10：All About Animals

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Book:	10：All About Animals

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循序漸進學英語系列10：All About Animals（兒童英語教材典範之作）

《循序漸進學英語系列10：All About Animals》

菲利普·吉布森（Philip Gibson）著

Nathalie, 陳碧琳, 施柳青譯

責任編輯：Fiberead

©Fiberead 纖閱科技文化（北京）有限公司 2018

©浙江出版集團數字傳媒有限公司 2018

本書版權為浙江出版集團數字傳媒有限公司所有，非經書面授權，不得在任何地區以任何方式反編譯、翻印、仿製或節錄本書文字或圖表。

DNA-BN：ECFD-N00013442-20180509

最後修訂：2018年07月05日

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1. All About Animals關於動物

New Words新單詞

wild (adj + n)

讀音：[waɪld]

釋義：野生的；荒野（形容詞、名詞）

dangerous

讀音：[ˈdeɪndʒərəs]

釋義：危險的

place

讀音：[pleɪs]

釋義：地方

studied

讀音：[ˈstʌdid]

釋義：學習，研究（study的過去式和過去分詞）

How long… ?

讀音：[haulɔŋ]

釋義：多久……？多長……？

**********

Do you know how many different kinds of animals there are in the world? There are so many different kinds of animals in the world that we cannot count them all.

你知道世界上有多少不同種類的動物嗎？世界上不同種類的動物多得我們數不完。

We know the names of some animals, don’t we? We know the names of some animals people like to look after as pets. Those are animals like dogs, cats, fish, rabbits and parrots.

我們知道一些動物的名稱，是嗎？人們喜歡把一些動物當作寵物照顧，我們知道它們的名稱。那些動物有狗、貓、魚、兔子和鸚鵡。

We know the names of some farm animals, too. Those are animals like cows, chickens and ducks.

我們也知道一些農場動物的名稱。那些動物有牛、雞和鴨。

We also know the names of some kinds of wild animals like tigers, snakes, rats, monkeys and elephants. Sometimes, we can see those animals in a zoo. We have to be careful when we are near wild animals because some of them can be dangerous.

我們還知道一些野生動物的名稱，比如老虎、蛇、老鼠、猴子和大象。有時候，我們能在動物園看到那些動物。當我們靠近野生動物時我們得小心，因為它們有些很危險。

In this book, we will learn about many of the different kinds of animals. We cannot learn about all the animals in the world – there are too many of them. But we can learn about some of them.

在這本書裡，我們將學習許多不同種類的動物。我們不可能學習世界上的所有動物——它們太多了。但是我們能學習其中一些動物。

We will study what the different animals like to eat. We will learn where in the world the different animals live and which places they like to go. We will also learn how many young the different animals have and how long they live. We will learn about which animals are dangerous and which ones are not.

我們將學習不同的動物喜歡吃什麼。我們將學習不同的動物生活在世界上的哪些地方以及它們喜歡去哪些地方。我們還將學習不同的動物繁衍幼崽的數量以及它們的壽命。我們將學習哪些動物是危險的，哪些是不危險的。

We are going to study animals with our friends – Lee, Pat and Tom. Lee, Pat and Tom are in their classroom now. They are waiting for their teacher. Pat is sitting in her place near the front of the classroom. Lee is sitting in his place next to his friend, Tom.

我們將跟隨我們的朋友李、佩特和湯姆一起學習動物。李、佩特和湯姆現在正在教室裡。他們在等他們的老師。佩特坐在她的座位上，她的座位靠近教室的前排。李坐在他的座位上，旁邊是他的朋友湯姆。

All the children are excited today because they really want to hear the teacher speak about animals. They want to see the pictures she has to show them, too. Everybody thinks today will be very interesting.

所有的孩子們今天都很興奮，因為他們很想聽老師講解動物。他們還想看老師給他們展示圖片。每個人都認為今天會非常有趣。

**********

Lee and Tom are talking about animals

李和湯姆正在談論動物

Lee

Which animals do you want to learn about, Tom?

Tom

I want to learn about dangerous animals like tigers and snakes.

Lee

So do I. I’m more interested in wild animals than farm animals or pets.

Tom

Yes. Wild animals are more interesting, aren’t they?

Lee

And I want to learn about rats, too.

Tom

Rats?

Lee

Yes. I want to learn everything about rats. I want to learn what they eat, the places they go to, how long they live – everything!

Tom

Why are you so interested in rats? Nobody likes rats!

Lee

Well I do. Out of all the animals in the world, I think rats are the most interesting – rats and snakes.

Tom

Snakes too?

Lee

Yes. I like to talk to my sister about rats and snakes.

Tom

Why?

Lee

Because she doesn’t like them, and she really doesn’t like it when I talk about them.

Tom

Why not?

Lee

Because she doesn’t like dangerous or dirty animals.

Tom

You’re not very nice to your sister, are you?

Lee

No, I’m not. I’m not nice to her because she’s not nice to me.

李

你想學習哪些動物呢，湯姆？

湯姆

我想學習危險的動物，比如老虎和蛇。

李

我也是。和農場動物或寵物相比，我對野生動物更感興趣。

湯姆

是啊。野生動物更有趣，不是嗎？

李

我還想學習老鼠。

湯姆

老鼠？

李

是的。我想知道關於老鼠的所有知識。我想知道老鼠吃什麼，它們去哪些地方，它們活多久——所有知識！

湯姆

你為什麼對老鼠感興趣？沒人喜歡老鼠！

李

我喜歡。在世界上所有的動物當中，我覺得老鼠最有趣——老鼠和蛇。

湯姆

還有蛇？

李

是啊。我喜歡跟我妹妹談論老鼠和蛇。

湯姆

為什麼？

李

因為她不喜歡它們，她很不喜歡我談論它們。

湯姆

為什麼不呢？

李

因為她不喜歡危險或骯髒的動物。

湯姆

你對你妹妹不太友好，是嗎？

李

是。我對她不友好是因為她對我不友好。

**********

Questions

1. Can we count all the different kinds of animals?

2. Which kinds of animals are sometimes dangerous?

3. Who will we study with?

4. Where is Pat sitting?

5. Why are the children excited?

6. Which animals does Lee want to study?

7. What about you?

**********

2. Dogs狗

New Words新單詞

best

讀音：[best]

釋義：最好的（good和well的最高級）

night

讀音：[naɪt]

釋義：晚上；夜；夜晚

learned

讀音：[ˈlɜ:nɪd]

釋義：得知；學習（learn的過去式和過去分詞）

protect

讀音：[prəˈtekt]

釋義：保護，保衛

size

讀音：[saɪz]

釋義：規模，大小，尺寸

**********

We can find dogs in most places in the world. Dogs can be many sizes and colors. Some dogs are very big. Others are very small. Some dogs have black hair. Others can be white or brown. Some dogs have hair of two or three colors, and others have no hair at all.

我們在世界上大部分地方都能找到狗。狗可以有很多大小和顏色。有些狗很大，有些狗很小。有些狗的毛是黑色的。有些狗的毛是白色或棕色的。有些狗的毛有兩三種顏色，有些狗則完全沒有毛。

Dogs do not live as long as people. They can live to be fifteen years old, but big dogs do not live as long as smaller dogs. Some dogs only live to be ten years old.

狗不如人長壽，它們能活到15歲，但是較大的狗活得沒有較小的狗久。有些狗只能活到10歲。

Most dogs like to eat meat. They don’t like to eat vegetables very much. If you look at the teeth of a dog, you can see that those teeth are best for eating meat. They are not the same as our teeth. Our teeth are for eating many different kinds of food.

大多數狗喜歡吃肉。它們不是很喜歡吃蔬菜。如果你看一看狗的牙齒，你能看到狗牙食肉最好。它們的牙齒和我們人的牙齒不同。我們人的牙齒適合吃各種各樣的食物。

Sometimes, we say that dogs are “man’s best friend”. This is because dogs like to be with people. They like to live in or near to our houses. They can play with us and they can work with us, too. Dogs that live with people are not wild animals.

有時候，我們說狗是“人類最好的朋友”。這是因為狗喜歡和人在一起。它們喜歡住在我們人的家裡或附近。它們能和我們人一起玩耍，它們也能和我們人一起工作。和人生活在一起的狗不是野生動物。

When we go to sleep at night, our dog can protect the house and the people in it. Dogs can hear very well. They can even hear some things that people cannot hear.

當我們夜晚睡覺時，我們的狗能保護房子和住在房子裡的人。狗的聽力很敏銳，它們甚至能聽見人聽不到的聲音。

Most pet dogs are not dangerous. It is all right for young children to play with them. Young children can play with pet dogs, but they should be careful to be kind to the dogs and not make them angry. If a dog gets angry, it can be dangerous.

大多數寵物狗並不危險。小孩子和它們一起玩是可以的。小孩子可以和寵物狗玩耍，可是他們應該小心善待狗，不要激怒它們。一隻發怒的狗會很危險。

We can teach dogs many things. Dogs learn much more quickly than many other animals. They can even learn to understand some words, like: “Come here!”, “Sit down!” and “Stay!”

我們可以教狗很多東西。狗比許多其他動物學得快很多。它們甚至能學會理解一些單詞，比如“過來！”、“坐下！”和“停住！”。

**********

Pat and her daddy are talking about dogs

佩特和她爸爸正在談論狗

Pat

Daddy, today at school we studied all about dogs.

Daddy

Really? What did you learn? Can you tell me?

Pat

All right. We learned about the different sizes of dogs.

Daddy

Really?

Pat

Yes. Dogs come in all sizes and in many colors. We also learned that dogs are man’s best friend.

Daddy

Man’s best friend? Why is that?

Pat

Because they can live with us, eat with us, play with us, work with us and they can protect us, too.

Daddy

How can they protect us?

Pat

They can look after our house when we go away, or at night when we are sleeping. Dogs can hear very well.

Daddy

Really?

Pat

Yes. Dogs can hear things that people cannot hear.

Daddy

Oh, that’s interesting. Tell me some more things you learned.

Pat

We learned that most kinds of dogs are not wild animals.

Daddy

Is that right?

Pat

Yes. If we are kind to dogs, they will not be dangerous.

Daddy

That’s right. We should be kind to animals and we should be kind to people, too. Little girls should even be kind to their brothers.

Pat

Kind to my brother? Oh, I don’t know about that.

佩特

爸爸，今天在學校裡我們學習了關於狗的所有知識。

爸爸

真的嗎？你們學了什麼？你能告訴我嗎？

佩特

好的。我們瞭解了不同大小的狗。

爸爸

真的嗎？

佩特

是的。狗有各種大小和多種顏色。我們還學到了狗是人類最好的朋友。

爸爸

人類最好的朋友？為什麼？

佩特

因為它們可以和我們一起生活、用餐、玩耍和工作，它們還能保護我們。

爸爸

它們能怎樣保護我們呢？

佩特

當我們外出時或當我們在夜晚睡覺時，它們能照看我們的家園。狗的聽力很敏銳。

爸爸

真的嗎？

佩特

是的。狗能聽見人聽不到的聲音。

爸爸

哦，那有意思。告訴我你還學了什麼。

佩特

我們瞭解到大多數種類的狗不是野生動物。

爸爸

是嗎？

佩特

是的。如果我們善待狗，它們就不會危害人。

爸爸

是的。我們要善待動物，我們也要善待人。小姑娘也要善待哥哥。

佩特

善待我的哥哥？哦，我不知道啊。

**********

Questions

1. Why do we say that dogs are man’s best friend?

2. Are most kinds of dogs wild animals?

3. How can a dog protect people?

4. What can dogs do that people cannot?

5. Which size of dog doesn’t usually live so long?

6. Why should we be kind to dogs?

7. Does Pat want to be kind to her brother?

**********

3. Cats貓

New Words新單詞

hunt

讀音：[hʌnt]

釋義：打獵；追捕，捕殺

eyes

讀音：['aɪz]

釋義：眼睛（eye的名詞複數）；視力

thirty

讀音：[ˈθɜ:ti]

釋義：三十

kill

讀音：[kɪl]

釋義：殺死

about(about = approximately)

讀音：[əˈbaʊt]

釋義：大約；幾乎

**********

Like dogs, cats live in nearly all places in the world. Many people think that cats make the best pets. They think cats make better pets and are more interesting than dogs. Cats can be more interesting, but it is difficult to teach a cat things. They do not learn as quickly as dogs.

和狗一樣，貓生活在世界上幾乎所有地方。很多人認為貓是最好的寵物。他們認為貓是更好的寵物，比狗更有趣。貓或許更有趣，可是教育貓很困難。它們不如狗學得快。

All cats have very good eyes and can even see at night. Cats’ eyes open for the first time when they are about eight to twelve days old. The eyes of all baby cats are blue.

所有貓的視力都很敏銳，它們甚至能在夜晚看得見。貓生下來大約8到12天才第一次睜開眼睛。所有小貓的眼睛都是藍色的。

House cats like to go out at night so they can be with other cats, or so they can hunt for small animals. They can hunt and kill small animals like rats and snakes. If they kill an animal like a rat, they will sometimes take it into the house so people can see it.

家貓喜歡夜晚外出，這樣它們就能和其他貓在一起，或者它們可以獵捕小動物。它們能捕殺小動物，比如老鼠和蛇。如果它們捕殺一隻動物，比如老鼠，它們有時會把它帶回家，這樣人們就能看見它。

Cats also have very good teeth. At first, a very young cat has only twenty-six teeth. They get these when they are about two or three weeks old. Later, when they are about twenty-four weeks old, they will have thirty teeth.

貓的牙齒也很鋒利。非常幼小的貓起初只有26顆牙齒，當它們大約兩三週大時它們就長出了這些牙齒。後來，當它們大約24周大時，它們將會有30顆牙齒。

Cats live to be much older than dogs.Most cats live to be about thirty years old. If we have a cat, we do not need to wash it. Cats know how to stay clean. We do not need to wash cats, but we do need to brush their hair. We should try to brush their hair every day.

貓比狗長壽。大多數貓可以活到30歲左右。如果我們有一隻貓，我們不必給它洗澡。貓知道如何保持清潔。我們不必給貓洗澡，可是我們的確需要給它們梳理毛髮。我們應該試著每天給它們梳理毛髮。

Young cats are usually more friendly than older cats. They can be friendly with other animals like rabbits, chickens and even dogs. But they are never friendly with birds or fish.

年幼的貓比年長的貓通常更友好。它們可以對其他動物友好，比如兔子、雞、甚至狗，但是它們從不對鳥和魚友好。

**********

Lee and Pat are talking about cats

李和佩特正在談論貓

Lee

I don’t want to have a cat. I like our dog. A cat would not be as friendly as our dog.

Pat

I like our dog too, but it would be nice to have a cat. I would like to look after a really young cat – one that is only one or two weeks old.

Lee

People don’t look after cats that are that young.

Pat

Yes, they do. They give them milk to drink and fish to eat. Cats like to drink milk and eat fish.

Lee

Very young cats don’t eat – they only drink. Their eyes aren’t open yet and they don’t have any teeth.

Pat

Well, I would still like to have a cat. I think cats are so nice – much nicer than dogs.

Lee

What about our dog, Kim? Maybe Kim would go after your cat and kill it.

Pat

No, he wouldn’t. You’re just saying that! I could protect my cat. I could protect it until it’s old enough to go outside with the other cats.

Lee

Well, I think you just like cats because you’re a girl. Girls usually like cats. Boys always think dogs are better.

Pat

No, they don’t!

Lee

Yes, they do!

Pat

No, they don’t! Not all boys are the same as you. Some boys like the same things as girls.

李

我不想要一隻貓。我喜歡我們的狗。貓不如我們的狗友好。

佩特

我也喜歡我們的狗，不過有隻貓也不錯。我想要照顧一隻很小的貓——只有一兩週大的貓。

李

沒有人養那麼幼小的貓。

佩特

不，有人養。他們給小貓喝牛奶並給小貓吃魚。貓喜歡喝牛奶和吃魚。

李

很小的貓不吃東西——它們只能喝東西。它們的眼睛還沒有睜開，它們的牙齒沒有長出來。

佩特

好吧，我還是想要一隻貓。我覺得貓很可愛——比狗可愛得多。

李

我們的小狗金呢？也許金會追趕你的貓並捕殺它。

佩特

不，它不會的。你只是說說而已！我會保護我的貓。我會保護它，直到它長大到可以和其他貓一起出去。

李

好吧，我覺得因為你是女生你才喜歡貓。女生通常喜歡貓。男生總是覺得狗更好。

佩特

不，不是的。

李

是的，就是的！

佩特

不，不是的！不是所有男生都和你一樣。有些男生和女生喜歡一樣的事物。

**********

Questions

1. Where can we find cats?

2. When do cats like to go outside?

3. What do cats do then they are outside?

4. How many teeth do twenty-four-week-old cats have?

5. How long do cats usually live?

6. Why don’t we need to wash our own pet cats?

7. What do cats like to eat and drink?

**********

4. Tigers老虎

New Words新單詞

strong (adj.)

讀音：[strɒŋ]

釋義：強壯的（形容詞）

biggest (adj.)

讀音：[bɪgɪst]

釋義：最大的（形容詞）

Asia (n.)

讀音：[ˈeɪʒə]

釋義：亞洲（名詞）

part(n.)

讀音：[pɑ:t]

釋義：部分（名詞）

**********

The cats we have as pets can be called ‘house cats’, but there are other kinds of cats in the cat family. Those cats are wild animals and some of them can be dangerous. The tiger is one kind of wild cat.

我們當作寵物飼養的貓可以被稱為“家貓”，可是貓科家族還有其他種類的貓。那些貓是野生動物，其中一些可能很危險。老虎就是一種野生貓科動物。

Tigers are the biggest cats in the world. They are bigger than all the other kinds of cats. They are very strong and can run very quickly. Because of this, and because of their size, they can be very dangerous. People should stay a long way away from tigers. It is best to only go and see them when they are in a zoo or some other special place.

老虎是世界上最大的貓科動物。它們比其他貓科動物體型更大。它們非常強壯而且能跑得很快。因為它們強壯、跑得快、體型大，它們非常危險。人們應該遠離老虎，最好只在動物園或其他特定地點去看它們。

Asia is the home of the tiger. We cannot find them in other parts of the world. Every year in Asia, people kill many wild tigers. That is why these days there are not many tigers which still live in the wild. These days, most of the world’s tigers live in zoos or other special places. When tigers are in these places, the people who work there can protect them from people who want to hunt and kill them.

亞洲是老虎的家園。我們在世界其他地方找不到它們。人們每年在亞洲捕殺許多野生老虎。那就是為什麼現在已經沒有多少老虎仍然生活在野外了。現在，世界上的大多數老虎都生活在動物園或者其他特定地點。當老虎在這些地方時，在那兒工作的人可以保護它們遠離想要捕殺它們的人。

Tigers in the wild live by hunting, killing and eating other wild animals. Like other cats, they have very good eyes and usually only hunt at night. Sometimes, if they are very hungry, or very angry, they can hunt and kill people.

野外的老虎靠捕殺和食用其他野生動物為生。正如其他貓科動物，它們有非常好的視力，通常只在夜裡捕獵。有時候，如果它們很餓或者很生氣，它們會捕殺人類。

Most cats do not like to go in water. Tigers are different. They are the only cats that like to go in water. Tigers sometimes go in water to hunt for fish that they can kill and eat.

大多數貓科動物不喜歡下水。老虎就不一樣。它們是唯一喜歡下水的貓科動物。老虎有時候下水去捕殺魚來吃。

**********

Lee is speaking to his mommy about tigers.

李和他媽媽正在談論老虎。

Lee

Mommy, do you know where tigers live?

Mommy

Yes, I do. I saw a tiger on television last week. It was in a zoo.

Lee

I know a lot of tigers live in zoos, but what about wild tigers?

Mommy

Wild tigers? Oh, they live in many parts of the world, don’t they?

Lee

No, they don’t. They only live in Asia.

