Creatures of the deep 海洋生物

在地球的海洋深處隱藏著一些奇怪的生物。其中包括壽命長達400年的格陵蘭鯊，以及地球上最大的無脊椎動物——巨型烏賊。本期 “隨身英語” 介紹海洋深處一些神奇的生物，包括吸血烏賊、小飛象章魚和一種頭部會發光的魚！

詞匯：ocean creatures 海洋生物

The ocean covers over 70% of the surface of our planet, though, according to the National Ocean Service, 95% of it remains unexplored. This is because under the surface is a dark and hostile environment with unrelenting high pressure, freezing temperatures and bizarre creatures in the depths.

The Census of Marine Life reports more than 17,000 species living in the deep sea. The Greenland shark can live in depths of 7,200 feet and is a rarely seen Arctic predator said to live to 400 years old and reach 23 feet in length. In order to battle the icy depths, Greenland sharks have chemicals in their skin which prevent ice crystals from forming on their body.

Another deep-sea creature is the giant squid, an animal that remains a mystery to scientists despite being the largest invertebrate on Earth. Living far below the surface, what we know has largely come from carcasses being washed ashore. Marine biologists have found that they feed on fish, squid and possibly even small whales. They find prey using eyes which are ten inches wide, roughly the size of a dinner plate!

Other unusual creatures include the vampire squid, which lives 2000 to 3000 feet under the ocean and is so-called because of its dark cloak that connects its eight arms. There is also the dumbo octopus, named due to its resemblance to the elephant from the 1943 Disney film Dumbo, with its protruding ears. Another unique creature is the anglerfish known for the light that hangs from its head.

So, enjoy swimming, but don’t venture too far down – you never know what is lurking beneath!

詞匯表

unexplored 未經探索的，無人涉足的
hostile 惡劣的
unrelenting 無情的，不屈不撓的
freezing 極冷的
bizarre 奇怪的，怪誕的
species 物種
deep sea 深海
Arctic 北極的
predator 掠食者，捕食性動物
Greenland shark 格陵蘭鯊
ice crystal 冰晶
giant squid 巨型烏賊
invertebrate 無脊椎動物
carcass （動物的）屍體
wash ashore 沖到岸上
marine biologist 海洋生物學傢
whale 鯨
prey 獵物
vampire squid 吸血烏賊
dumbo octopus 小飛象章魚
protruding 突出的
anglerfish 琵琶魚
venture 冒險去做
lurk 潛伏，潛藏

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. What percentage of the ocean has not been explored?

2. How do Greenland sharks survive the cold of the deep sea?

3. What is the largest invertebrate on Earth?

4. What does the giant squid feed on?

5. True or false? The anglerfish has lights covering its body.

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. Despite being sisters, they don’t _______ each other at all.

lurk explore resemble venture

2. When a lion chases a zebra, the zebra is the _______.

invertebrate prey carcass predator

3. That film was _______. I didn’t even understand what was happening!

bizarre hostile protruding freezing

4. At university, he studied to become a _______.

predator vampire species marine biologist

5. At night, you can hear lots of _______ moving around in the dark.

ice crystals cloaks creatures surfaces

答案

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. What percentage of the ocean has not been explored?
According to the National Ocean Service, 95% of the ocean remains unexplored.

2. How do Greenland sharks survive the cold of the deep sea?
They have chemicals in their skin which prevent ice crystals from forming on their body.

3. What is the largest invertebrate on Earth?
The giant squid.

4. What does the giant squid feed on?
They feed on fish, squid and possibly even small whales.

5. True or false? The anglerfish has lights covering its body.
False. It has a light that hangs from its head.

2.選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. Despite being sisters, they don’t resemble each other at all.

2. When a lion chases a zebra, the zebra is the prey.

3. That film was bizarre. I didn’t even understand what was happening!

4. At university, he studied to become a marine biologist.

5. At night, you can hear lots of creatures moving around in the dark.