研究人員在北太平洋觀察到虎鯨會將海帶夾在彼此的身體之間互相 “按摩”。科學傢們認為，這一行為或許能夠幫助虎鯨保護皮膚或維系社會關系。
It looks like some kind of underwater ballet: two killer whales rubbing their bodies together as they move through the water. What’s trickier to see in this new research footage, that was captured by scientists using drones, is a piece of kelp between the bodies of the two animals.
這種看上去就像某種水下芭蕾舞的動作其實是兩隻虎鯨在水中移動時一起摩擦著身體。在科學傢用無人機拍攝的這段研究畫面中，更難以觀察到的是這兩隻動物的身體之間有一條海帶。
The scientists don’t know if this seaweed tool use is unique to the population of orcas they’ve studied, a group known as the Southern Resident Killer Whales, but they think it could have multiple benefits for the animals.
科學傢尚不清楚這種使用海藻作為工具的行為是否是他們所研究的、被稱為南方居留虎鯨這個種群所特有的行為，但他們認為這一行為可能對虎鯨有多種益處。
In 12 days of following these killer whales the researchers saw kelp rubbing 30 times. They hope that this new intimate insight into the lives of these magnificent but threatened animals will help highlight the importance of protecting the coastal waters where they live, hunt and often massage one another.
在追蹤這些虎鯨的 12 天當中，研究人員觀察到瞭 30 次用海帶按摩的行為。研究人員希望，本次對虎鯨這種宏偉而受威脅的生物生活方式的近距離觀察瞭解能幫助他們強調保護海岸水域的重要性，這些水域是虎鯨賴以生存、捕獵和時常按摩彼此的棲息地。
詞匯表
ballet 芭蕾舞
rubbing 摩擦，揉搓
drones 無人機
kelp 海帶
seaweed 海藻
population （動物的）種群
intimate 近距離的，密切的
threatened 受威脅的
coastal 海岸的
hunt 捕獵
massage 按摩
聽力練習
一、聽第一遍音頻，回答問題。
1. What is this story about?
a. whales dancing together
b. whales hunting as group
c. whales helping each other
二、用一分鐘閱讀下列問題，然後聽第二遍音頻並回答問題。
1. Researchers filmed the whales from nearby ships.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
2. The orcas used a _______ as a tool.
a. man-made object
b. plant
c. fish
3. Researchers believe that kelp massages could be good for orcas for a number of different reasons.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
4. Scientists hope this discovery will…
a. lead people to grow kelp.
b. show why coastal conservation is important.
c. stop people hunting orcas.
三、聽第三遍音頻，將句子補充完整。（提示：可以反復聽，直到聽清楚每一個詞）
1. It looks like ________________ underwater ballet, two killer whales rubbing their bodies together as they move through the water.
2. They hope that this new ________________ the lives of these magnificent but threatened animals will help highlight the importance of protecting the coastal waters where they live, hunt and often massage one another.
答案
一、聽第一遍音頻，回答問題。
1. What is this story about?
c. Whales helping each other. The text says that whales rub kelp between each others’ bodies.
二、用一分鐘閱讀下列問題，然後聽第二遍音頻並回答問題。
1. b. False. What’s trickier to see in this new research footage that was captured by scientists using drones, is a piece of kelp between the bodies of the two animals.
2. b. plant. The scientists don’t know if this seaweed tool use is unique to the population of orcas they’ve studied…
3. a. True. They think it could have multiple benefits for the animals.
4. b. show why coastal conservation is important. They hope that this new intimate insight into the lives of these magnificent but threatened animals will help highlight the importance of protecting the coastal waters where they live, hunt and often massage one another.
三、聽第三遍音頻，將句子補充完整。（提示：可以反復聽，直到聽清楚每一個詞）
1. It looks like some kind of underwater ballet, two killer whales rubbing their bodies together as they move through the water.
2. They hope that this new intimate insight into the lives of these magnificent but threatened animals will help highlight the importance of protecting the coastal waters where they live, hunt and often massage one another.
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