Mommy

Really?

Lee

Yes. All the tigers in zoos in other parts of the world come from Asia. Do you know, tigers are the biggest kind of wild cat?

Mommy

Yes, I did know that. I like to think of tigers only in zoos. I would not like to see one in the wild.

Lee

Why not?

Mommy

Oh, they are so big, so strong and they run so quickly. And they have all those really big teeth!

Lee

I’d like to see a tiger in the wild. I’d like to go hunting for tigers.

Mommy

Hunting for tigers? That would be very dangerous.

Lee

No, it wouldn’t. It would be dangerous for the tiger, but it wouldn’t be dangerous for me.

Mommy

Why wouldn’t it be dangerous for you?

Lee

Because I’d run after the tiger and then I’d kill it.

Mommy

I don’t think so, Lee. Tigers can run much more quickly than you and they are much stronger, too. You know Lee, it’s not nice to kill wild animals. We should protect them. If we don’t protect them, soon there will be no wild animals. There will only be animals in zoos and on farms.

李

媽媽，你知道老虎生活在哪兒嗎？

媽媽

我知道。上週我在電視裡看到一隻老虎。它在一個動物園裡。

李

我知道很多老虎生活在動物園裡，那麼野生老虎呢？

媽媽

野生老虎？噢，它們生活在世界上很多地方，是嗎？

李

不是的。它們只生活在亞洲。

媽媽

真的嗎？

李

真的。世界上其他地方動物園裡的老虎都來自亞洲。你知道老虎是世界上最大的野生貓科動物嗎？

媽媽

是的，我確實知道。我只想到動物園裡的老虎。我不想在野外看見老虎。

李

為什麼不呢？

媽媽

噢，它們體型大、強壯有力，還跑得很快，而且它們的牙齒也很大！

李

我想看見野生老虎。我想去獵虎。

媽媽

獵虎？那很危險。

李

不會的。那對老虎來說很危險，對我來說就不危險。

媽媽

為什麼對你來說不危險？

李

因為我會追趕老虎，然後捕殺它。

媽媽

我不這麼認為，李。老虎比你跑得快，而且也更強壯。你知道的，李，捕殺野生動物不好。我們應該保護它們。如果我們不保護它們，很快就將沒有野生動物了。那就只剩下動物園裡的動物和農場上的動物了。

**********

Questions

1. Why should we stay away from wild cats?

2. Where do tigers live?

3. How do wild tigers find food?

4. When do they like to hunt?

5. Do most cats like to go in water?

6. What would Lee like to do?

7. Do you think we should protect animals?

**********

5. Rats老鼠

New words新單詞

mother (n.)

讀音：[ˈmʌðə(r)]

釋義：母親，媽媽（名詞）

father (n.)

讀音：[ˈfɑ:ðə(r)]

釋義：父親，爸爸（名詞）

keep (v.)

讀音：[ki:p]

釋義：保持，保留；飼養（動詞）

female(adj)

讀音：[ˈfi:meɪl]

釋義：女性的，雌性的（形容詞）

male(adj)

讀音：[meɪl]

釋義：男性的，雄性的（形容詞）

**********

People usually think of rats as dirty, dangerous animals. Mothers and fathers teach their children to stay away from them, and nobody keeps them as pets. Many people keep cats so the cats can chase away or hunt and kill the rats that come near the house.

人們往往認為老鼠是又髒又危險的動物。父母教育孩子們要遠離它們並且沒有人飼養老鼠當寵物。許多人養貓，貓能趕走或者捕殺靠近房子的老鼠。

There are many different kinds of rats, and most of them are not dangerous to people. This is because most rats live in places where there are no people.

老鼠種類繁多，它們大多數對人沒有危險。這是因為大多數老鼠生活在無人區。

Rats live in many parts of the world, but most of them live in Asia. The kinds of rats which are dangerous are called ‘black rats’ and ‘brown rats’.

老鼠生活在世界上的許多地方，不過它們大多數生活在亞洲。危險的老鼠種群被稱為“黑鼠”或者“棕鼠”。

Black rats like to live near people. They are dangerous because they can get into our kitchens and bathrooms at night. They can walk over or eat our food. This makes the food dirty and can make us sick. This is why mothers and fathers tell us to keep our bathrooms and kitchens clean.

黑鼠喜歡生活在人類附近。它們很危險，因為它們能在夜裡進入我們的廚房和浴室。它們能四處走動或吃我們的食物。這就會弄髒食物並且讓我們生病。這就是為什麼父母告訴我們要保持浴室和廚房乾淨。

The ‘black rat’ is not always black. It can be other colors, too. At first, black rats lived only in Asia, but these days they live in nearly all parts of the world. Female black rats are the most dangerous. They are more dangerous than the males.

“黑鼠”並不總是黑色的，它也可以是其他顏色。起初，黑鼠只生活在亞洲，但現在它們幾乎生活在世界各地。雌性黑鼠最危險，它們比雄性黑鼠更危險。

What about brown rats? At first, brown rats also lived only in Asia. Now, like the black rat, they live in nearly all parts of the world. Brown rats look a lot like black rats, but they are different in size. Brown rats are bigger than black rats.

那麼棕鼠呢？起初，棕鼠也只生活在亞洲。現在，正如黑鼠，它們幾乎生活在世界各地。棕鼠看上去很像黑鼠，但是它們大小不同。棕鼠比黑鼠更大。

Brown rats are different in other ways, too. The black rat does not like to go in water, but the brown rat does. It likes to hunt and kill fish. Female brown rats can have more young than female black rats. They can have two to twenty-two young, and they can do this twelve times a year!

棕鼠在其他方面也有所不同。黑鼠不喜歡下水，但是棕鼠喜歡。棕鼠喜歡捕殺魚。雌性棕鼠比雌性黑鼠繁衍的幼鼠更多。它們一次可以產下二十二隻幼鼠，它們一年可以生十二次！

**********

Pat and her father are talkingabout rats.

佩特和她爸爸正在談論老鼠。

Pat

Daddy, should I call you “Daddy” or “Father”?

Father

Well, you can call me “Father” or “Daddy” or “Dad”.

Pat

I think I like “Dad” best.

。

Father

All right. Older children usually say “Dad”, and you’re older now, aren’t you?

Pat

Yes, and when do we say “Father”?

Father

We usually say “Father” when we speak to other people. We say things like, “My father says we should be kind to animals.”

Pat

What about Mommy? What should I call her?

Father

You can call her “Mommy”, “Mom” or “Mother”. Older children usually use “Mom”.

Pat

All right, I’ll call her “Mom” from now on. Dad, yesterday we learned that we should protect wild animals, but what about rats? Should we protect rats, too?

Father

M..mm.m, that’s a difficult question. People are not really interested in protecting rats.

Pat

That’s because they’re dirty and dangerous.

Father

The ones that live near people are. Rats in the wild are not dangerous, but farmers don’t like them because they eat the food the farmers grow.

Pat

Dad – I know someone who likes rats.

Father

Really? Who’s that?

Pat

Lee. Lee said he would like to have a rat as a pet.

Father

Oh, yes. Lee always likes things that other people don’t like.

佩特

爸爸，我該喊你“爸爸”還是“父親”？

父親

呃，你可以喊我“父親”、“爸爸”或者“爸”。

佩特

我想我最喜歡“爸”。

父親

行。大孩子通常喜歡喊“爸”，你現在長大一些了，是吧？

佩特

是的，我們什麼時候喊“父親”？

父親

我們通常在與別人聊天的時候說“父親”。我們這樣說，“父親說我們應該善待動物。”

佩特

那媽媽呢？我應該喊她什麼？

父親

你可以喊她“媽媽”、“媽”或者“母親”。大孩子通常喜歡喊“媽”。

佩特

行，我從現在起會喊她“媽”。爸，昨天我們學習了我們應該保護野生動物，但是老鼠呢？我們也應該保護老鼠嗎？

父親

呃……那是一個難題。人們對保護老鼠不是很感興趣。

佩特

那是因為它們又髒又危險。

父親

生活在人類附近的老鼠是這樣的。野外的老鼠不危險，但是農民不喜歡它們，因為它們會吃農民種植的糧食。

佩特

爸，我認識一個喜歡老鼠的人。

父親

真的嗎？是誰啊？

佩特

李。李說他想養一隻老鼠當寵物。

父親

噢，對。李總是喜歡別人不喜歡的東西。

**********

Questions

1. Are most rats dangerous?

2. Where do rats live?

3. How can rats make us sick?

3. Which kind of black rat is the most dangerous?

4. How many young can female brown rats have?

5. What did Pat learn yesterday?

6. Why don’t farmers like rats?

**********

6. Elephants大象

New Words新單詞

Africa (n.)

讀音：['æfrɪkə]

釋義：非洲（名詞）

meter (metre in British English) (n.)

讀音：[ˈmi:tə(r)]

釋義：米，公尺（英式英語中為metre）（名詞）

adult (n.)

讀音：[ˈædʌlt]

釋義：成年的人或動物（名詞）

tall/ taller (adj.)

讀音：[tɔ:l] / [ˈtɔ:lə]

釋義：高的/更高的（形容詞）

forty (num.)

讀音：[ˈfɔ:ti]

釋義：四十（數字）

**********

Elephants are the biggest animals that can walk. They are bigger and stronger than all the other walking animals. In Asia, adult male elephants can grow to be about three meters tall. In Africa, adult male elephants are even taller. Those elephants can be nearly four meters tall! Because elephants are so big, most other animals cannot hurt them.

大象是會行走的最大型的動物。它們比其他會行走的動物更高大、更強壯。在亞洲，成年雄性大象可以長到大約三米高。在非洲，成年雄性大象甚至長得更高。那些大象能有近四米高！因為大象如此高大，大部分其他動物都傷害不了它們。

Most other animals are not dangerous for elephants, but people are. In Africa and Asia, people hunt and kill many elephants every year. That is not good because now there are not many elephants living in the wild. If we do not protect elephants in the wild, soon there will only be elephants living in zoos.

對大象來說，大部分其他動物不危險，但是人類很危險。在非洲和亞洲，人們每年捕殺很多大象。那可不好，因為現在生活在野外的大象不多了。如果我們不保護野生大象，很快就只剩下生活在動物園裡的大象了。

Elephants are quiet animals and are not usually dangerous. Female elephants like to live together with other adult females. Usually, twenty, thirty, or even forty females will live together. The females are good mothers and protect the young elephants. The adult male elephants do not usually live with the females.

大象是安靜的動物，而且通常不危險。雌性大象喜歡和其他成年雌象生活在一起。通常情況下，二十、三十或甚至四十頭雌象會生活在一起。雌象是好母親，它們保護小象。成年雄象往往不和雌象生活在一起。

In the middle of the day, it is very hot in the parts of Africa and Asia where elephants live. At this time, the elephants do not walk around or look for food. They sleep or wait until it is not so hot before looking for food.

中午時分，大象生活的非洲和亞洲地區非常炎熱。這時候，大象不會四處走動或者尋找食物。它們睡覺或者等到天氣不熱了才去尋找食物。

Then, the young elephants walk after their mothers and the other adult females. Elephants do not hunt, kill or eat other animals. They eat grass, fruit and parts of trees.

這時候小象走在母象和其他成年雌象的後面。大象不會獵殺或者吞食其他的動物。它們吃草、水果和樹木枝幹。

At first, young elephants are about one meter tall. Like people, they drink their mothers’ milk until they are old enough to eat other food. Female elephants do not have many young. They only have young about every four or five years.

起初，小象大約有一米高。像人類一樣，它們喝母象的乳汁，直到它們長大能吃其他食物。雌象不能繁衍很多小象。它們每隔大約四五年才產下小象。

**********

Lee and Pat are talkingabout elephants.

李和佩特正在談論大象。

Lee

I’d really like to go to Africa and see elephants in the wild.

Pat

Elephants don’t only live in Africa. They live in Asia, too.

Lee

I know. But the elephants in Africa are bigger. They can be nearly four meters tall.

Pat

That’s really big, isn’t it? People only grow to be about two meters tall.

Lee

When I’m an adult, I will be nearly two meters tall, but you won’t. An adult man is always taller than an adult woman.

Pat

Not always. What about Tom’s mother? She’s taller than Tom’s father.

Lee

Oh… Yes she is, isn’t she? Tom’s mother is very tall.

Pat

Yes. And she’s very nice, too. She’s much nicer than Tom.

Lee

You don’t like Tom very much, do you?

Pat

No, I don’t. I don’t like many of your friends. They are not very clever, and they are always bad or naughty in school.

Lee

No, they aren’t!

Pat

Yes, they are!

Lee

No, they aren’t!

Pat

Yes, they are. They always make it difficult for the teacher to teach them. They don’t keep their eyes on the teacher and they are always talking in class.

Lee

No, they aren’t!

Pat

Yes, they are. Today, when we studied elephants, all your friends were talking and looking out of the windows.

Lee

No, they weren’t!

Pat

Yes, they were!

李

我真想去非洲看看野生大象。

佩特

大象不只是生活在非洲，它們也生活在亞洲。

李

我知道，但是非洲的大象更高大，它們能有近四米高。

佩特

那真的很高大，對吧？人只能長到大約兩米高。

李

等我成年了，我會有近兩米高，但你不會。成年男人總比成年女人長得高。

佩特

並不總是。湯姆的媽媽怎麼樣？她就比湯姆的爸爸更高。

李

噢……是的，不是嗎？湯姆的媽媽非常高。

佩特

是的。她也非常友好。她比湯姆友好多了。

李

你不太喜歡湯姆，是嗎？

佩特

是的，我不喜歡。我不喜歡你的許多朋友。他們不太聰明，他們在學校總是調皮不聽話。

李

不，他們不是！

佩特

是的，他們就是！

李

不，他們不是的！

佩特

是，他們就是。他們總讓老師很難教導他們。他們不聽老師的話，總在課堂上聊天。

李

不，他們不是！

佩特

是，他們就是。今天，在我們學習大象的時候，你所有的朋友都在聊天，還看著窗戶外面。

李

沒有，他們沒有！

佩特

有，他們有！

**********

Questions

1. How big are elephants in Asia?

2. What about elephants in Africa?

3. Why is it not good to hunt and kill elephants?

4. What do elephants eat?

5. What do elephants do when it is very hot?

6. Who is very tall?

7. Why doesn’t Pat like Lee’s friends?

**********

7. Snakes蛇

New Words新單詞

ears

讀音：[ɪə(r)z]

釋義：耳朵

South America

讀音：[saʊθ] [ə'merɪkə]

釋義：南美洲

bite (v+n)

讀音：[baɪt]

釋義：咬（動詞、名詞）

move

讀音：[muːv]

釋義：移動

fifty

讀音：['fɪfti]

釋義：五十

**********

There are many different kinds of snakes and they come in all sizes and colors. They live in many parts of the world, but they do not like to live in cold places. Most of the world’s snakes live in Africa, Asia and South America.

蛇有許多不同種類，它們大小、顏色各不相同。它們生活在世界上的許多地方，但不喜歡生活在寒冷的地方。世界上的大多數蛇都生活在非洲、亞洲以及南美洲。

The world’s biggest snake lives in South America. That snake is bigger than all other snakes. It is very strong and can hunt, kill and eat animals as big as young monkeys.

世界上最大的蛇生活在南美洲。那種蛇比其他任何蛇都要大。它非常強壯，能捕殺併吞食小猴子那麼大的動物。

Most snakes have teeth and will bite people if people come too near to them. The bite of some snakes can kill people. Those snakes are very dangerous and we should keep away from them. Those snakes are very dangerous, but most snakes are not dangerous to people. Some people even keep snakes as pets, and in some parts of the world, people eat snakes.

大多數蛇都有牙齒，如果人類距離它們太近，它們還會咬人。有些蛇咬一口可以咬死人。那些蛇非常危險，我們應該遠離它們。那些蛇非常危險，但是大多數蛇對人類來說並不危險。有些人甚至把蛇當寵物養，而且在世界上有些地區，人們會吃蛇。

Snakes hunt, kill and eat small animals like birds, rats and young chickens. They can also take the eggs of animals like ducks and chickens. Snakes cannot run like other animals, but they can move very quickly. They can move around in grass, in tall trees and even in water.

蛇能捕殺併吞食鳥、老鼠還有小雞這樣的小動物。它們也會吞食鴨子和雞這些動物的蛋。蛇不能像其他動物一樣奔跑，但是它們移動速度非常快。它們能在草地上、樹上甚至水裡來去自如。

If we look at the head of a snake, we will see that it does not have ears. Snakes have no ears so they cannot hear, and some snakes do not have eyes.

如果我們看看蛇的腦袋，我們會看見它沒有耳朵。蛇沒有耳朵所以它們聽不見，有一些蛇沒有眼睛。

Young snakes come from eggs. An adult female can have as many as forty or fifty eggs at a time. After young snakes come out from their eggs, they do not need their mother to look after them. Young snakes can move around to look for food and they grow very quickly. Snakes can live for about twenty to thirty years.

小蛇是從蛋裡孵出來的。一條成年雌蛇一次可以產下四五十顆蛋。小蛇從蛇蛋孵出來之後不需要蛇媽媽照顧它們。小蛇可以四處爬行尋找食物，它們長得很快。蛇可以存活二三十年。

**********

Lee and his mother are talking about snakes.

李和他媽媽正在談論蛇。

Lee

Mom, do you know what we learned at school today?

Mom

No, Lee. What did you learn?

Lee

We learned that snakes don’t have ears.

Mom

Really? If they don’t have ears, how can they hear?

Lee

They can’t. Snakes can’t hear because they don’t have ears. There are even some snakes that don’t have eyes.

Mom

Really? That is interesting, isn’t it?

Lee

Yes. And there is one snake in South America that can hunt, kill and eat animals like monkeys.

Mom

Really?

Lee

Yes. I think maybe that snake can eat people, too.

Mom

I don’t think so, Lee. Snakes can bite people, and the bite of some snakes can kill people, but I don’t think any snakes can eat people – people are too big.

Lee

You know Mom, some people keep snakes as pets. Can I have a pet snake, Mom? Can I… please?

Mom

Oh, Lee. Of course you can’t. You asked your father that last year. Don’t you remember what he said?

Lee

Yes. He said I couldn’t have a snake in the house. But what about outside? I could keep it in the garden. It could live in one of the trees. Then we could watch it move around in the tree.

Mom

Oh, Lee. Why can’t you be happy with pets like cats, dogs, fish and birds? Why do you have to think about snakes and rats? Nobody likes to keep those animals as pets.

Lee

Some people do. Some people keep snakes as pets. We learned that today at school.

Mom

Well, you can’t! You can’t have a snake as a pet!

Lee

Oh, go on Mom… please!

Mom

No, Lee! You cannot have a snake as a pet! And don’t ask me again!

