000 teeth arranged in several rows，they could very easily kill and eat a helpless human in the water. Why is it, then, that most people survive attacks by great whites? Shark researchers are trying to comprehend the reasons that allow people to escape without being eaten.
The most common explanation is that great whites don't see well. It has been thought that they mistake people for the seals or sea lions which make up a large part of their diet. There is reason to doubt this，however. Recent information shows that great whites can actually see very well. Also， when attacking seals, great whites shoot up to the surface and bite with great force. When approaching humans, however, they most often move in slowly and bite less hard. They soon discover that humans are not a high — fat meal. “They spit us out because we're too bony,” says Aidan Martin，director of Reef Quest Center for Shark Research.
Shark researchers like Martin hypothesize that great whites are actually curious animals that like to investigate things. It's possible that they use their bite not only to kill and eat, but
also to gather information. Although such an experience is unlucky for people like Craig Rogers, when sharks bite surfboards or other objects or people，they are likely just trying to learn what they are.
词汇：
scan vt审视，细看,浏览
elbow n.肘，肘部
surface n, 表面，外表；vi.浮出水面，浮现
drown vi.淹死，溺死
注释：
1. ... cut two of his fingers on the shark's teeth.被鲨鱼咬掉了两个指头。
2. A person has a greater chance of being struck by lightning or drowning in a bath than of being killed by a shark.比起被鲨鱼杀死,人类更有可能被闪电击中或是淹死在浴缸中。
练习：
1. After Craig Rogers fell into the water, the shark_________.
A) bit his surfboard
B) bit his fingers
C) swam away
D) attacked him
2. It is difficult for the author to understand why great whites_________.
A) often let humans escape
B) kill humans
C) have so many teeth
D) grow to six meters or more
3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to make up in line 2 of paragraph 4?
A) create.
weigh翻译B) are.
C) increase.
D) depend upon.
4. The word their in line 2 of paragraph 4 means_________.
A) people's
B) great whites'
C) sea lions'
D) seals'
5. What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph?
A) Great whites eat low-fat, bony meals more slowly.
B) Great whites see well enough to include seals, sea lions, and humans in their diet.
C) We now know great whites don't mistake humans for other animals.
D) There is reason to doubt that great whites see well enough to attack humans.
注释及译文
Craig Rogers was sitting on his surfboard【冲浪板】, scanning the distance【距离】 for his next wave【波浪】，when his board suddenly stopped moving. He looked down and was terrified【很害怕的；极度惊慌的】 to see a great white shark biting the front of his board. “I could have touched its eye with my elbow【肘】,” says Craig. The shark had surfaced so quietly that he hadn't heard a thing.
克雷格•罗杰斯正坐在他的冲浪板上估算着下一波浪离他还有多远，就在这时冲浪板不动了。他低头向水下看，惊悚的一幕出现了：一条大白鲨正在撕咬冲浪板的前端。“我的肘部可能都
已经碰到了它的眼睛”，克雷格谈道。原来，这条鲨鱼悄悄地浮上了水面，完全没让克雷格听到。
In his horror【恐惧】 and confusion【困惑】，he waved his arms and accidentally【偶然地】 cut two of his fingers on the shark's teeth. He then slid off the opposite【对立地】 side of his surfboard into the water. Then, with Craig in the water and blood flowing from his fingers，the five-meter-long shark simply swam away, disappearing into the water below.
克雷格惊慌害怕，手足无措，但是偶然之间他被鲨鱼咬掉了两支手指，然后随着滑板翻了个个儿，他也掉进水里。就在那时，处于水中的克雷格两支手指鲜血直流，但这条五米长的鲨鱼却径直游开，消失在深海之中。
Although sharks are often categorized【把。。列作】 as killers that hunt and eat as many humans as they can, this is factually【真实地】 inaccurate【有错误地】. Sharks very rarely【不常；很少地】 kill humans. A person has a greater chance of being struck【打；击】 by lightning or drowning【溺死】 in a bath than of being killed by a shark. Only 74 people have been reported killed by great whites in the last century. But great white sharks
can reach six meters in length and weigh 2,200 kilograms or more. With frightening【吓人的】 jaws【腭】 that can hold up to 3,000 teeth arranged【排列】 in several rows，they could very easily kill and eat a helpless human in the water. Why is it, then, that most people survive【幸存】 attacks【攻击】 by great whites? Shark researchers are trying to comprehend【理解；领会】 the reasons that allow people to escape【逃脱】 without being eaten.