李

媽媽，您知道我們今天在學校學了什麼嗎？

媽媽

不知道，李。你學了什麼？

李

我們學了蛇沒有耳朵。

媽媽

真的嗎？要是它們沒有耳朵，那它們怎麼能聽見呢？

李

它們聽不見。蛇聽不見因為它們沒有耳朵。有些蛇甚至沒有眼睛。

媽媽

真的嗎？這真有趣，不是嗎？

李

是的。南美洲有一種蛇可以捕殺併吞食猴子這樣的動物。

媽媽

真的嗎？

李

是的。我想可能蛇連人也能吃。

媽媽

我不這麼認為，李。蛇能咬人，有些蛇咬一口可以咬死人，但是我不認為有什麼蛇能吃人——人太大了。

李

你知道，媽媽。有些人把蛇當寵物。我能養寵物蛇嗎，媽媽？可以嗎……求求你了？

媽媽

噢，李。你當然不能。去年你就問過你爸爸。你不記得他怎麼說的嗎？

李

記得。他說我不能在家裡養蛇。但是養在屋子外面呢？我可以把它放在花園裡。它可以住在樹上。我們可以看到它在樹上爬行。

媽媽

噢，李。你為什麼就不能養養貓、狗、魚還有鳥這樣的寵物呢？為什麼你總是想著蛇和老鼠？沒有人喜歡把它們當寵物飼養。

李

有些人會的。有些人把養蛇當作寵物飼養。我們在學校裡學到的。

媽媽

好吧，你不可以！你不可以把蛇當寵物養！

李

噢，不，媽媽……求你了！

媽媽

不，李！你不能養蛇當作寵物！不要再問我了！

**********

Questions

1. Where does the biggest snake live?

2. What do snakes eat?

3. Do snakes have ears?

4. How many young can female snakes have?

5. How long do snakes live?

6. Does Lee’s mother like snakes?

7. What about you?

***********

8. Monkeys猴子

New Words新單詞

climb

讀音：[klaɪm]

釋義：爬，攀登

long

讀音：[lɒŋ]

釋義：長的

forest

讀音：[ˈfɒrɪst]

釋義：森林，叢林

fruit

讀音：[fru:t]

釋義：水果，果實

arm

讀音：[ɑ :m]

釋義：手臂

**********

Most of us find monkeys very interesting. This is because they look a little like us and can do some of the things we do. Some kinds of monkeys are very clever. When they are young, they learn how to use their eyes and their arms to ask their mothers for food. They can learn other things, too. When monkeys live near people, they can learn to understand some of the things people say.

我們大多數人都認為猴子很有趣。這是因為它們長得有點像我們，而且會做一些我們做的事。一些猴子非常聰明。它們小時候會學習怎麼用眼睛和手臂找它們的猴媽媽要食物。它們也能學習其他東西。當猴子靠近人類生活時，它們能學會理解人類說的一些事情。

There are many different kinds of monkeys. Most live in the forests of Asia, Africa and South America. Some monkeys are small. Others are very big. Adult monkeys can be one-and-a-half meters tall. In the forests, most monkeys live up in the trees. They are very good at climbing, and it is easy for them to climb from tree to tree.

猴子有很多不同種類。大多數猴子生活在亞洲、非洲還有南美洲的森林裡。有些猴子很小，有些猴子很大。成年猴子能有1.5米那麼高。在森林裡，大多數猴子生活在樹上。猴子非常擅長爬樹，對於猴子來說，從一棵樹爬到另一棵樹是很容易的。

Monkeys sometimes come to the ground to eat, but at night they climb back into the trees to sleep. If you look at the arms of a monkey, you will see that they are very long. Those long arms help the monkeys to climb trees. On the ground, monkeys can stand up and walk like people.

猴子有時候會下地覓食，但是晚上它們會爬回樹上睡覺。如果你看看猴子的手臂，你會發現它們的手臂非常長。那種長臂幫助猴子爬樹。在地面上，猴子們能夠像人一樣站立行走。

Usually, monkeys like to eat fruit. In most forests, it is easy for them to find all the fruit they need. Their long arms help them to do this, too. Their long arms make it easy to get the fruit from the tall trees.

通常猴子喜歡吃水果。在大多數森林裡，它們能輕易找到自己需要的水果。它們的長臂在這件事上也會幫到它們。它們的長臂使它們可以很容易從高高的樹上摘到水果。

Young monkeys drink their mothers’ milk. Later, when the monkeys are three to four years old, they can find their own food. They can look for their own food, but they still live with their families. The adult monkeys protect and look after the young ones. Most monkeys live to be forty or fifty years old.

年幼的猴子要喝猴媽媽的乳汁。之後當猴子們長到三四歲的時候，它們可以自己覓食。它們能夠自己覓食，但是它們仍然和猴子種群生活在一起。成年猴子保護並照顧年幼的猴子。大多數猴子可以活到四五十歲。

**********

Pat and her mother are talking about monkeys.

佩特和她媽媽正在談論猴子。

Pat

Mom, do you know what we studied at school today?

Mom

No, Pat. What did you study?

Pat

We studied monkeys. We learned all about them

Mom

Monkeys? Oh, I like monkeys. Some of them are just like people.

Pat

I know. Our teacher said that in zoos and other special places, monkeys can learn to understand what people say.

Mom

Yes. They can learn to understand what we say, but they can never learn to speak like us.

Pat

Our teacher said that, these days, there are not so many monkeys still living wild in the forests.

Mom

And did she tell you why?

Pat

Yes. She told us that because the world’s forests are getting smaller and smaller, there are not so many places for monkeys to live.

Mom

That’s right. These days, a lot of monkeys live in zoos. Maybe that’s better for the monkeys .

Pat

Why?

Mom

Because the people who work in the zoos can protect and look after the monkeys.

Pat

I don’t think it’s better. I think most monkeys want to live in the forests. I don’t think it’s right to keep monkeys in zoos.

Mom

M..mm.m, maybe you’re right. They should live in a big place where it’s easy for them to move around and climb lots of trees.

佩特

媽媽，您知道我們今天在學校裡學習了什麼嗎？

媽媽

不知道，佩特。你們學習了什麼？

佩特

我們學習了猴子。我們學習了所有關於它們的知識。

媽媽

猴子？噢，我喜歡猴子。有些猴子就像人一樣。

佩特

我知道，我們老師說在動物園裡還有其他特定地點，猴子能夠了解人們說的話。

媽媽

是的，它們能夠學會理解我們說的話，但它們學不會像我們一樣說話。

佩特

我們老師說，現在還住在森林裡的猴子不多了。

媽媽

那她告訴你們為什麼了嗎？

佩特

是的。她告訴我們因為世界上的森林面積正變得越來越小，沒有那麼多地方給猴子生存了。

媽媽

沒錯。現在，許多猴子都生活在動物園裡。也許那樣對猴子來說更好。

佩特

為什麼？

媽媽

因為動物園裡的工作人員能夠保護並照顧這些猴子。

佩特

我認為這樣並沒有更好。我認為大多數猴子想要住在森林裡。我認為把猴子們養在動物園裡是不對的。

媽媽

唔……也許你是對的。它們應該生活在寬敞的地方，可以很自如地四處活動和爬樹。

**********

Questions

1. Why do people find monkeys interesting?

2. How big can some adult monkeys be?

3. What are monkeys good at?

4. What do they eat?

5. How long do monkeys live?

6. Why are there not many monkeys in the wild now?

7. Where do you think monkeys should live?

**********

9. Parrots鸚鵡

New Words新單詞

centimeter (centimetre in British English)

讀音：['sentɪˌmi:tə]

釋義：釐米（在英國英語中寫作centimetre）

fly

讀音：[flaɪ]

釋義：飛，飛行

Australia

讀音：[ɒ'streɪlɪə]

釋義：澳大利亞，澳洲

insect

讀音：[ˈɪnsekt]

釋義：蟲，昆蟲

sixty

讀音：[ˈsɪksti]

釋義：六十

**********

Many people think that parrots are the most beautiful birds in the world. There are many different kinds of parrots and they come in all sizes and many colors. They can be all one color like all white or all green. They can also be many colors together like green, red, blue, white, orange and black. Some adult parrots can be as tall as sixty centimeters. Other adults can be as small as twelve centimeters.

很多人認為鸚鵡是世界上最美麗的鳥。鸚鵡有許多不同種類，鸚鵡的大小、顏色各不相同。它們可以是純色的，比如純白色或者純綠色。它們也能五顏六色，比如綠色、紅色、藍色、白色、橙色還有黑色。有些成年鸚鵡能高達60釐米，有些成年鸚鵡可能小到12釐米。

We find parrots in many parts of Asia, Africa, South America and Australia. Wild parrots live in forests where they can fly around looking for fruit, insects and other things to eat.

我們在亞洲、非洲、南美洲還有澳洲的很多地區發現了鸚鵡。野生鸚鵡生活在森林裡，在那裡它們可以四處飛行尋找水果、蟲子還有其他東西來吃。

Parrots can not only fly – they can also climb. They climb tall trees looking for a good place to stay or sleep. They don’t like to move around on the ground very much.

鸚鵡不只能飛——它們還能攀爬。它們爬遍了所有的樹尋找合適的地方來棲息或者睡覺。它們不是特別喜歡在地面上活動。

Parrots like to live in hot parts of the world. That is why we can find them in places like Africa and Australia. The forests in Africa and Australia have lots of trees, lots of fruit and lots of insects.

鸚鵡喜歡生活在世界上炎熱的地區。那就是為什麼我們能在非洲還有澳洲這些地方發現鸚鵡。非洲和澳洲的森林有許多樹、大量水果還有很多昆蟲。

Parrots are special birds because they can learn to speak like people. It could be that some parrots even understand the words we teach them. Some very clever parrots can learn forty, fifty, sixty or even more words.

鸚鵡是很特別的鳥因為它們能學會像人一樣說話。有些鸚鵡甚至能理解我們教它們的單詞。有些鸚鵡非常聰明，能夠學會四十、五十、六十或者甚至更多單詞。

Parrots live to be forty, fifty and even sixty years old. These days, because the world’s forests are getting smaller and smaller, there are not so many parrots living in the wild. In the coming years, there will be more than thirty kinds of parrots that we will not see in the wild. We will only find those parrots in zoos, pet shops and other special places where people can protect and look after them.

鸚鵡能夠活到四十、五十甚至六十歲。現在，因為世界上的森林變得越來越少，生活在野外的鸚鵡不多了。未來幾年，會有三十多種野生鸚鵡消失在我們的視線中。我們將只能在動物園、寵物店還有其他特定地點看到鸚鵡，在那些地方人們能夠保護並照顧它們。

**********

Pat and her father are talking about Pat’s pet parrot.

佩特和她爸爸正在談論佩特的寵物鸚鵡。

Pat

Dad, does my parrot have ears? I can’t see any.

Dad

Of course it has ears. If it didn’t have ears, it couldn’t hear you talk to it. If it couldn’t hear you talk to it, it couldn’t learn to speak.

Pat

Well, my parrot can speak. Last week, it learned three new words.

Dad

That’s good. How tall is your parrot now, Pat? Is it getting bigger?

Pat

Yes. It’s about twenty-three centimeters tall now, but it’s still growing. It’s not an adult yet. When it’s an adult, it will be much taller.

Dad

I see. And can it fly? Parrots should fly around like other birds.

Pat

I know. I think it will fly when it’s an adult, but it’s still very young. It isn’t strong enough to fly yet.

Dad

How does it move around then?

Pat

It just walks, runs and climbs. It’s very good at climbing. When I put my arm out, it climbs on my arm and stays there while I walk around.

Dad

That’s nice. And where does your parrot sleep?

Pat

When I go to bed at night, I put it outside and it climbs into a tree near the kitchen door. It sleeps in that tree.

Dad

Really? Tell me Pat, is your parrot male or female?

Pat

That’s a good question. I don’t know. I don’t know how to find out if birds are male or female. Do you know?

Dad

No, I don’t. I’ll tell you what – I’ll ask my brother to come and look at your parrot. He knows a lot about birds. He can tell you if it’s male or female.

Pat

Oh, good. I hope it’s a female.

Dad

Why?

Pat

Because I gave it a girl’s name already. If it’s a boy, I’ll have to give it a different name.

佩特

爸爸，我的鸚鵡有耳朵嗎？我沒看到。

爸爸

它當然有耳朵了。要是它沒有耳朵就聽不到你跟它說話了。要是它聽不到你跟它說話，它就不能學會說話了。

佩特

好吧，我的鸚鵡能說話。上週，它學習了三個新單詞。

爸爸

那很好。你的鸚鵡現在多高了，佩特？它有長大一些嗎？

佩特

是的。它現在大約23釐米高了，但是它還在長。它還沒有成年。當它成年的時候，它還會高得多。

爸爸

我知道了。它能飛嗎？鸚鵡應該像其他鳥一樣四處飛。

佩特

我知道。我認為它成年的時候就會飛了，但是它還太小了。它還沒那麼強壯所以還不能飛。

爸爸

那它怎麼活動？

佩特

它會走、跑還有爬。它非常擅長攀爬。當我伸出手臂的時候，它就會爬上我的手臂，我走動的時候它停在我的手臂上。

爸爸

那很好。你的鸚鵡睡在哪裡？

佩特

在我晚上睡覺的時候，我就把它放在外面，它就爬到廚房門旁邊的樹上。它睡在那棵樹上。

爸爸

真的嗎？告訴我佩特，你的鸚鵡是雄性還是雌性？

佩特

那是個好問題。我不知道。我不知道怎麼看鳥是雄性還是雌性。您知道嗎？

爸爸

不，我不知道。我只能告訴你——我會讓我的哥哥來看你的鸚鵡。他對鳥兒很瞭解。他能告訴你這是雄性還是雌性。

佩特

噢，好。我希望它是雌性的。

爸爸

為什麼？

佩特

因為我早就給它取了一個女孩名字。要是它是一個男孩，我又得重新給它取名字了。

**********

Questions

1. Where do we find parrots?

2. What do parrots eat?

3. Do parrots like to move around on the ground?

4. Why do parrots like to live in forests?

5. How long can parrots live?

6. Does Pat’s parrot have ears?

7. Why can’t Pat’s parrot fly?

**********

10. Chickens雞

New Words 新單詞

North America

讀音：[nɔ:θ] [ə'merɪkə]

釋義：北美洲

lay (eggs)(v.)

讀音：[leɪ][egz]

釋義：下，產（蛋）（動詞）

wing (n.)

讀音：[wɪŋ]

釋義：翅膀（名詞）

ago

讀音：[əˈgəʊ]

釋義：以前

lived (past tense of live) (v.)

讀音：['lɪvd]

釋義：生活（live的過去式）（動詞）

**********

A long time ago, all of the world’s chickens lived in the wild. Today, it is very different. Today, nearly all of the world’s chickens live on farms. All over the world, farmers keep chickens for their meat and their eggs.

很久以前，世界上所有的雞都生活在野外。今天就很不一樣了。今天幾乎世界上所有的雞都生活在農場裡。在世界各地，農民養雞是為了它們的肉和蛋。

Most of the world’s chickens are on small farms in Asia and Africa, but there are chicken farms in other parts of the world, too. In North America, the chicken farms are very big. The chicken farms in North America are some of the biggest in the world. Those farms have so many chickens that sometimes the farmers cannot count them all.

世界上大多數雞都在亞洲和非洲的小農場裡，但是世界上其他地方也有養雞場。在北美洲養雞場很大。北美洲的養雞場是世界上最大的養雞場之一。那些農場有很多的雞，有時候農民數不完它們。

The chickens on farms are not as beautiful as those that live in the wild. Chickens on farms are not as beautiful, but they are fatter, have more meat and lay more eggs than chickens in the wild. That is why farmers like to keep them. Both on farms and in the wild, the male chickens are more beautiful than the females.

農場裡的雞不如生活在野外的那些雞漂亮。農場裡的雞沒那麼漂亮，但是它們比野外的雞更肥、肉更多、下更多蛋。那就是為什麼農民們喜歡養它們。不論是在農場裡還是在野外，公雞都比母雞更漂亮。

On small farms in Africa and Asia, chickens can usually move around looking for their food. Many years ago, farmers in America, Australia and other parts of the world let their chickens run around, too. Now it is very different. On big chicken farms, the chickens cannot move around at all!

在非洲和亞洲的小農場裡，雞常常四處活動去覓食。許多年前，美洲、澳洲和世界其他地方的農民也讓他們的雞到處跑。現在很不一樣了。在大型養雞場裡，雞根本不能四處活動！

Chickens on big farms have to stay in one place so it is easy for the farmers to give them food and take the eggs they lay. The chickens on big farms in places like America and Australia are made to stay in one place, eating and eating, getting fatter and fatter, and laying lots of eggs.

大農場裡的雞得待在一個地方，這樣農民們就方便給它們餵食並拿走它們下的蛋。比如在美洲和澳洲，大農場裡的雞被迫待在一個地方，吃了又吃，越來越胖，下很多蛋。

Chickens are a kind of bird. They have wings, but they cannot really fly – their wings are not strong enough. It could be that many, many years ago, chickens could fly, but these days they can only move around on or near to the ground. They spend most of their time on the ground, but chickens in the wild like to go up into trees at night. They like to sleep in trees.

雞是一種鳥。它們有翅膀，但是它們其實不能飛——它們的翅膀不夠強壯。也許在很多很多年前，雞是可以飛翔的，但是現在它們只能在近地面四處活動。它們大多數時間都待在地上，但是野外的雞喜歡在夜裡上樹。它們喜歡睡在樹上。

**********

Lee and his mother are talking about Lee’s chickens.

李和他媽媽正在談論李的雞。

Mom

Tell me, Lee, how many chickens do you have now?

Lee

I have nineteen - twelve adults and seven young ones.

Mom

Oh, that’s a lot.

Lee

I’d like to have a lot more – forty, fifty or even sixty chickens!

Mom

That would be too many, Lee. It would be very difficult to look after that many chickens.

Lee

Do you know Mom, two years ago I only had five chickens, but because the females could lay eggs, I got six more. So, one year ago, I had eleven chickens.

Mom

And now you have even more.

Lee

Yes. And this year the females are laying even more eggs. That means I’ll have more young chickens when they come out of their eggs.

Mom

What do you give them to eat?

Lee

I don’t give them any special food. Usually, I just give them rice. Some of them walk around hunting for insects, too.

Mom

Well, it’s nice that your chickens can move around. These days, chickens on lots of big farms can’t move around at all.

Lee

I know. That’s not very nice for the chickens, is it? Why do they have to stay in one place like that?

Mom

Because it makes it easy for the farmers to protect them, give them food and take the eggs they lay. Those chickens grow very fat and lay lots of eggs.

Lee

I think it was better for chickens many years ago when they lived in the forests. When they lived in the wild, they could move around as they liked.

Mom

Yes, Lee, but that was many years ago. Things are very different now.

媽媽

告訴我，李，你現在有多少隻雞了？

李

我有十九隻——十二隻成年雞和七隻小雞。

媽媽

噢，那很多。

李

我想要有更多——四十隻、五十隻或甚至六十隻雞！

媽媽

那就太多了，李。照料那麼多的雞很難。

李

你知道嗎，媽媽，兩年前我只有五隻雞，但是因為母雞可以下蛋，我又多了六隻。所以一年前，我有十一隻雞。

媽媽

現在你甚至有更多了。

李

是的。今年母雞還正在下更多的蛋。那意味著當它們從雞蛋裡出來的時候我會有更多小雞。

媽媽

你給它們吃什麼？

李

我沒有給它們任何特殊的食物，通常，我只給它們大米。它們有些也會四處活動去捕捉蟲子。

媽媽

好吧，你的雞可以四處活動，這真棒。現在很多大農場裡的雞根本不能四處活動。

李

我知道。那對雞來說不是很好，對吧？為什麼它們得像那樣待在一個地方？

媽媽

因為那樣農民容易保護它們，給它們餵食並拿走它們下的蛋。那些雞長得很肥，下很多蛋。

李

我認為對雞來說，很多年前它們生活在森林裡更好。當它們生活在野外時，它們可以任意走來走去。

媽媽

是的，李，但那是很多年以前。現在事情非常不一樣了。

**********

Questions

1. Why do farmers keep chickens?

2. Where are some of the biggest chicken farms?

3. Can chickens fly?

4. Which chickens are more beautiful?

5. Why don’t some farmers let their chickens move around?

6. How many adult chickens does Lee have?

7. How many chickens did he have last year?

**********

11. Owls貓頭鷹

New Words 新單詞

owl (n.)

讀音：[aʊl]

釋義：貓頭鷹（名詞）

Europe(n.)

讀音：[ˈjʊərəp]

釋義：歐洲（名詞）

intelligent (adj.)

讀音：[ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt]

釋義：聰明的（形容詞）

able to

讀音：[ˈeibl tu:]

釋義：能，會

seventy (num.)

讀音：[ˈsevnti]

釋義：七十（數字）

smallest(adj.)

讀音：['smɔ:lɪst]

釋義：最小的（形容詞）

**********

Owls live all over the world. They live in Asia, Africa and South America. They also live in Australia, North America and Europe.

貓頭鷹生活在世界各地。它們生活在亞洲、非洲和南美洲。它們也生活在澳洲、北美洲和歐洲。

In North America and Europe, many people think of owls as good and intelligent birds. It is different in some other parts of the world. In some places, people think of owls as bad and dangerous.

在北美洲和歐洲，許多人認為貓頭鷹是又好又聰明的鳥。這在世界其他一些地方就不一樣了。在某些地方，人們認為貓頭鷹又壞又危險。

We do not usually see owls in the day because at that time they are sleeping. They are able to sleep standing up in tall trees and only fly around at night. Owls are able to fly around at night because they have very good eyes. At night, they fly around hunting for insects and small animals like rats and baby chickens. When they are flying, owls are able to move their wings very quietly. Because of this, the animals they are hunting cannot hear them coming.

我們不常在白天看見貓頭鷹，因為那時它們在睡覺。它們能在高高的樹上站著睡覺，只在夜晚到處飛翔。貓頭鷹能夠在夜晚到處飛翔是因為它們視力敏銳。在夜裡，它們到處飛翔去捕捉昆蟲以及老鼠和小雞這樣的小型動物。當它們飛翔的時候，貓頭鷹能很快地扇動它們的翅膀。因此，它們捕捉的動物聽不見它們的到來。

Owls are very good at hunting because they move so quietly and because of their very good eyes and ears. They are able to hear much better than other animals. Because they can hear so well, they can hear small animals moving around on the ground. They can hear small animals from very, very far away.

貓頭鷹非常善於捕獵，因為它們行動很迅速，而且它們的視力和聽覺非常敏銳。它們能比其他動物聽得更清楚。正因它們聽力敏銳，它們能聽見小型動物在地上活動。它們能在非常非常遠的地方聽見小型動物。

Most kinds of owls are brown and white in color and come in different sizes. The smallest can be just twelve or thirteen centimeters tall, the tallest can be sixty or even seventy centimeters.

大多數種類的貓頭鷹的顏色是棕白相間，而且大小不同。最小的可以只有十二或十三釐米高，最高的可以有六十或甚至七十釐米高。

Female owls lay two to three eggs at a time. While the female is waiting to lay her eggs, she is not able to hunt for food. At that time, the male owl hunts for food and brings it to the female owl.

雌性貓頭鷹一次下兩三個蛋。當雌性貓頭鷹在等待下蛋時，它是不能捕食的。在那時，雄性貓頭鷹會捕食並帶回去給雌性貓頭鷹。

After the baby owls come out of their eggs, both the mother and father owl go off to hunt for food for the young owls. Baby owls need to eat a lot of food because they grow very quickly. Baby owls grow to nearly adult size in just four weeks!

小貓頭鷹從蛋裡孵出來後，貓頭鷹父母會外出為小貓頭鷹捕食。小貓頭鷹需要吃很多食物，因為它們長得非常快。小貓頭鷹只用四周時間就能長到成年貓頭鷹大小！

**********

Lee and Pat are talking about owls.

李和佩特正在談論貓頭鷹。

Lee

School was interesting today, wasn’t it?

Pat

Yes, it was. It was interesting learning all about owls. I learned a lot!

Lee

I know - let’s get an owl! Let’s get an owl and keep it in our garden. It can live in one of the tall trees.

Pat

Lee, people don’t keep owls as pets. They are not like parrots. All owls are wild birds. It’s best for them to live in the forests.

Lee

Not always. The teacher told me that, in Asia, some farmers keep owls on their farms.

Pat

Really? Why do they do that?

Lee

So the owls can protect the food the farmers grow. They are able to hunt and kill rats and other animals that eat the food the farmers grow.

Pat

Really? That’s interesting. I don’t think farmers in Europe or America do that.

Lee

If we keep an owl here, we will be able to protect it and bring it food every day.

Pat

But there are no other owls in the trees around here.

Lee

So?

Pat

So if we have a female owl, it won’t be able to find a male owl.

Lee

So?

Pat

And if we have a male owl, it won’t be able to find a female owl.

Lee

So?

Pat

So our owl would not be able to make baby owls. Owls have to have babies. If they are not able to make babies, they will not be happy.

Lee

Well then, let’s get two owls. Let’s get a male and a female.

Pat

Where? Where do you think you can get owls from? They don’t sell them in shops you know.

Lee

Oh yes, that’s right. I didn’t think of that.

Pat

You know, Lee… sometimes I think you are not so intelligent.

李

今天學校很有趣，不是嗎？

佩特

是的。學習所有關於貓頭鷹的知識很有趣。我學了很多！

李

我知道——我們養一隻貓頭鷹吧！我們養一隻貓頭鷹，把它養在我們的花園裡。它可以生活在其中一棵高大的樹上。

佩特

李，人們不養貓頭鷹作寵物。它們不像鸚鵡。所有的貓頭鷹都是野生鳥類。它們最好生活在森林裡。

李

並不總是這樣。老師告訴我，在亞洲，有些農民在他們的農場上養貓頭鷹。

佩特

真的嗎？他們為什麼要那樣做？

李

那樣貓頭鷹就能保護農民種植的糧食。它們能捕殺老鼠和其他吃農民種植的食物的動物。

佩特

真的嗎？那很有趣。我覺得歐洲或者美洲的農民不會那樣做。

李

如果我們在這兒養一隻貓頭鷹，我們就得保護它並每天給它餵食。

佩特

但是周圍的樹上沒有其他的貓頭鷹。

李

所以呢？

佩特

所以如果我們有一隻雌性貓頭鷹，它將沒法找到一隻雄性貓頭鷹。

李

所以呢？

佩特

而如果我們有一隻雄性貓頭鷹，它就沒法找到一隻雌性貓頭鷹。

李

所以呢？

佩特

所以我們的貓頭鷹將沒法生出貓頭鷹寶寶。貓頭鷹得有寶寶。如果它們沒法生寶寶，它們將會不開心的。

李

那麼，我們養兩隻貓頭鷹。我們養一隻公的一隻母的。

佩特

從哪兒？你覺得你從哪兒能弄到貓頭鷹？你知道人們不在商店裡出售它們的。

李

噢對，說得對。我沒想到那一點。

佩特

你知道的，李……有時我覺得你沒那麼聰明。

**********

Questions

1. Do you think owls look intelligent?

2. How do owls sleep?

3. When do they hunt?

4. Are owls able to hear well?

5. How many eggs do female owls lay?

6. Why do some farmers in Asia keep owls?

7. Who wants to get an owl?

**********

12. Cows奶牛

New Words 新單詞

leg (n.)

讀音：[leg]

釋義：腿（名詞）

produce (v.)

讀音：[prəˈdju:s]

釋義：生產；繁殖（動詞）

everywhere (adv.)

讀音：[ˈevriweə(r)]

釋義：到處（副詞）

country / countries

讀音：[ˈkʌntri] /[ˈkʌntriz]

釋義：國家

started (past tense of start) (v.)

讀音：[s'tɑ :tɪd]

釋義：開始（start的過去式）（動詞）

**********

These days, cows are not wild animals and we are only able to find them on farms. We can see cows on farms in nearly every country in the world. Many farmers keep cows to produce meat for us to eat. Other farmers keep cows so they can produce milk for us to drink. Still others use cows to produce both meat and milk. Because cows are strong animals, they are also able to help farmers with some of the farm work.

現在，奶牛不是野生動物，我們只能在農場裡找得到它們。我們能在世界上幾乎每個國家的農場裡看到奶牛。許多農民養奶牛產肉給我們吃，有些農民養奶牛產奶給我們喝，還有其他農民養奶牛既產肉又產奶。奶牛是強壯的動物，它們還能幫助農民幹一些農活兒。

People first started to keep cows in South Asia. Now we can find cows in Europe, North America, Australia, South America, Africa… everywhere! At first, people only wanted to use cows as work animals and for their milk. They did not kill the cows for their meat until the cows were too old to work. In some countries in Asia, people still do not kill cows.

人們最初在南亞開始養奶牛。如今我們能在歐洲、北美洲、澳洲、南美洲、非洲……所有地方找到奶牛！最初人們只想養奶牛幹活並得到牛奶。當奶牛老到不能幹活時，他們才會宰殺奶牛並得到牛肉。在亞洲的某些國家，人們仍然不可以宰殺奶牛。

Cows in the countries of North America, South America, Europe and Australia look very different to the cows of long ago. These days, cows almost everywhere are much fatter, with very big legs so they can produce more of the meat that people like to eat. They also produce much more milk than the cows of long ago.

在北美洲、南美洲、歐洲和澳洲，這些國家的奶牛和過去的奶牛看起來很不一樣。現在，幾乎每個地方的奶牛都要肥得多，它們有很大的腿，這樣它們就能產出更多人們喜歡吃的肉。它們同樣比以前的奶牛產出更多的奶。

How did this happen? Many years ago, farmers looked for only the best cows – the cows with more meat or that could produce more milk. They put the best male cows with the best female cows. The babies of those cows grew up to produce more meat and milk than other cows. Farmers did this again and again until all the new cows could produce much more meat and milk than the cows of many years ago.

這是怎麼發生的呢？許多年前，農民只尋找最好的奶牛——有更多肉或者能產更多奶的牛。他們用最好的公牛配最好的母牛。那些奶牛的幼崽長大後能比其他牛產出更多的肉和奶。農民一再這樣做，直到所有新出生的奶牛都能比許多年前的奶牛產出更多的肉和奶。

Farmers and other people took the best cows from Europe to farms in Australia, North and South America. The babies of those cows could produce much more meat and milk than cows of long ago. Now we can find cows that can produce a lot of meat and milk almost everywhere in the world.

農民和其他人把最好的奶牛從歐洲帶到澳洲、北美洲和南美洲來放牧。那些奶牛的幼崽長大能比其他奶牛產出更多的肉和奶。現在我們幾乎能在世界各地找到能產很多肉和奶的牛。

Cows like to move around on the ground on their four legs looking for good grass that they can eat. They have thirty-two teeth which are special teeth for eating grass. With those teeth, they are only able to eat grass. Cows are not really able to eat meat.

奶牛喜歡用四肢在地上走動去尋找好草料來吃。它們有三十二顆牙齒，特別適合吃草。長了那些牙齒它們就只能吃草了。奶牛不太能吃肉。

Most cows live to be about twenty years old and start producing baby cows at about one and a half years old. They can be many colors: brown, white, black or red. Some are all one color. Others are many colors.

大多數奶牛活到二十歲左右，在大約一歲半時開始繁殖小牛。它們可以有多種顏色：棕色、白色、黑色或者紅色。有些奶牛隻有一種顏色，有些奶牛有很多顏色。

**********

Pat and her father are talking about cows.

佩特和她爸爸正在談論奶牛。

Pat

Dad, do you remember last year when I went to visit a farm?

Father

Yes, I do. You had an interesting time there, didn’t you?

Pat

Yes, I did. We went everywhere on the farm and I learned a lot about animals. I was really interested in the cows on the farm

Father

Why were you so interested in the cows?

Pat

I think cows are special animals. They are so quiet and they look so intelligent and kind.

Father

Do you think so? Do you think cows are intelligent and kind animals?

Pat

Yes, I do. If you look into their eyes, you can see how intelligent and kind they are.

Father

Really? Well, if you think that, maybe you should stop eating meat. Most of the meat we eat comes from cows.

Pat

Maybe I will stop eating meat. I don’t like to think of people killing cows just so we can eat their meat.

Father

Do you think you would be able to live without eating meat?

Pat

Yes, I do. In some countries, the people don’t eat much meat. They just eat fruit, vegetables, rice, bread… things like that.

Father

Well, why don’t you try it for a while?

Pat

Yes, I think I will. All right, I’m going to go into the kitchen and ask Mom not to give me any meat for dinner.

Father

Oh, that will make Lee and I very happy.

Pat

Why?

Father

Because we’ll be able to eat all your meat!

佩特

爸爸，你記得我去年去參觀過一個農場嗎？

爸爸

我記得。你在那兒玩兒得很開心，對吧？

佩特

是的。我們去了農場的每個角落，我學習了很多關於動物的知識。我真的對農場上的牛很感興趣。

爸爸

為什麼你對牛這麼感興趣？

佩特

我覺得牛是特別的動物。它們很安靜，它們看起來非常聰明友好。

爸爸

你這麼覺得嗎？你覺得牛是聰明善良的動物？

佩特

是的。如果你看著它們的眼睛，你能看見它們是多麼聰明友好。

爸爸

真的嗎？好吧，如果你那麼想的話，或許你應該停止吃肉。我們吃的大多數肉都來自於牛。

佩特

或許我會停止吃肉。我不喜歡人們為了能吃肉而去宰殺牛。

爸爸

你覺得不吃肉你能活下去？

佩特

是的，我覺得能。在有些國家人們不怎麼吃肉。他們只吃水果、蔬菜、大米、麵包……這類食物。

爸爸

那麼，你為什麼不試一下呢？

佩特

是的，我覺得我會的。好吧，我要去廚房裡叫媽媽晚餐別給我吃任何肉了。

爸爸

噢，那會讓李和我特別開心。

佩特

為什麼？

爸爸

因為我們能吃掉你那整份肉了！

***********

Questions

1. Where did people first start to use cows?

2. Why do farmers keep cows?

3. Why don’t cows usually eat meat?

4. When do cows start producing babies?

5. What color are cows where you live?

6. Where did Pat go last year?

7. What does Pat think about cows?

8. What do you think about cows?

**********

13. Buffaloes水牛

New Words新單詞

buffalo / buffaloes

讀音：[ˈbʌfələʊ] /[ˈbʌfələʊz]

釋義：水牛；野牛

few

讀音：[fju:]

釋義：很少；幾乎沒有

especially

讀音：[ɪˈspeʃəli]

釋義：尤其地

large

讀音：[lɑ:dʒ]

釋義：大的

safe

讀音：[seɪf]

釋義：安全的

**********

Most buffaloes live in parts of Africa, North America and some parts of Asia. We don’t find them in Europe, South America or Australia. These days, only a few buffaloes still live in the wild. Most live on farms, especially rice farms in Asia. A few still live in the wild in Africa, but not as many as before.

大多數水牛生活在非洲的部分地區、北美洲和亞洲的一些地方。我們在歐洲、南美洲或澳大利亞都找不到它們。現如今，只有少數水牛仍然生活在野外。大多數水牛生活在農場裡，尤其是亞洲的稻田。少數水牛仍然生活在非洲的野外，但是數量沒有以前那麼多。

The buffaloes which live in countries in Africa and Asia are called ‘water buffaloes’. They are large animals with strong legs and are able to move well in water. An adult male buffalo can be two meters tall! Because of their size and because they are able to move so well in water, farmers sometimes use them on their farms. The buffaloes help with the work on the farms, especially in countries where they grow a lot of rice.

生活在非洲和亞洲國家的牛被稱為“水牛”。水牛是大型動物，四肢強健有力，能夠在水中自由行走。一頭成年公水牛可以高達兩米！因為它們體型高大而且能夠在水中自由行走，農民有時候會用水牛幹農活。水牛能幫忙幹農活，特別是在大量種植水稻的國家。

Farms, especially rice farms, use a lot of water and the buffaloes can move around in the water helping the farmer make the ground good for growing rice. Because of this, buffaloes in Asia are quite expensive, especially strong female buffaloes. Female buffaloes are usually more expensive than male buffaloes because every few years they are able to produce a few more young buffaloes.

農場特別是稻田需要大量用水灌溉，水牛能夠在水中行走並幫助耕田以便農民種植水稻。因此，亞洲的水牛相當昂貴，特別是強壯的母水牛。母水牛往往比公水牛更貴，因為每隔幾年母水牛就能繁殖幾隻小牛。

Farmers not only use buffaloes to help with the farm work but, like cows, they also use them to produce meat to eat or sell. The farmers use them to produce meat, but they don’t use them to produce milk.

農民不僅用水牛來幫忙幹農活，他們還宰殺水牛後吃牛肉、賣牛肉，就像養奶牛一樣。農民可以養水牛產肉，但不能用它們產奶。

The buffaloes in Asia are not dangerous. They do not bite and are quite safe for people to work with. They are usually safe for children to be near. Because they are so safe, children who live on farms in many countries in Asia like to play with the buffaloes on their farms.

亞洲的水牛並不危險。它們不咬人，和人在一起幹活很安全。通常情況下，孩子們靠近水牛很安全。由於它們安全可靠，許多亞洲國家在農場上生活的孩子們喜歡和水牛一起玩。

The buffaloes in Africa are different. Those buffaloes are not safe. They are very dangerous. If those buffaloes get angry, they can even kill people! Farmers in Africa don’t usually use them on their farms, but they sometimes hunt and kill them for their meat.

非洲的水牛則不同，它們並不安全，反而十分危險。如果非洲水牛發怒，它們甚至可以撞死人！非洲的農民往往不用水牛幹農活，可是他們有時候會捕殺水牛來吃牛肉。

**********

Pat and her mother are talking about buffaloes

佩特和她媽媽正在談論水牛

Pat

Hello, Mom.

Mom

Hello, Pat. Did you have a good day in school today? What did you learn?

Pat

Today we learned about buffaloes.

Mom

Really? Was it interesting? What did you learn?

Pat

We learned that, these days, there are not so many buffaloes living in the wild. There are just a few in Africa.

Mom

So where do most buffaloes live?

Pat

Most of them live in Asia, especially in countries that have a lot of rice farms.

Mom

Why is that?

Pat

Because farmers in those countries use buffaloes to help with the farm work.

Mom

Oh, so buffaloes are able to work like people.

Pat

Yes, especially the very large ones. The large buffaloes can be very strong.

Mom

Really?

Pat

Yes, but even the large buffaloes in Asia are not dangerous. They are very safe animals. They don’t bite or hurt people in any way.

Mom

I see. And are the mother buffaloes good at looking after and protecting their babies?

Pat

Yes, I think so. Baby buffaloes drink their mothers’ milk – the same as cows.

Mom

So which do you like best – buffaloes or cows?

Pat

Oh, I still like cows best. They are not as large as buffaloes, but I think they are nicer and more intelligent than buffaloes. I just love to get near to cows and look into their big, beautiful eyes!

佩特

您好，媽媽。

媽媽

你好，佩特。你今天在學校過得愉快嗎？你學了什麼？

佩特

今天我們學習了關於水牛的知識。

媽媽

真的嗎？有趣嗎？你學會了什麼？

佩特

我們認識到現如今在野外生存的水牛不多了，僅僅在非洲有少量水牛。

媽媽

那麼大多數水牛生活在什麼地方呢？

佩特

大多數水牛生活在亞洲，尤其是在有很多稻田的國家。

媽媽

為什麼呢？

佩特

因為那些國家的農民用水牛幫忙幹農活。

媽媽

哦，所以水牛能夠像人一樣幹活。

佩特

是的，特別是很大的水牛。大水牛非常有勁。

媽媽

真的嗎？

佩特

是的，不過亞洲的大水牛並不危險。它們是很安全的動物。它們怎麼樣都不咬人或傷人。

媽媽

我明白了。水牛媽媽會照顧並保護它們的小水牛嗎？

佩特

是的，我覺得是的。小水牛喝水牛媽媽的奶水——和奶牛一樣。

媽媽

那麼你最喜歡哪種牛呢——水牛還是奶牛？

佩特

哦，我還是最喜歡奶牛。它們長得沒有水牛大，可是我覺得它們比水牛更溫順、更聰明。我喜歡靠近奶牛，看著它們美麗的大眼睛。

**********

Questions

1. Where can we find buffaloes?

2. What kind of farms do buffaloes live on?

3. How large can some buffaloes be?

4. Why are female buffaloes expensive?

5. Which kinds of buffaloes are not safe?

6. What do baby buffaloes eat?

7. Are there buffaloes where you live?

**********

14. Turtles海龜

New Words新單詞

turtle

讀音：[ˈtɜ:tl]

釋義：龜；海龜

swim

讀音：[swɪm]

釋義：游泳

attack (v+n)

讀音：[əˈtæk]

釋義：攻擊，進攻（動詞、名詞）

itself

讀音：[ɪtˈself]

釋義：它自己；它本身

body

讀音：[ˈbɒdi]

釋義：身體

eighty

讀音：[ˈeɪti]

釋義：八十

***********

We can find turtles nearly everywhere in the world, especially in waters around hot countries. Like snakes and some other animals, turtles can live both in and out of water. Turtles can swim quite well, and some turtles spend nearly all their time swimming around and only come out of the water to lay their eggs.

我們幾乎可以在世界各地找到海龜，尤其是在熱帶國家周圍的水域。如同蛇和一些其他動物，海龜可以在水中和陸地上生存。海龜善於游水，有些海龜幾乎把所有的時間都花在游水上，只有在產卵的時候才從水裡出來。

Turtles can be many different sizes. Some are very small – only about ten centimeters long. Some are over one meter long, and a few can be up to two meters long!

海龜有不同的大小。有些很小——只有大約十釐米長。有些海龜長一米多，少數海龜可以長達兩米！

Turtles have four legs, a body and a head. The body has a special part that can protect the turtle from attack. This part sits on top of the turtle’s body and looks a little like a house the turtle can take everywhere it goes. If another animal attacks the turtle, the turtle can protect itself by going into its ‘house’. Then the animal that wants to attack the turtle cannot see the turtle’s head, body or legs.

海龜有四條腿、一個身體和一個頭。海龜的身體有一個特別之處，能夠保護海龜免受攻擊。海龜身上的龜殼看起來有點像房子，海龜去哪兒都揹著它。如果其他動物攻擊海龜，海龜就把自己縮進“房子”裡來保護自己。這樣一來，想要攻擊海龜的動物就看不到海龜的頭、身體或四肢了。

When a female turtle comes out of the water to lay its eggs, first it has to find a safe place. Then it uses its strong back legs to make a place in the ground where it can lay its eggs. After the female lays her eggs in the ground, she goes back into the water and swims away. She does not stay to look after the eggs or the baby turtles that will come out of the eggs. Female turtles can lay as many as seventy or eighty eggs at a time.

當母龜從水裡出來產卵時，首先它得找一個安全的地方。然後它用強壯的後腿在地上刨出一個坑，在此它就可以產卵了。母龜在地上產卵後就會回到水裡遊走。它不會留下來照看龜蛋或破殼而出的小海龜。母龜一次可以產下多達七八十枚卵。

The baby turtles come out of the eggs after forty to eighty days. This is a dangerous time for the young turtles. A baby turtle is not able to protect itself, so it tries to get into the water so it can swim away. At that time, before they get into the water, birds and snakes can attack and eat the baby turtles. If the baby turtles can get into the water, they will be much safer. Only a few of those baby turtles will live long enough to get into the water and grow to be adult turtles. Adult turtles can live to be sixty, seventy or even older!

四十到八十天後，小海龜破殼而出。對小海龜來說，這是危險的時刻。小海龜不會保護自己，所以它得儘量回到水裡遊走。在它們回到水裡之前的這段時間，鳥和蛇會攻擊小海龜併吞下它們。如果小海龜能夠回到水裡，它們就會安全得多。只有少數小海龜可以活著回到水裡並長大成年。成年海龜可以活到六、七十歲或者更長壽！

***********

Lee and his father are talking about turtles.

李和他爸爸正在談論海龜

Lee

Dad, can we get some turtles?

Dad

Turtles? What do you want turtles for?

Lee

I want to keep them as pets. I want to be able to play with them.

Dad

I don’t think turtles know how to play. How many turtles do you want to get?

Lee

Not many, just a few. Maybe three or four.

Dad

I’ll tell you what, Lee – I’ll try and get you one turtle.

Lee

Only one?

Dad

Yes, and you’ll have to look after it carefully. You’ll have to be sure it can always find water to swim in.

Lee

Why? Can’t it just stay in the garden?

Dad

No, it can’t. On very hot days, turtles have to find some water to swim in. And you’ll have to give it its food. It won’t be able to find food for itself around here.

Lee

All right. Every day I’ll give my turtle some fruit to eat.

Dad

And you’ll have to be careful to keep it safe. Don’t let the cat and dog get too near to it.

Lee

Why? Do you think they would attack my turtle?

Dad

Maybe. When you have pets Lee, you have to know very well how to look after them.

Lee

I know that, Dad. I love all our pets. I love them because they are part of our family.

Dad

Really?

Lee

Yes. I’m always kind to our family and our pets.

Dad

What about your sister, Pat? Are you always kind to her?

Lee

My sister? Oh, I don’t know about that! That’s different!

李

爸爸，我們可以買幾隻海龜嗎？

爸爸

海龜？你要海龜做什麼？

李

我想養海龜做寵物。我想要和海龜玩。

爸爸

我想海龜不知道怎樣玩。你想要幾隻海龜？

李

不多，只要幾隻。也許三四隻。

爸爸

告訴你，李——我會盡量給你買一隻海龜。

李

只有一隻？

爸爸

是的，你得仔細照顧它。你得保證它總能找到有水的地方游泳。

李

為什麼？它不能就待在花園裡嗎？

爸爸

不，它不能。當天氣很熱時，海龜必須找到有水的地方游泳。你還得給它餵食。它自己在我們家附近找不到食物。

李

好吧。我每天都會給我的海龜喂水果吃。

爸爸

你還得小心保證它的安全。不要讓貓或狗太靠近它。

李

為什麼？您覺得它們會攻擊我的海龜嗎？

爸爸

也許吧。李，你養寵物的時候，必須清楚如何照顧它們。

李

我知道，爸爸。我愛我們家的寵物。我愛它們，因為它們是我們家的家庭成員。

爸爸

真的嗎？

李

是的。我一直善待我們的家人和寵物。

爸爸

你的妹妹佩特呢？你一直善待她嗎？

李

我的妹妹？哦，我不知道！那可不同！

**********

Questions

1. Do turtles lay their eggs in water?

2. How large are the biggest turtles?

3. Which animals can attack baby turtles?

4. How many eggs can female turtles lay?

5. How long can some turtles live?

6. How many turtles does Lee want?

7. Is Lee always kind to his sister?

**********

15. Sharks鯊魚

New Words新單詞

shark

讀音：[ʃɑ:k]

釋義：鯊魚

each

讀音：[i:tʃ]

釋義：每個；各自

themselves

讀音：[ðəmˈselvz]

釋義：他們自己；她們自己；它們自己

sea

讀音：[si:]

釋義：海；海洋

shape

讀音：[ʃeɪp]

釋義：形狀

ninety

讀音：[ˈnaɪnti]

釋義：九十

**********

Many people think of sharks, especially large sharks, as very dangerous animals. They think sharks are strong, quiet, dangerous sea animals that swim very quickly, have a strong bite and like to attack people.

很多人認為鯊魚尤其是大鯊魚是非常危險的動物。他們認為鯊魚是強壯、安靜又危險的海洋動物，它們遊得非常快，咬合力強壯，還喜歡攻擊人類。

There are many different kinds of sharks, and each kind has a different way of finding food for itself. Not all sharks are dangerous. Some sharks are very small and not dangerous at all. The most dangerous sharks are ‘tiger sharks’ and the large white shark. An adult white shark can be as long as three cars and some of them can live for eighty or ninety years. Every year, a few of these sharks attack people.

鯊魚有許多不同種類，每種鯊魚都有各自的覓食方式。不是所有的鯊魚都危險。有些鯊魚很小，根本不危險。最危險的鯊魚是“虎鯊”和大白鯊。一頭成年白鯊能有三輛小汽車那麼長，有些白鯊可以活到八九十歲。每年都有少數這些鯊魚攻擊人類。

Sharks live in seas everywhere in the world, but we find most of them swimming in seas around hot countries. Only a few sharks live in places where the water is cold.

鯊魚生活在世界各地的海洋中，不過我們發現大多數鯊魚都在熱帶國家周圍的海洋裡游水。只有少數鯊魚生活在冷水區。

All sharks are good at swimming and hunting for their food. Each kind of shark has its own special places where it likes to hunt. Usually, sharks hunt for fish and small sea animals like turtles. If they attack people who are swimming, it could be that they think those people are turtles. The shark’s eyes are not so good. To a shark’s eyes, the people who are swimming could look like they have the same shape and size as large turtles.

所有鯊魚都擅長游水和捕食。每種鯊魚都有各自喜歡捕獵的特定地點。通常情況下，鯊魚捕魚並捕殺像海龜這樣的小型海洋動物。如果它們攻擊正在游泳的人，有可能它們把人看成了海龜。鯊魚的視力不佳。在鯊魚的眼中，正在游泳的人可能看起來和大海龜的體型、大小一樣。

Each kind of shark has its own special size, shape and color. Sharks’ teeth have different shapes and sizes, too. This is because each kind of tooth has its own special work to do. Our teeth are like that, too. Some of our tooth shapes are best for eating meat. Other shapes of tooth are better for eating other kinds of food.

每種鯊魚都有各自獨特的大小、體型和顏色。鯊魚的牙齒也有不同的形狀和大小。這是因為每種牙齒都有各自獨特的作用。我們人的牙齒同樣如此。我們人的有些形狀的牙齒最適合吃肉，而其他形狀的牙齒則更適合吃其他種類的食物。

Many sharks lay eggs, and the eggs of the different sharks can be many different shapes and sizes. Sharks that do not lay eggs have their babies grow inside the mother sharks’ bodies. Baby sharks are able to look after themselves. From their first days in the sea, the babies can swim by themselves, hunt by themselves and even protect themselves from attacks by other sea animals.

很多鯊魚產卵，不同鯊魚的卵可以有許多不同的形狀和大小。不產卵的鯊魚種群會有母鯊在體內孕育小鯊魚。小鯊魚可以照顧自己。從在海洋上誕生的第一天起，小鯊魚就能自己游泳、自己捕獵、甚至保護自己免受其他海洋動物的攻擊。

**********

Pat and her mother are talking about sharks.

佩特和她媽媽正在談論鯊魚

Pat

Mom, what do you think about sharks?

Mom

Sharks? I don’t like them. I don’t like them at all!

Pat

Mom, look at the picture of a tiger shark in this book.

Mom

Where? Oh, yes.

Pat

Look at the shape of its body. It’s so beautiful! I’d love to go swimming in the sea and look for sharks like that.

Mom

Pat, sharks are very dangerous animals!

Pat

No, they aren’t. The book says sharks are safer than most people think. The book says most kinds of sharks don’t usually attack people.

Mom

Really? Well how many sharks do you know that can read books?

Pat

Mom, sharks don’t read books!

Mom

So how do they know they are not so dangerous? How do they know they don’t usually attack people?

Pat

What are you saying? I don’t understand.

Mom

Never mind, Pat. All you need to know is that your dad and I will never let you swim in places where there are sharks.

Pat

Not even the safe ones?

Mom

Not even the safe ones. If you go swimming in the sea and you see a shark, how will you know if it’s safe or not?

Pat

I can tell from the shape and size. Each kind of shark has its own special shape and size.

Mom

You don’t know enough about the shapes and sizes of different kinds of sharks to do that. And Pat… ?

Pat

Yes, Mom?

Mom

Tell your brother not to come and ask us to get him a pet shark!

佩特

媽媽，您覺得鯊魚怎麼樣？

媽媽

鯊魚？我不喜歡它們。我一點也不喜歡它們！

佩特

媽媽，看看這本書裡的虎鯊圖片。

媽媽

在哪裡？哦，看到了。

佩特

看看它的體型。它真好看！我想要去海里游泳，尋找像那樣的鯊魚。

媽媽

佩特，鯊魚是很危險的動物！

佩特

不，不是的。這本書說鯊魚比大多數人認為的更安全。這本書說大多數種類的鯊魚通常不會攻擊人類。

媽媽

真的嗎？那麼你知道有多少鯊魚能看書嗎？

佩特

媽媽，鯊魚不看書！

媽媽

那麼，它們怎麼知道它們不危險呢？它們怎麼知道它們通常不會攻擊人類呢？

佩特

您說什麼？我聽不懂。

媽媽

沒關係，佩特。你只需要知道你的爸爸和我永遠不會讓你去有鯊魚出沒的地方游泳。

佩特

安全的地方也不行嗎？

媽媽

安全的地方也不行。如果你在海里游泳並看到鯊魚，你怎麼知道它安不安全？

佩特

我能從鯊魚的體型和大小辨別。每種鯊魚都有它各自獨特的體型和大小。

媽媽

你還做不到根據鯊魚的不同體型和大小來判斷它是否安全。佩特……？

佩特

怎麼啦，媽媽？

媽媽

告訴你哥哥，別來要我們給他買寵物鯊魚！

**********

Questions

1. What do most sharks eat?

2. Why do our teeth have different shapes?

3. Which kinds of sharks are dangerous?

4. Can baby sharks look after themselves?

5. How big can large white sharks be?

6. What does Pat’s mother think about sharks?

7. What about you?

**********

16. Wasps黃蜂

New Words新單詞

wasp (n.)

讀音：[wɒsp]

釋義：黃蜂；胡峰（名詞）

nest (n.)

讀音：[nest]

釋義：鳥窩；巢穴（名詞）

yourself (pron.)

讀音：[jɔ:ˈself]

釋義：你自己（代詞）

queen (n.)

讀音：[kwi:n]

釋義：女王；王后（名詞）

second (n./ adj.)

讀音：[ˈsekənd]

釋義：秒；第二；第二的；次要的（名詞、形容詞）

hundred (num.)

讀音：[ˈhʌndrəd]

釋義：一百（數字）

**********

Wasps are flying insects. Like all insects, they have six legs and three body parts. They also have five eyes! Two of the eyes are very special. These eyes do not produce only one picture like our eyes. These eyes produce hundreds of pictures. That means where we see one picture, the wasp sees hundreds! Each of the other three eyes produces only one picture like our eyes.

黃蜂是飛行昆蟲。正如所有的昆蟲，它們有六條腿和三個身體部位。它們還有五隻眼睛！其中兩隻非常特別。這兩隻眼睛不像我們的眼睛只產生一幅畫面。這兩隻眼睛產生上百幅畫面。那意味著在我們看見一幅畫面的地方，黃蜂能看見上百幅！其他三隻眼睛像我們的眼睛一樣只產生一幅畫面。

Some kinds of wasps live together in very large families. There can be as few as a hundred wasps in a family, or there can be many hundreds. Each wasp in a family has its own special work to do, and one wasp is the head of the family. That wasp is called the ‘queen’. Each of the other wasps comes from eggs that the queen lays. The queen lays hundreds and hundreds of eggs and is the mother of all the other wasps.

有些種類的黃蜂一起生活在非常大的族群裡。一個黃蜂族群裡少則有一百隻黃蜂，多則有幾百只黃蜂。黃蜂族群裡的每隻黃蜂都有它的特殊使命，其中一隻黃蜂是這個族群的首腦，它被稱為“蜂后”。其餘每隻黃蜂都來自於蜂后產的卵。蜂后產下成百上千只卵，是所有其餘黃蜂的母親。

Wasps’ nests can be in trees or on the ground. The queen spends most of her time in this nest. The first eggs the queen lays produce only female wasps. The queen and those females make the nest where all those wasps will live. A few of the wasps stay in the nest all the time, but most of the wasps go out and bring back food for the queen and her babies. If any of the females lay eggs, the queen will eat those eggs. She wants only her own eggs to be able to produce baby wasps.

黃蜂的巢穴可以在樹上或者在地上。蜂后大部分時間都待在蜂巢裡。蜂后產下的第一批卵只孵化出雌性黃蜂。蜂后和雌蜂構築全體黃蜂將要居住的蜂巢。少數黃蜂總是待在蜂巢裡，但大多數黃蜂外出為蜂后和蜂后的小黃蜂帶回食物。蜂后會吃掉其他雌蜂產下的卵，它只想要自己產的卵孵化出小黃蜂。

After the second family of wasps come out of their eggs, the queen chases all of the other females out of the nest. This second family of wasps has both males and females. After some time, the queen chases this second family out of the nest, too. Those wasps then move to another place where some females will lay eggs which will produce a new wasp family. Some of the wasps in this new family will be queens. Each queen will then start producing her own very large family.

第二批黃蜂從蜂卵中孵化出來之後，蜂后會把所有其餘第一批雌蜂趕出蜂巢。第二批黃蜂既有雄性也有雌性。一段時間後，蜂后也會把第二批黃蜂趕出蜂巢。被趕出去的黃蜂會搬去別處，其中一部分雌蜂會產卵，並孵化出一個新的黃蜂族群。在這個新的黃蜂族群裡有些黃蜂會成為蜂后。每隻蜂后都將開始孵化自己的黃蜂大族群。

Wasps get food for themselves and their families by flying from flower to flower. When a wasp does this, its legs take some of the male part from the first flower and puts them in the female part of the second flower. This is good for the flowers. This is the way the female flower is able to produce fruits that people and other animals can eat.

黃蜂在花朵間飛來飛去，為自己和黃蜂族群採集食物。黃蜂採集食物時，用腿攜帶第一朵花的雄蕊，放進第二朵花的雌蕊中。這讓花朵受益。這樣一來，雌花可以結出果實，供人和其他動物食用。

Wasps can hurt people, but they usually only attack if they are angry or think they are in danger. It is only the female wasps that are able to hurt people. This is because the part of the wasp’s body that can hurt us is also the part that produces baby wasps.

黃蜂可以蜇傷人，但往往只在它們生氣或者覺得有危險的時候發起襲擊。只有雌蜂能蜇傷人。這是因為雌蜂用來孵化出小黃蜂的身體部位才可以蜇傷我們。

**********

Lee and Tom are talking about wasps

李和湯姆正在談論黃蜂

Lee

Tom, I know where there’s a wasps’ nest. A really big one!

Tom

Really?

Lee

Yes, come on! I’ll show you where it is.

Tom

No, thanks. I don’t want to go near a wasps’ nest!

Lee

Oh, come on! It’s quite safe. Let’s go there and see if we can find the queen wasp.

Tom

No, thanks. If you want to go, you go by yourself. My mom told me to keep away from flying insects – especially flying insects like wasps!

Lee

How about if I go first and you go second? You can stand behind me.

Tom

No. You go by yourself. I’m going home to do my homework. You should go home and do your homework, too.

Lee

I did my homework this morning.

Tom

Really? Was it easy? Did you do it by yourself?

Lee

Yes, I did, but it wasn’t easy. There were nearly a hundred questions!

Tom

A hundred questions! I don’t think you had time to answer a hundred questions this morning.

Lee

Well, I didn’t quite have time to answer all of them. I still have a few left.

Tom

Yes, I think so. Like about seventy, eighty or ninety questions left.

Lee

Come on! Let’s go and see the wasps’ nest.

Tom

Oh, all right. But you go first. If I think it’s safe, I’ll come after you.

Lee

You’re just like my sister! She never wants to do things if she thinks they could be dangerous.

Tom

That’s because she’s intelligent. She’s much more intelligent than you!

李

湯姆，我知道哪兒有一個黃蜂巢。很大一個！

湯姆

真的嗎？

李

是的，來吧！我會指給你看它在哪兒。

湯姆

不了，謝謝。我不想靠近一個黃蜂巢！

李

噢，來吧！很安全的。我們去那兒看看是否能找到蜂后。

湯姆

不了，謝謝。如果你想去，你自己去吧。我媽媽告訴我離會飛的昆蟲遠一點——尤其是像黃蜂這樣會飛的昆蟲！

李

如果我先去你再去怎麼樣呢？你可以站在我後面。

湯姆

不要。你自己去。我要回家做我的作業。你也應該回家做你的作業。

李

我今天早上做了作業。

湯姆

真的嗎？簡單嗎？你自己做的？

李

是的，我自己做的，但不簡單。幾乎有一百個問題！

湯姆

一百個問題！我覺得你今早可沒時間回答一百個問題。

李

嗯，我確實沒時間全部答完。我還剩了幾個。

湯姆

是啊，我想也是。大概剩七十、八十或者九十個問題吧。

李

來吧！咱們去看黃蜂巢。

湯姆

噢，好吧。但是你先走。如果我覺得安全，我就跟在你後面。

李

你就像我妹妹一樣！如果她覺得事情有危險她從來不想做。

湯姆

那是因為她聰明。她比你聰明多了！

**********

Questions

1. How many legs do all insects have?

2. Where can wasps make their nests?

3. What is a queen wasp?

4. Where do wasps find their food?

5. Where do fruits come from?

6. Why doesn’t Tom want to go near wasps?

7. Did Lee finish all his homework?

**********

17. Whales鯨魚

New Words新單詞

whale (n.)

讀音：[weɪl]

釋義：鯨，鯨魚（名詞）

under (prep.)

讀音：[ˈʌndə(r)]

釋義：在……下面（介詞）

gray (grey in British English) (adj.)

讀音：[greɪ]

釋義：灰色（英式英語為grey）（形容詞）

killed (past tense of ‘kill’) (v.)

讀音：[kɪld]

釋義：殺死（kill的過去式）（動詞）

breathe [brið](v.)

讀音：[bri:ð]

釋義：呼吸（動詞）（動詞）

thousand (num.)

讀音：[ˈθaʊznd]

釋義：一千（數字）

Antarctica (n.)

讀音：[æn'tɑ:ktɪkə]

釋義：南極洲（名詞）

***********

Many years ago, there were hundreds of thousands of whales swimming in seas nearly everywhere in the world. Whales lived in the seas around North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. They could even live in very cold seas like the seas around Antarctica. The seas around Antarctica are some of the coldest seas in the world.

許多年前，幾乎有成百上千頭鯨魚在世界各地的海洋裡游泳。經與生活在南北美洲、歐洲、亞洲和澳洲周圍的海洋裡。他們甚至能生活在非常寒冷的海洋裡，像南極洲周圍的海洋。南極洲周圍的海洋是世界上最冷的一部分海域。

When we see pictures of whales swimming in the sea, the whales look like a kind of fish. Whales have nearly the same shape as many fish, but they are not fish. Whales are very large sea animals but they need to breathe like all the animals that do not live under the water. Also, baby whales need to drink their mothers’ milk.

當我們看見鯨魚在海洋裡游泳的圖片時，鯨魚看起來像一種魚類。鯨魚幾乎和許多魚有著一樣的外形，但是它們不是魚。鯨魚是非常大的海洋動物，但是它們像不生活在水下的動物一樣呼吸。而且，鯨魚寶寶需要飲用它們媽媽的乳汁。

Whales spend all their time swimming on and under the sea. Whales can go thousands of meters under the sea looking for food but, because they are not fish, whales have to come up to breathe. Whales cannot breathe under the water. Whales are not like fish in other ways, too. Baby whales need to stay with their mothers all the time so they can drink their mothers’ milk. The babies have to stay near their mothers for about a year.

鯨魚把全部時間用於在海面和海里游泳。鯨魚能在海里遊幾千米去尋找食物，但是因為它們不是魚，鯨魚得游上來呼吸。鯨魚不能在水下呼吸。鯨魚在其他方面也不像魚類。鯨魚寶寶需要一直和它們媽媽在一起，這樣它們才能飲用媽媽的乳汁。鯨魚寶寶得在它們媽媽身邊待一年左右。

Some whales can be really, really big! The largest of all whales is the ‘blue whale’. The blue whale is the largest animal in the world. An adult blue whale can be as long as thirty meters!

有些鯨魚可以非常、非常大！所有鯨魚中最大的是“藍鯨”。藍鯨是世界上最大的動物。一頭成年藍鯨可以長達三十米！

About three thousand years ago, people started to hunt whales on the open seas. Those people killed thousands and thousands of whales for their meat, to get special medicines and for many other things inside the whales’ bodies. About one hundred years ago, people were hunting and killing more than fifty thousand whales a year. Because of all that hunting, these days there are some kinds of whales that we can no longer see, especially some kinds of very large whales.

大約三千年前，人類開始在遠海捕捉鯨魚。人類捕殺了幾百萬頭鯨魚，就是為了獲取鯨魚的肉，並得到特殊藥材和鯨魚體內的許多其他東西。大約一百年前，人們每年捕殺五萬多頭鯨魚。因為大肆捕殺鯨魚，現如今有些種類的鯨魚我們沒法再看到了，尤其是有些很大型的鯨魚種群。

Whales are usually black, white, black and white, blue or gray. Gray whales live in large families called ‘schools’. Some schools of gray whales can be very large with more than a hundred adult and baby whales. These schools usually have more females than males. Adult gray whales are very good at protecting the female gray whales while the females are looking after their babies. Whales usually have only one or two young at a time.

常見的鯨魚有黑色、白色、黑白相間、藍色或者灰色。灰鯨生活所在的大家族叫作“種群”。有些灰鯨種群可以很大，有一百多頭成年鯨和小鯨。這些種群的雌性通常比雄性多。雌鯨照顧小鯨時，成年灰鯨非常善於保護雌鯨。鯨魚通常一次只產下一兩頭小鯨。

Adult gray whales are smaller than blue whales. They are about fourteen meters long and most of them live in seas around North America. Whales eat very, very small sea animals. Because the animals whales eat are so very small, whales have to spend nearly all their time eating. Whales eat at the same time they are swimming under the water.

成年灰鯨比藍鯨小。它們大約有十四米高，其中大多數生活在北美洲附近的海洋裡。鯨魚食用非常、非常小的海洋動物。因為鯨魚食用的動物很小，鯨魚幾乎得把所有的時間用來進食。鯨魚一邊在水下游泳一邊進食。

Whales are not able to protect themselves from attack by people, so these days many countries will not let people hunt whales, especially blue whales. This is because now there are only a few thousand blue whales in all of the world’s seas!

鯨魚沒法保護它們自己免受人類的攻擊，所以現在許多國家不讓人們捕殺鯨魚，尤其是藍鯨。這是因為現在全世界的海洋裡只有幾千頭藍鯨了！

**********

Lee is asking his teacher about Antarctica.

李在向他的老師詢問關於南極洲的知識

Lee

Excuse me, teacher. Can I ask you a question?

Teacher

Of course you can, Lee. If you can’t find something out yourself, you can always ask me. What do you want to know?

Lee

What is Antarctica?

Teacher

Antarctica is a very large, very cold place.

Lee

Where is it? Can you show me in this book?

Teacher

Yes. Look at the second page. There’s a picture of the world.

Lee

Oh, yes.

Teacher

Look at this big white place in the south here. That’s Antarctica.

Lee

Oh, it’s an interesting shape, isn’t it? It looks like an elephant eating something.

Teacher

Oh, do you think so?

Lee

Yes, I do. I think it looks just like the head of an elephant!

Teacher

Look, Lee. Look carefully. You can see that Antarctica is south of Australia, south of Africa, and south of South America.

Lee

Oh, it’s really big, isn’t it? And it has seas all around it.

Teacher

Yes, and it is very, very cold.

Lee

What kind of animals live in Antarctica?

Teacher

There are not many animals. Antarctica is too cold for most animals.

Lee

What about whales?

Teacher

Yes, whales live in the seas around Antarctica. They can even swim in water that is under some parts of Antarctica.

Lee

Really?

Teacher

Yes, but remember, whales are not like sharks. They are not able to stay under the water for very long.

Lee

Oh, yes, they have to come up to breathe, don’t they?

Teacher

Yes, they do. Would you like to see a whale?

Lee

Yes, I would. And I’d like to try some whale meat. Do you know where I can buy some?

Teacher

That would be difficult, Lee.

Lee

Why?

Teacher

Well, these days, most countries will not let people hunt whales for their meat. So you can’t find whale meat in shops.

Lee

Why can’t people hunt whales?

Teacher

Because there are not so many whales left now. Whales cannot protect themselves if people hunt them, so we have to try and protect them. If we don’t, there will be no whales left swimming in the world’s seas.

Lee

Oh, that would not be good, would it?

Teacher

No, it wouldn’t. It would be very bad. We should try to protect all of the world’s animals, especially animals like whales. We don’t want to kill all the world’s animals, do we?

Lee

What about tigers, snakes and sharks? They’re dangerous animals. They can hurt and even kill people. Isn’t it all right for people to hunt and kill animals like those?

Teacher

I don’t think so, Lee. I think we should try to protect all animals, and only kill a few of those we really need for our food.

李

打擾一下，老師。我能問您一個問題嗎？

老師

當然可以，李。如果你自己無法弄清楚，你都可以問我。你想知道什麼？

李

南極洲是什麼？

老師

南極洲是一個非常大、非常冷的地方。

李

它在哪兒？你能在這本書裡指給我看嗎？

老師

行。看看第二頁。有一幅世界地圖。

李

噢，對。

老師

看著南邊這塊白色大區域。那就是南極洲。

李

噢，是一個有趣的形狀，不是嗎？它看起來像一頭大象在吃什麼東西。

老師

噢，你這麼覺得嗎？

李

是的，我這麼覺得。我覺得它看起來就像一頭大象的腦袋。

老師

看，李。仔細看。你能看見南極洲是在澳洲、非洲和美洲的南部。

李

噢，它真大，不是嗎？而且它附近都是海洋。

老師

是的，南極洲非常、非常冷。

李

什麼樣的動物生活在南極洲？

老師

沒有很多動物。南極洲對大多數動物來說都太冷了。

李

那麼鯨魚呢？

老師

是的，鯨魚生活在南極洲附近的海洋裡。它們甚至可以在南極洲底下的部分水域游泳。

李

真的嗎？

老師

是的，但要記住，鯨魚不像鯊魚。它們不能在水下待很長時間。

李

噢，對，它們得上來呼吸，不是嗎？

老師

是的。你想不想看一頭鯨魚？

李

想。而且我想品嚐鯨魚肉。你知道我能在哪兒買一些嗎？

老師

那會很難，李。

李

為什麼？

老師

現在許多國家不讓人們捕鯨取肉。所以你在商店裡是找不到鯨魚肉的。

李

為什麼人們不能獵捉鯨魚了？

老師

因為現在剩下的鯨魚不多了。如果人類獵捕它們，鯨魚不能保護自己，所以我們得儘量保護它們。如果我們不這樣做，世界上的海洋裡將不再有鯨魚游泳了。

李

噢，那可不太好，對吧？

老師

是的，不太好。那會非常糟糕。我們應該儘量保護世界上所有的動物，尤其是鯨魚這樣的動物。我們不想捕殺世界上所有的動物，不是嗎？

李

那麼老虎、蛇和鯊魚呢？它們是危險的動物。它們能傷害甚至捕殺人類。那人類捕殺那樣的動物是否就可以呢？

老師

我不這麼認為，李。我覺得我們應該儘量保護所有的動物，只捕殺我們急需用來當作食物的少數動物。

**********

Questions

1. Where are some of the coldest seas in the world?

2. Why do we say whales are not fish?

3. Which is the biggest animal in the world?

4. When did people first start to hunt whales?

5. What color are whales?

6. Why are there not many animals in Antarctica?

7. Do you think we should let people hunt and kill whales?

**********

18. Bees蜜蜂

New Words新單詞

bee (n.)

讀音：[bi:]

釋義：蜜蜂（名詞）

honey (n.)

讀音：[ˈhʌni]

釋義：蜂蜜（名詞）

myself (pron.)

讀音：[maɪˈself]

釋義：我自己（代詞）

thin / thinner (adj.)

讀音：[θɪn] / [ˈθɪnə(r)]

釋義：細的；瘦的 / 更細的；更瘦的（形容詞）

except (prep.)

讀音：[ɪkˈsept]

釋義：除……外（介詞）

**********

We find bees everywhere in the world except in very cold places like Antarctica. There are no bees in Antarctica because it is so cold and because there are so few flowers where bees can find food for themselves.

除了南極洲這樣的極寒之地，我們在世界各地都找得到蜜蜂。南極洲沒有蜜蜂，因為那裡非常寒冷，很少有鮮花可以供蜜蜂為自己找到食物。

People in many countries like to keep bees. They keep bees because bees produce honey that people like to eat. Most people like to eat honey, and in some places, honey can be quite expensive. If farmers keep bees, they can make a lot of money by selling the honey the bees produce.

許多國家的人們喜歡養蜂。人們養蜂是因為蜜蜂生產人們喜歡吃的蜂蜜。大部分人喜歡吃蜂蜜，而在某些地方，蜂蜜會非常昂貴。農民養蜂，能通過銷售蜜蜂生產的蜂蜜賺很多錢。

Bees are flying insects in the same family as wasps. Like wasps and all other insects, bees have six legs and three body parts. Bees are in the same family as wasps but the bee’s body has a very different shape. Wasp’s bodies are usually long and thin, but bees have fat bodies. Wasps are much thinner than bees so it is easier for them to fly. Because of their fat bodies, it is not so easy for bees to fly. The wings of a bee have to be very strong and move in a very special way for the bee to be able to fly.

蜜蜂是和黃蜂屬同一昆蟲科的飛蟲。像黃蜂和其他所有昆蟲一樣，蜜蜂有六條腿和三個身體部位。蜜蜂和黃蜂是同一昆蟲科，但是蜜蜂的身體形狀非常不同。黃蜂的身體通常又細又長，但是蜜蜂的身體又圓又胖。黃蜂比蜜蜂細很多，因此黃蜂就更容易飛。因為蜜蜂的身體又圓又胖，蜜蜂飛起來不是那麼容易。蜜蜂的翅膀得非常有力，以非常特殊的方式讓蜜蜂飛起來。

Like some other insects, bees have five eyes. They can see all colors except the color red. They are not able to see red, but they are able to see some colors that people cannot see. They can see very well, but they cannot hear at all. They have no ears to let them hear.

像部分其他昆蟲一樣，蜜蜂有五隻眼睛。它們能看見除了紅色之外的所有顏色。它們看不見紅色，但是它們能看見人類看不見的一些顏色。它們視力很好，但是它們根本聽不見。它們沒有耳朵讓它們聽。

Bees can be much larger than wasps. Some bees can be as long as four centimeters, but most are smaller than that. Most bees have bodies that are black, yellow and brown.

蜜蜂可以比黃蜂大得多。有些蜜蜂可以長達四釐米，但大多數都要小一些。大多數蜜蜂的身體是黑色、黃色和棕色。

Like wasps, bees find food for themselves by flying from flower to flower. Each bee can visit hundreds of flowers in a day. Because bees do this, the flowers themselves are able to grow and produce fruit that people can eat. The food that some kinds of bees take back to the bees’ nest will, after some time, produce the honey that people like to eat.

像黃蜂一樣，蜜蜂在花朵間飛來飛去為它們自己尋找食物。每隻蜜蜂一天能採集上百多朵鮮花的花粉。正因為蜜蜂採集花粉，鮮花才能盛開並結出果實供人食用。蜜蜂採集花粉帶回蜂巢，經過一段時間就會釀出人們喜歡吃的蜂蜜。

Like wasps, each bees’ nest has a queen. The work of the queen is to stay in the nest and lay eggs. After the young bees come out of their eggs, it only takes them six weeks to grow to adult size. Younger, female bees do most of the work in a bees’ nest.

像黃蜂一樣，每蜜個蜂巢有一位蜂后。蜂后的職責就是待在蜂巢裡產卵。當小蜜蜂從卵裡孵化出來後，它們只過六個星期就長到了成年蜂的大小。小雌蜂在蜜蜂巢內做了大多數工作。

A bee can protect itself in the same way as a wasp, but they will usually not attack people. Most kinds of bees are not dangerous, but there is one kind of bee in Africa that is really dangerous! If a lot of that kind of bee attack someone at the same time, they can kill.

蜜蜂能以黃蜂同樣的方式保護自己，但是蜜蜂往往不會攻擊人類。大多數種類的蜜蜂沒有危險，但是非洲有一種蜜蜂真的很危險！如果大量那種蜜蜂同時攻擊某人，它們能蜇死人。

At first, those bees lived only in Africa, but now we can also find them in North and South America. People in those places have to be careful to protect themselves if any of those kinds of bees come near.

起先，那些蜜蜂只生活在非洲，但現在我們在北美洲和南美洲也找得到它們。如果有任何那種蜜蜂靠近的話，在那些地方的人們得小心保護他們自己。

A few hundred years ago, the bees that produce honey (honeybees) only lived in Europe, Asia and Africa. Then, about two hundred years ago, people started to take them to North and South America. These days, bee farms in North America are very large with thousands and thousands of bees’ nests. Farmers there keep the bees so they can produce honey and so they can help flowers and fruit grow. The people who look after bees are called ‘beekeepers’.

幾百年前，生產蜂蜜的蜜蜂只生活在歐洲、亞洲和非洲。之後，大約兩百年以前，人們開始把它們帶到北美洲和南美洲。現在，北美洲的養蜂場都非常大，有上百萬個蜂巢。農民養蜂，蜜蜂可以釀蜜並有助於開花結果。照顧蜜蜂的人被稱為“養蜂人”。

**********

Tom and Pat are talking about wasps and bees.

湯姆和佩特正在談論黃蜂和蜜蜂。

Tom

Do you know, Pat, last Tuesday I went with Lee to look at a wasps’ nest.

Pat

Really? Where was it?

Tom

It was under the ground. When we were there, the wasps were coming out of the nest. I think they have to come out to breathe. I don’t think they can breathe under the ground.

Pat

M….mm.m, I don’t know. Maybe they can. I don’t like wasps myself. I think bees are much nicer. They’re more beautiful.

Tom

Well, I like all insects - all insects except bees. Bees are the only insects I don’t like.

Pat

Why don’t you like bees?

Tom

Well, when I was a little boy, I was hurt by a bee – a really big bee!

Pat

Really? Did it hurt a lot?

Tom

Yes, it did. I had to take some medicine to stop it hurting. I went to a shop and bought the medicine myself with my own money. I didn’t want to tell my mother about it.

Pat

Why not?

Tom

Because my mother always tells me to keep away from insects, especially insects like wasps and bees.

Pat

I think your mother’s right. Why did that bee attack you?

Tom

I was trying to get into its nest to get some of its honey and I think it got angry. I think it was a queen bee.

Pat

Well, that will teach you to be careful and not to get too near to insects like wasps and bees.

Tom

You’re always careful aren’t you, Pat? You really know how to look after yourself, don’t you?

Pat

Yes, I do. I know how to look after myself and you should learn to look after yourself, too. You should be more careful.

Tom

I know. Why is it that girls are always more careful than boys?

Pat

That’s easy, Tom. Girls are more careful than boys because girls are more intelligent than boys!

湯姆

你知道嗎，佩特，上週二我和李去看了一個黃蜂巢。

佩特

真的嗎？它在哪兒？

湯姆

它在地下。當我們到那兒時，黃蜂們正從巢裡出來。我想它們得出來呼吸。我覺得它們沒法在地下呼吸。

佩特

呃……呃呃，我不知道。或許它們能。我自己不喜歡黃蜂。我覺得蜜蜂要好得多。它們更漂亮。

湯姆

好吧，我喜歡所有的昆蟲——所有的昆蟲，除了蜜蜂。蜜蜂是我唯一不喜歡的昆蟲。

佩特

你為什麼不喜歡蜜蜂？

湯姆

我小時候被一隻蜜蜂蜇傷了——一隻很大的蜜蜂！

佩特

真的嗎？很疼嗎？

湯姆

是的，很疼。我得吃藥止疼。我去藥店自己花錢買藥。我不想把這件事告訴我媽媽。

佩特

為什麼不？

湯姆

因為我媽媽總告訴我要遠離昆蟲，特別是像黃蜂和蜜蜂這樣的昆蟲。

佩特

我覺得你媽媽是對的。為什麼蜜蜂攻擊了你？

湯姆

我試圖靠近蜂巢取蜜，我覺得它發怒了。我想它是一隻蜂后。

佩特

好吧，那會教你小心點兒，而且不要太靠近黃蜂和蜜蜂這樣的昆蟲。

湯姆

你總是很小心，不是嗎佩特？你非常瞭解要怎樣照顧自己，不是嗎？

佩特

是的，我知道啊。我知道如何照顧自己，而你也應該學著照顧你自己。你應該更小心。

湯姆

我知道啊。為什麼女生總比男生更小心？

佩特

那很簡單啊，湯姆。女生比男生更小心是因為女生比男生更聰明！

**********

Questions

1. Do bees live in Antarctica?

2. Why do some people keep bees?

3. Are bees thinner than wasps?

4. Which kind of bee is very dangerous?

5. When did people start taking bees to America?

6. What do we call people who keep bees?

7. Who is always very careful?

**********

19. Dolphins海豚

New Words新單詞

dolphin (n.)

讀音：[ˈdɒlfɪn]

釋義：海豚（名詞）

sound (v+n)

讀音：[saʊnd]

釋義：聽；聲音（動詞、名詞）

each other

讀音：[i:tʃ ˈʌðə(r]

釋義：互相，彼此

top(n.)

讀音：[tɒp]

釋義：頂部（名詞）

hole (n.)

讀音：[həʊl]

釋義：洞，孔（名詞）

river (n.)

讀音：[ˈrɪvə(r)]

釋義：江河（名詞）

**********

Dolphins are sea animals in the same family as whales. Like whales, dolphins cannot breathe under the water. When they need to breathe, they come up to the top of the water. If we look at a dolphin or a whale, we can see that they have a hole on the top of their head. Dolphins and whales use this hole to breathe. Sometimes, we can see dolphins and whales blowing water out of these holes.

海豚和鯨魚是同一種族的海洋動物。正如鯨魚，海豚不能在水下呼吸。當海豚需要呼吸時，它們就游到水面上來。如果我們看看海豚或者鯨魚，我們能看見它們的頭頂上有一個孔。海豚和鯨魚用這個孔來呼吸。有時候，我們能看見海豚和鯨魚從這些孔中中吹出水泡。

The shape of a dolphin is a little different to the shape of most whales. Most dolphins are smaller than whales and their bodies are long and thin. This shape is very good for swimming quickly, and dolphins are some of the best swimmers in the sea. The largest dolphins can be four-and-a-half meters long, but most kinds are about three meters long. They are black, white or gray in color.

海豚的形狀和大多數鯨魚的形狀有點不同。大多數海豚比鯨魚體型更小。海豚身體細長，這種體型很適合游泳，海豚是海洋裡最好的游泳運動員之一。最大型的海豚能有四米半長，但是大多數種類的海豚大約有三米長。海豚的顏色有黑色、白色或者灰色。

Dolphins are very intelligent animals. They could even be the most intelligent animals after people. In zoos and other special places, people can teach dolphins to do things that no other animals can do.

海豚是非常聰明的動物。它們甚至可能是繼人類後最聰明的動物。在動物園和其他特殊場所，人們能教海豚做其他動物做不了的事情。

Dolphins live in seas nearly everywhere in the world, and some kinds even live in rivers. River dolphins live in some of the rivers of South America and South Asia. River dolphins are a little different to sea dolphins. The heads of river dolphins are smaller than the heads of sea dolphins. River dolphins are not as intelligent as sea dolphins and they do not work so well with each other.

海豚幾乎生活在世界各地的海洋裡，有些種類的海豚甚至生活在江河裡。江豚生活在南美洲和南亞的河流裡。江豚和海豚有點區別。江豚的頭部比海豚的頭部要小。江豚不如海豚聰明，江豚彼此合作沒那麼好。

Most dolphins live about twenty years and start producing young when they are five to eight years old. Baby dolphins grow inside their mothers’ bodies and, when they come out, the mothers will chase the babies up to the top of the water. The mothers make the babies go to the top of the water so that the baby dolphins can breathe for the first time.

大多數海豚能活大約二十年，它們五到八歲的時候就開始繁殖幼崽。小海豚孕育在海豚媽媽的體內，當小海豚一出生，海豚媽媽會把小海豚趕到水面上去。海豚媽媽讓小海豚到水面上去，這樣小海豚就可以第一次呼吸了。

Adult female dolphins produce milk for their young, and they will look after their young for a year or more. Baby dolphins like to swim under their mothers’ bodies and they learn a lot about swimming and hunting by spending a year so near to their mothers. But even after that first year, the mothers and their young stay near to each other. Like whales and many kinds of fish, dolphins like to swim around in ‘schools’. There are sometimes more than a thousand dolphins in a school!

成年的雌海豚為它們的幼崽產奶，它們會照看幼崽一年或者更久。小海豚喜歡在海豚媽媽的身體底下游泳，它們在海豚媽媽身邊花一年時間能學到很多關於游泳和捕獵的技能。但是即使在這一年之後，海豚媽媽和小海豚也待得很近。正如鯨魚和許多種類的魚，海豚喜歡以“種群”為單位游泳。有時候一個海豚種群裡有一千多頭海豚！

Dolphins have teeth and hunt and eat fish and small sea animals like baby turtles. This is another way dolphins are different to whales. Whales do not have teeth and only eat very, very small sea animals.

海豚長了牙齒，能捕食魚以及像小海龜這樣的小型海洋動物。這是海豚和鯨魚的另有不同之處。鯨魚沒有牙齒，只吃非常、非常小的海洋動物。

Dolphins can hear very well. Each dolphin in a school can make its own special sound that the other dolphins can hear. People swimming under the water can sometimes hear some of these sounds, too. To people, it can sound like the dolphins are singing. The dolphins are not singing. This is the way that dolphins speak to each other.

海豚的聽力極佳。一個種群裡的每隻海豚都能發出自己獨特的聲音，其他海豚都能聽見。在水下游泳的人有時候也能聽見一部分這種聲音。對人來說，這聲音聽上去像是海豚在歌唱。海豚不是在唱歌，這是海豚互相交談的方式。

Dolphins can use sound in other ways, too. They are able to use sounds to help them when they are hunting large schools of fish. They are able to send out sounds and wait for those sounds to come back from the school of fish they are hunting. The time it takes for the sounds to come back to the dolphins’ ears tells the dolphins how near the fish are. That really helps the dolphins find the fish they want to eat.

海豚們也能在其他方面使用聲音。當它們捕獵大片魚群的時候，它們能用聲音來幫助它們。它們能發出聲音並等待聲音從它們要捕的魚群回傳。聲音傳回到海豚耳朵裡所花用的時間告訴海豚魚群有多近。那真的幫助海豚找到它們想吃的魚。

Because of their long, thin shape, people sometimes think dolphins are sharks and will swim or run away from them. Dolphins can look like sharks, but they are not at all dangerous for people. Dolphins love to play. They love to play with each other and they even love to play with people. They are even safe for young children to play with.

因為海豚體型細長，人們有時候把海豚當成鯊魚，從海豚身邊遊走或逃跑。海豚可能看起來像鯊魚，但是它們對人類來說根本沒有危險。海豚喜歡彼此玩耍，甚至喜歡和人玩耍。它們甚至能安全地和小孩子一起玩耍。

**********

Pat and her mother are talking about dolphins.

佩特和她媽媽正在談論海豚。

Pat

Mom, did you know that dolphins can speak to each other under the water?

Mother

Yes, I did know that. Whales can speak to each other, too. Each whale in a school can hear the sounds that the other whales make.

Pat

That’s very clever, isn’t it? I learned a lot about dolphins today. It was really interesting!

Mother

Good. What about Lee? Did he learn a lot, too?

Pat

M..mm.m, I don’t think he learned as much as me. I’m better at schoolwork than Lee. I never need to ask for help. I can always find out things by myself. You know, Mom, I think this year I will be top of our class.

Mother

Really? Well if you can get to the top of your class, I’ll be very happy. But remember, Pat… it’s not enough to be intelligent. You have to be kind, too.

Pat

Yes, Mom. I know.

Mother

And please try to do more to help Lee with his schoolwork. Brothers and sisters should always help each other like that.

Pat

All right, Mom.

Mother

Now, tell me more about dolphins.

Pat

Well, most dolphins live in the sea but some live in rivers. Dolphins are not fish – they can’t breathe under the water like fish can. They have to come up to breathe. They breathe by using a hole in the top of their heads.

Mother

That’s the same as whales. Last week, I saw a whale on television. It was blowing water out of the top of its head.

Pat

Dolphins are a kind of whale. Dolphins love to play. They love to play with each other, and they sometimes even play with people!

Mother

I know, Pat – let’s ask your father if he will take us to a zoo on Saturday. There’s a zoo near here that has dolphins.

Pat

Oh, yes! Maybe they will let us play with the dolphins.

Mother

Maybe. Let’s go and see. But before Saturday, I’d like you to do something for me.

Pat

What? What would you like me to do?

Mother

On Wednesday night, Thursday night and Friday night, I’d like you to help Lee with his homework.

Pat

Oh, all right Mom.

Mother

I know you can do your homework by yourself, but it’s sometimes difficult for Lee. I’d really like to see you and Lee helping each other more.

佩特

媽媽，你知道海豚在水下可以互相交談嗎？

媽媽

是的，我知道。鯨魚也能互相交談。一個種群裡的每隻鯨魚都能聽到其他鯨魚發出的聲音。

佩特

那真聰明，不是嗎？我今天學了很多關於海豚的知識。真的很有趣！

媽媽

真棒。那麼李呢？他也學了很多嗎？

佩特

呃……呃呃，我覺得他學的沒我多。我的成績比李好。我從來不需要尋求幫助。我總能自己找到答案，你知道的，媽媽，我認為今年我會在班上名列前茅。

媽媽

真的嗎？如果你能在你班上名列前茅，我會很開心。但是要記住，佩特……光是聰明是不夠的，你還得善良。

佩特

是的，媽媽。我知道。

媽媽

那麼請儘量多在功課上幫幫李。兄弟姐妹應該像那樣互相幫助。

佩特

好吧，媽媽

媽媽

現在，再跟我講講海豚。

佩特

行，大多數海豚生活在海洋裡但是有一些生活在江河裡。海豚不是魚——它們不能像魚一樣在水下呼吸。它們得游上來呼吸。它們用頭頂上的一個孔來呼吸。

媽媽

那和鯨魚一樣。上週我在電視上看到了一頭鯨魚。它從它頭頂上噴水。

佩特

海豚是鯨魚的一種。海豚喜歡玩耍。它們喜歡互相玩耍，它們甚至有時候和人一起玩耍！

媽媽

我知道，佩特——咱們問問你爸爸，他是否會在週日帶我們去動物園。這附近有一家有海豚的動物園。

佩特

哦，好啊！或許他們會讓我們和海豚一起玩耍。

媽媽

或許吧。咱們去看看。但是在週六以前，我希望你為我做一些事情。

佩特

什麼？你想要我做什麼？

媽媽

在週三晚上、週四晚上和週五晚上，我希望你能幫助李做作業。

佩特

噢，好吧媽媽。

媽媽

我知道你能自己做作業，但有時候這對李來說很難。我真的希望看到你和李能更多地互相幫助。

**********

Questions

1. How is a dolphin able to breathe?

2. Which kinds of dolphins are not so intelligent?

3. How are dolphins different to other kinds of whales?

4. What do dolphins use sound for?

5. Are dolphins dangerous?

6. Who is better at schoolwork – Lee or Pat?

7. What does Pat have to do before she goes to the zoo?

**********

20. Ants螞蟻

New Words新單詞

ant(n.)

讀音：[ænt]

釋義：螞蟻（名詞）

common(adj.)

讀音：[ˈkɒmən]

釋義：普通的；常見的（形容詞）

million(num.)

讀音：[ˈmɪljən]

釋義：百萬（數字）

control (v.)

讀音：[kənˈtrəʊl]

釋義：控制（動詞）

useful (adj.)

讀音：[ˈju:sfl]

釋義：有用的（形容詞）

temperature (n.)

讀音：[ˈtemprətʃə(r)]

釋義：溫度；氣溫（名詞）

**********

There are thousands of different kinds of ants, and there are millions and millions of ants in the world. Today, ants are common nearly everywhere in the world. Millions of years ago, ants only lived in hot places like Africa, South Asia, Australia and South America. Now ants are common everywhere. They can even live in places with very cold temperatures like Antarctica or the north of Europe.

螞蟻有幾千種不同的種類，世界上有數百萬的螞蟻。今天，螞蟻幾乎在世界各地都很常見。數百萬年以前，螞蟻只生活在像非洲、南亞、澳洲和南美洲等炎熱的地區。現在螞蟻到處都很常見。它們甚至能生活在像南極洲或者北歐這樣的極寒地區。

Different kinds of ants make their nests in different places. In some parts of the world, it is common to see ants’ nests near the top of trees. In other places, the ants make their nests in holes under the ground. Some ants’ nests can be very, very large – big enough for millions of ants!

不同種類的螞蟻在不同的地方做穴。在世界有些地方，常常在樹梢附近看見蟻穴。在其他地方，螞蟻能在地底打洞做穴。有些蟻穴可以非常、非常大——大到足以容納幾百萬的螞蟻！

Ants make their nests in a very special way. Their nests have many ‘rooms’. This is so the nest can control the temperature. The different rooms have different temperatures. This is very useful for the ants. When a room near the outside or the top of a nest is too cold, the ants can move to a room in the middle of the nest. The rooms in the middle are not as cold as the rooms near the outside or the top of the nests. In this way, the ants can control their body temperature so they are not too hot or too cold. When the ants make their nests, it is common to see hundreds or thousands of ants working together. Ants work together very well.

螞蟻用一種非常特殊的方法做穴。它們的穴有很多“房間”，這樣蟻穴就可以控制溫度。蟻穴裡的不同房間有不同的溫度，這對螞蟻非常有用。當靠近穴外或者穴頂的房間太冷，螞蟻就搬家到蟻穴中間的房間。蟻穴中間的房間不及靠近穴外或者穴頂的屋子冷。這樣，螞蟻就能控制它們的體溫，它們就不會太熱或者太冷。當螞蟻做穴的時候，常能見到成百上千的螞蟻一起幹活。螞蟻們一起合作得很好。

Each kind of ant has its own special shape, size and color. Like all other insects, ants have three body parts and six legs. Ants keep themselves very clean and nearly never get sick. This is because they are able to produce a special medicine which is very useful in keeping the ants clean and well. This medicine comes out of a hole on top of the ant’s body. That medicine goes all over the ant’s body and protects it.

每一種螞蟻有它自己特殊的形狀、大小和顏色。正如所有其他昆蟲，螞蟻有三個身體部分和六條腿。螞蟻自身保持得非常潔淨，幾乎從不生病。這是因為它們能分泌出特殊藥物，對螞蟻保持潔淨和健康非常有用。那種藥物遍佈螞蟻全身，保護螞蟻。

Some ants can be very large. The biggest ants are two-and-a-half centimeters long. These very large ants are very common in many parts of Australia. Ants like those can be very useful for people. Those large ants can be very useful because people can use the special medicine that the large ants’ bodies produce. All ants produce this special medicine, but the larger ants produce more of it.

有些螞蟻可以很大。最大的螞蟻有兩釐米半長。這些很大的螞蟻在澳洲的許多地方非常常見。像那樣大的螞蟻能對人類很有幫助。那些大螞蟻可以非常有用，因為人們可以用大螞蟻身體分泌出來的特殊藥物。所有螞蟻都分泌這種特殊藥物，但是更大的螞蟻分泌得更多。

Only male ants can grow wings and fly. Except for the queen, female ants do not have wings and cannot fly. Most common ants only live from six to ten weeks, but the queen ant can live as long as fifteen years! Every ant family has one queen. The queen is the mother of all the other ants in her nest and can produce thousands of babies. The queen spends all her time producing these young ants and cannot move around in the nest very much – the other ants have to help her. All the other ants in the nest have to work to look after the queen.

只有雄蟻能長出翅膀並能飛。除了蟻后，雌蟻既沒有翅膀也不能飛。大多數普通螞蟻只能活六到十週，但是蟻后能活到十五年那麼久！每個螞蟻家族都有一隻蟻后。蟻后是她穴裡所有其他螞蟻的母親，能繁殖幾千只小螞蟻。蟻后用她全部的時間來繁殖這些小螞蟻，不太能在蟻穴裡四處移動——其他螞蟻得幫助她。蟻穴裡的所有其他螞蟻都得幹活來照顧蟻后。

It is common to see hundreds or thousands of ants helping each other to look for food and bringing the food back to their nest. Each ant will help all the other ants to do the work very quickly. How are ants able to work so well together? We don’t really know. It is difficult for us to understand how ants can work so well together.

常常能見到成百上千的螞蟻互相幫助尋找食物，並把食物帶回它們的蟻穴。每隻螞蟻都會幫助其他所有的螞蟻迅幹活。螞蟻是怎麼合作得這麼好的？我們不太清楚。我們很難理解螞蟻是如何合作得這麼好的。

**********

Lee and his father are talking about ants.

李和他爸爸正在談論螞蟻。

Dad

Hello, Lee. Did you have a good day at school today?

Lee

M..mm.m… not so good.

Dad

Why not?

Lee

I got angry with Pat.

Dad

Really? Why? Why did you get angry with your sister?

Lee

Because she got angry with me.

Dad

I see. Oh well, never mind. What did you learn at school today?

Lee

Oh, it was very interesting Dad. We learned all about ants.

Dad

What is so interesting about ants?

Lee

Well, ants are common everywhere in the world. They even live in Antarctica!

Dad

Really? Isn’t the temperature in Antarctica too cold for ants?

Lee

Yes, but ants are able to control the temperature by making special homes.

Dad

What kind of homes?

Lee

They make nests with lots of rooms. The rooms in the middle of the nest are not as cold as the rooms on the outside of the nest.

Dad

I see. That’s very clever, isn’t it?

Lee

Do you know another thing that’s really interesting about ants?

Dad

What?

Lee

They can make medicine by themselves. They make the medicine in their bodies and it comes out of a hole on the top of their bodies.

Dad

And what does that medicine do?

Lee

It keeps the ants very clean and stops them from getting sick.

Dad

M..mm.m, animals that live in the ground or places like that have to keep clean, don’t they? If they don’t keep clean, they will get sick.

Lee

Yes. And that medicine is useful for people, too. People in Australia started using that medicine for themselves thousands of years ago.

Dad

Really? How did they use it?

Lee

When those people hurt some part of their body, they could put some ants on that part. Then the ants’ medicine would go on that part, stop it from hurting and help it to get better.

Dad

Oh, so ants can be useful for people. And ants work together very well, don’t they? They know how to help each other.

Lee

Yes, they do. They help each other to make the nest, and they help each other to find food and bring it back to the nest for the queen ant.

Dad

And they also help each other to protect the nest from attack by other insects and animals. Tell me something, Lee.

Lee

What’s that, Dad?

Dad

What about you and your sister? Do you help each other, too?

Lee

M..mm.m… not really.

Dad

Why not?

Lee

Well, Pat always makes me angry. She thinks she knows everything, and she always tells people she is more intelligent than me. I don’t like it when she does things like that!

Dad

Well, try not to get angry, Lee. It’s not good to get angry. You have to learn how to control yourself.

Lee

I know, Dad. But sometimes she makes me so angry that I can’t control myself.

Dad

Well, please try Lee. All children have to learn to control themselves.

Lee

What about adults?

Dad

Yes, adults have to be able to control themselves, too.

爸爸

你好啊，李。你今天在學校過得好嗎？

李

呃……呃呃……不太好。

爸爸

為什麼不好？

李

我生佩特的氣了。

爸爸

真的嗎？為什麼？你為什麼要生你妹妹的氣？

李

因為她生我的氣了。

爸爸

我懂了。噢好吧，別介意。你今天在學校學了什麼？

李

噢，很有趣，爸爸。我們學習了關於螞蟻的所有知識。

爸爸

螞蟻怎麼有趣了？

李

螞蟻在世界上到處都很常見。它們甚至生活在南極洲！

爸爸

真的嗎？南極洲的氣溫對螞蟻來說不會太冷了？

李

是太冷了，但是螞蟻能通過建造特殊的蟻穴來控制溫度。

爸爸

什麼樣的蟻穴？

李

它們製造有很多房間的房子。蟻穴中間的房間沒有蟻穴外圍的房間那麼冷。

爸爸

我知道了。那真是非常聰明瞭，不是嗎？

李

你知道關於螞蟻的另一件很有趣的事嗎？

爸爸

什麼？

李

它們能自己分泌藥物。它們在自己的身體裡分泌藥物，然後藥物從它們身體頂上的一個孔裡流出來。

爸爸

那藥物是做什麼用的？

李

藥物保持螞蟻很乾淨，防止它們生病。

爸爸

呃…… 生活在地裡或類似地方的動物必須保持乾淨，不是嗎？如果它們不保持乾淨的話，它們會生病的。

李

是的。那種藥物對人類也很有用。澳洲的人們幾千年前就開始對他們自己用那種藥物了。

爸爸

真的嗎？他們怎麼用的？

李

當他們身體某些部位受傷時，他們把幾隻螞蟻放在那個部位。螞蟻的藥物會流到那個地方，止痛並助癒合傷口。

爸爸

噢，所以螞蟻對人類來說是有用的。而且螞蟻合作的非常好，不是嗎？它們知道如何互相幫助。

李

是的。它們互相幫助造穴，它們互相幫助尋找食物，把食物帶回蟻穴給蟻后。

爸爸

而且它們也互相幫助保護巢穴免遭其他昆蟲和動物的襲擊。告訴我，李。

李

什麼，爸爸？

爸爸

你和你妹妹呢？你們也互相幫助嗎？

李

呃……不。

爸爸

為什麼不呢？

李

事實上，佩特總讓我生氣。她覺得她知道一切，她總是告訴大家她比我更聰明。她那麼做時我不喜歡。

爸爸

那麼儘量不要生氣，李。生氣不好。你得學會如何控制你自己。

李

我知道，爸爸。但是有時候她讓我很生氣，我沒法控制我自己。

爸爸

好吧，請儘量不要生氣，李。所有孩子都得學著控制他們自己。

李

那成年人呢？

爸爸

成年人也得能控制他們自己。

*****

Questions

1. How many different kinds of ants are there?

2. Are ants common where you live?

3. How large are the biggest ants?

4. How long can queen ants live?

5. Where do ants make their nests?

6. What is special about the ants’ nest?

7. Ants make a special medicine inside their bodies. What does that medicine do?

***********

21. Pigs豬

New Words新單詞

pig (n.)

讀音：[pɪg]

釋義：豬（名詞）

skin (n.)

讀音：[skɪn]

釋義：皮膚（名詞）

anything (pron.)

讀音：[ˈeniθɪŋ]

釋義：任何東西（代詞）

however(adv.)

讀音：[haʊˈevə(r)]

釋義：然而；可是；無論無如何（副詞）

mud (n.)

讀音：[mʌd]

釋義：泥（名詞）

muddy (adj.)

讀音：[ˈmʌdi]

釋義：泥濘的（形容詞）

**********

Pigs are very useful animals and they are common in most parts of Asia, Africa, North and South America, Europe and Australia. We can find pigs everywhere in the world except Antarctica.

豬是非常有用的動物，在亞洲、非洲、南北美洲、歐洲和澳洲的大多地方都很常見。除了南極洲，我們能在世界各地找到豬。

Farmers and other people keep pigs not only for their meat, but also for their skin and hair. We can eat the meat we get from pigs, and we can use their skin to make clothes and bags. The hair we get from pigs is good for making some kinds of brushes.

農民和其他人養豬不僅為了得到豬肉，而且為了得到豬皮和豬毛。我們能吃豬身上的豬肉，我們能用豬皮做衣服和包。我們從豬身上得到的毛適合製作某種刷子。

However, in some countries people do not like to use pigs in this way – or any way at all. This is especially true in some countries in Asia and North Africa. People in those countries will not eat meat that comes from pigs. Many of those people think that pigs are dirty animals and will not have anything to do with them.

但是，在有些國家人們不喜歡這樣利用豬——或者說根本不喜歡利用豬。在亞洲和北非的一些國家尤其如此。那些國家的人們不喜歡吃豬身上的肉。許多那些人認為豬是骯髒的動物，不想和豬有任何接觸。

However, pigs are not really dirty animals. They would really like to be able to keep themselves clean. Pigs’ bodies are not very good at controlling their body temperature. That is why, especially on hot days, pigs like to go in dirty water or mud. The pigs do this so the dirty water or mud can help to control their body temperature. However, doing this also makes the pigs’ skin dirty or muddy.

可是，豬這種動物並不是真的很髒。豬很想能讓自己保持乾淨。豬的身體不太善於控制體溫。那就是為什麼豬喜歡去泥水或者泥巴里，尤其在炎熱的日子裡。豬這麼做是為了讓泥水或者泥巴幫助控制體溫。不過這麼做也讓豬的皮膚變得骯髒或者泥濘。

Pigs are not the same as animals like cats. Cats and some other animals know how to keep themselves clean, but pigs don’t. Pigs are not good at cleaning themselves. However, if we keep pigs in clean places where the temperature is not too hot and where there is no mud or dirty water, the pigs will be able to keep themselves clean.

豬和像貓這樣的動物是不同的。貓和有些其他動物知道如何讓自己乾淨，但豬不知道。豬不善於清洗自己。不過如果我們把豬養在乾淨的地方，溫度不冷不熱，沒有泥水或者泥巴，豬也能自己保持乾淨。

Another thing people often think is that pigs are not intelligent. However, some people think that pigs are very intelligent. Some people even think that pigs are more intelligent than dogs! This could be true. It could even be that pigs are nearly as intelligent as monkeys!

另外人們常常認為豬不聰明。不過有些人覺得豬非常聰明。有些人甚至覺得豬比狗還聰明！這可能是真的。豬甚至可能幾乎和猴子一樣聰明！

There are millions and millions of pigs in the world, and there are more than 370 different kinds of pigs. Pigs come in many different shapes and sizes and their skin can be lots of different colors. There are pigs with black skin, pigs with white skin, pigs with brown skin and pigs with pink skin.

世界上有數百萬頭豬，豬有370多不同品種。豬有許多不同的體型和大小，豬的皮可以有許多不同的顏色。有黑皮豬，白皮豬，棕皮豬和粉皮豬。

These days, most pigs live on farms. However, there are still a few hundred thousand pigs that live in the wild. We are still able to find wild pigs in some parts of Africa and Asia. Some of those wild pigs can be dangerous, so it is best for people, especially children, to stay well away from them.

現在，大多數豬生活在農場上，但是依然有少數幾十萬頭豬生活在野外。我們仍能在非洲和亞洲的一些地方找到野豬。有些野豬有危險，所以人們尤其是孩子們，最好能離它們遠遠的。

People first started to keep pigs in Europe and Asia thousands of years ago. The first places we know about were nine thousand years ago in Asia and three thousand years ago in Europe. This tells us that people in Asia were the first people to keep pigs.

人們早在幾千年前就開始在歐洲和亞洲養豬。我們知道首次養豬的地方是九千年前的亞洲和三千年前的歐洲。這告訴我們亞洲人最早開始養豬。

Later, people took pigs to America and Australia and farmers there started to keep them. By using careful ways of controlling the pigs’ food, medicine and temperature, farmers are now able to produce pigs that grow as large as three meters long and produce lots of meat.

後來人們把豬帶去了美洲和澳洲，那裡的農民開始養豬。通過小心控制豬的食物、藥物和體溫，農民現在能培養出長達三米的大型豬，它們能產很多肉。

**********

Lee and Pat are talking about pigs.

李和佩特正在談論豬。

Lee

Pat, what do you think about pigs?

Pat

Pigs? I don’t like them. I don’t like them at all!

Lee

Why not? What’s wrong with pigs?

Pat

Everything is wrong with pigs. I don’t like anything about them!

Lee

What? What don’t you like about them?

Pat

Pigs are noisy, dirty animals. They always make a lot of noise and they’re always muddy. They always have mud all over their bodies!

Lee

So what?

Pat

So they don’t know how to keep themselves clean. They are just like you. You’re not interested in keeping yourself clean. You are always dirty or muddy.

Lee

No, I’m not.

Pat

Yes, you are. Look at yourself. You’re dirty now. Your clothes and shoes are all muddy. This morning, outside school, you were playing in the mud with your friends. Your clothes got all muddy and your face is dirty, too.

Lee

Well, so what?

Pat

So Mom will get angry with you. She always has to tell you to go and wash yourself when you come home from school. You’re not like me – I know how to keep myself clean.

Lee

Oh, yes. Girls are like that.

Pat

And another thing I don’t like about pigs – they are not careful about what they eat. Pigs will eat anything!

Lee

Pigs just eat what people give them. If people give them good food, they will eat good food.

Pat

Pigs are just like you and your friend, Tom. Tom will eat anything, too. That’s why he’s so fat.

Lee

Well, I like pigs. I’m going to ask Dad if I can have one as a pet.

Pat

There you go again! You always want to have pets that you can’t have – animals like rats, snakes or owls. Nobody keeps pigs as pets. Farmers keep them for their meat, skin and hair. Nobody keeps them as pets!

Lee

Yes, they do!

Pat

No, they don’t!

Lee

Yes, they do!

Pat

No, they don’t. And if you think Dad will let you get a pig, you are wrong. Mom and Dad would never let you get a pig as a pet!

Lee

Well, you wait. You wait and see.

Pat

Oh Lee, you really are not very intelligent, are you? You don’t really know anything, do you?

Lee

Yes, I do. I know more than you do. I know more about animals than you do!

李

佩特，你覺得豬怎麼樣？

佩特

豬？我不喜歡它們。我一點都不喜歡它們！

李

為什麼不？豬哪裡不好了？

佩特

豬哪兒都不好。我不喜歡它們的任何東西！

李

什麼？你不喜歡它們什麼？

佩特

豬是又吵又髒的動物。它們總是製造很多噪音，它們總是沾滿泥巴。它們總是全身是泥！

李

所以呢？

佩特

所以它們不知道怎麼保持乾淨。它們就像你一樣。你對保持自身乾淨一點兒都不感興趣。你總是很髒或沾滿泥巴。

李

不，我不是這樣的。

佩特

是的，你就是。看看你自己。你現在就很髒。你的衣服和鞋子都沾滿泥巴。今天早上在學校外面，你和你的朋友們在泥巴里玩。你的衣服沾滿泥巴，你的臉也很髒。

李

好吧，所以呢？

佩特

所以媽媽會生你的氣。當你從學校回家的時候，她總是得告訴你去洗洗你自己。你不像我——我知道怎麼讓我自己乾淨。

李

噢，是啊。女孩都喜歡那樣。

佩特

而且我不喜歡豬的另一方面——它們不計較它們吃的東西。豬什麼都能吃！

李

豬隻是吃人們給它們的東西。如果人們給它們好食物，它們就會吃好食物啊。

佩特

豬就像你和你朋友湯姆。湯姆也什麼都能吃。那就是為什麼他那麼胖。

李

好吧，我喜歡豬。我會去問爸爸我是否能養一隻當寵物。

佩特

你又來了！你總是想養你不能養的寵物——像老鼠、蛇或者貓頭鷹這樣的動物。沒人養豬當寵物。農民們養它們是為了它們的肉和皮毛。沒人養它們當寵物！

李

有。

佩特

沒有！

李

有！

佩特

不，沒有！如果你覺得爸爸會讓你養一頭豬，你就錯了。爸媽永遠不會讓你養一頭豬當寵物！

李

好吧，你等著，你等著瞧。

佩特

哦李，你真的不太聰明，不是嗎？你真的什麼都不知道，不是嗎？

李

是的，我知道。我知道的比你多。我瞭解動物比你多！

**********

Questions

1. Why do farmers keep pigs?

2. What are we able to make from the skin of pigs?

3. What do pigs like to do when they get hot?

4. Are pigs intelligent?

5. How many different kinds of pigs are there?

6. Why doesn’t Pat like pigs?

7. What do you think about pigs?

***********

22. Bats蝙蝠

New Words新單詞

bat (n.)

讀音：[bæt]

釋義：蝙蝠（名詞）

important (adj.)

讀音：[ɪmˈpɔ:tnt]

釋義：重要的（形容詞）

group (n.)

讀音：[gru:p]

釋義：組；群（名詞）

mosquito/es(n.)

讀音：[məˈski:təʊ] / [məˈski:təʊz]

釋義：蚊子（名詞）

else (adj.)

讀音：[els]

釋義：其他的（形容詞）

***********

Many people think that bats are a kind of bird. This is because bats have wings, can fly and sometimes look a little like birds. However, bats are not birds. There are some important differences. Baby bats do not come out of eggs like young birds do. Baby bats grow inside their mothers’ bodies until they are ready to come out into the world. When the baby bats come out of their mothers’ bodies, they are then ready to drink their mothers’ milk. This is like many other animals, but it is not like birds. Birds do not drink their mothers’ milk.

許多人覺得蝙蝠是一種鳥類，這是因為蝙蝠長了翅膀可以飛，有時候看上去有點像鳥。但是蝙蝠不是鳥，兩者之間有一些重要的區別。小蝙蝠不像小鳥一樣破殼而出，小蝙蝠長在它們媽媽的體內，直到準備好降臨於世。當小蝙蝠從蝙蝠媽媽的身體裡生出來時，它們已經準備好喝蝙蝠媽媽的乳汁。這很像許多其他的動物，但是不像鳥。鳥不會喝鳥媽媽的乳汁。

Bats are very good at flying. They are able to fly very quickly. However, they are not able to run or walk on the ground. Bats’ legs are not very strong, and the bats cannot control them well enough to walk or run.

蝙蝠很擅長飛行，它們能飛得很快，但是它們沒法在地上奔跑或行走。蝙蝠的腿不是很強壯，蝙蝠沒法很好地控制腿來行走或奔跑。

At night, bats come out to hunt for food in the forests and other places. Most of the time, they hunt for mosquitoes and other flying insects. Bats hunt for flying insects by flying very quickly in large groups. When bats do this, they are not using their eyes to hunt. Birds like owls use their eyes to hunt but bats do not.

晚上蝙蝠外出來到森林和其他地方捕食。在大多數時間裡，它們捕捉蚊子和其他飛蟲。成群的蝙蝠快速飛行來捕捉飛蟲。在蝙蝠這樣做的時候，它們不用眼睛來捕食。像貓頭鷹這樣的鳥用它們的眼睛來捕食，但是蝙蝠不會這樣。

Bats hunt by using their ears. Bats have very large ears, and they are able to listen to sounds to help them find their way. This is very important and useful for the bats. It is important and useful because bats only hunt at night.

蝙蝠通過用它們的耳朵來捕獵。蝙蝠的耳朵很大，它們能聽聲音來幫助它們探路。這對蝙蝠來說很重要也很有用。這既重要又有用，是因為蝙蝠只在晚上捕食。

There are about nine hundred different kinds of bats. This is more than any other large animal except rats. Bats live in all parts of the world except for very cold places. The two most common kinds of bats are the ‘brown bat’ and the ‘red bat’.

蝙蝠大約有九百種不同種類，除了老鼠以外這比任何其他大型動物都要多。除了極寒之地以外，蝙蝠生活在世界各地。“棕蝠”和“紅蝠”是兩種最常見的蝙蝠種類。

Brown bats are the smallest kind of bat (only about nine centimeters long), but they are very common. Red bats are larger than brown bats but are not so common. Adult red bats are about eleven-and-a-half centimeters long. Both kinds of bats live for about ten years.

棕蝠是最小的蝙蝠（只有大概9釐米長），它們非常常見。紅蝠比棕蝠大一些，不怎麼常見。成年紅蝠大約有11.5釐米長。兩種蝙蝠都能活大概十年。

Most people don’t like bats. However, bats can be useful for people. Bats can help us by controlling insects, especially dangerous insects. Some people even keep bats near their house so the bats can fly around at night hunting for mosquitoes. One bat can kill and eat thousands of mosquitoes in one night!

大多數人不喜歡蝙蝠，可對人來說蝙蝠可以是益蟲。蝙蝠可以幫助我們控制昆蟲尤其是危險的昆蟲。有些人甚至在他們家附近養蝙蝠，這樣蝙蝠就能在晚上飛來飛去捕捉蚊子。一隻蝙蝠可以在一個晚上捕殺併吞食幾千只蚊子。

Bats live in groups of a thousand or more. They do not make nests but find places where it is safe for the group to stay and sleep in the day. Usually, the bats stay together as a group, but when it is time for the female bats to have their babies, the female bats chase the male bats away.

蝙蝠生活在數量不少於一千隻的群體中。它們不築巢，但會找到安全的地方供大群蝙蝠白天棲息和睡眠。通常一大群蝙蝠待在一起，但到了雌蝙蝠繁殖小蝙蝠的時候，雌蝙蝠會趕走雄蝙蝠。

At times when the temperature is very low, brown bats are able to go to sleep for a very long time. They are able to sleep for many weeks. This helps to protect them from the cold. Red bats do not do this. At times when it is very cold, large groups of red bats fly north or south to find places where it is not too cold. Bats need to do these things because it is important for them to control their body temperature. They need to keep themselves from getting too cold.

在氣溫很低的時候，棕蝠可以睡很長一段時間。它們能睡好幾周，這有助於它們禦寒。紅蝠不這麼做。在很冷的時候，大群的紅蝠向北或向南飛行去尋找不太冷的地方。紅蝠需要這樣做，因為這對它們控制體溫很重要，它們需要避免自己太冷。

In Asia and Africa, some kinds of bats can be very large. These bats can have wings that are over one-and-a-half meters long! Usually these bats don’t eat insects. They eat fruit and are sometimes called ‘fruit bats’. Sometimes, if they are not able to find any fruit, those very large bats will fly over rivers where they are able to hunt for fish.

在亞洲和非洲，有些種類的蝙蝠可以長得很大。這些蝙蝠長著長1.5米多的翅膀！這些蝙蝠通常不吃昆蟲，它們吃水果，有時被叫作“果蝠”。有時如果它們找不到任何水果，那些很大的果蝠會飛到河上捕魚吃。

**********

Pat and her mother are talking about bats.

佩特和她媽媽正在談論蝙蝠。

Pat

Mom, do you know what we learned in school today?

Mother

No, Pat. What did you learn about today?

Pat

Today we learned all about bats.

Mother

Really? Was it interesting?

Pat

Yes, it was really interesting. The teacher told us lots of things we didn’t know before.

Mother

Really? Like what?

Pat

Like how bats find their way around.

Mother

And how do bats find their way around?

Pat

They use their ears. They use sounds. That’s very clever, isn’t it?

Mother

Yes, it is. Why don’t bats use their eyes like other animals?

Pat

Because the bats only fly around at night when there are lots of mosquitoes and other flying insects for them to eat. They can’t use their eyes at night, so they have to use their ears. They have to use sounds.

Mother

I see. And what else did you learn?

Pat

We learned that bats live in groups. Some of those groups can be very large with hundreds of bats in one group.

Mother

I see. And what else did you learn?

Pat

We learned that some kinds of bats can go to sleep for a very long time. Some bats can sleep for weeks!

Mother

Really? Why do they do that?

Pat

They do that to protect their bodies when it is very cold.

Mother

Really?

Pat

Yes. And other kinds of bats fly away when it gets too cold. They fly north or south to where it’s not so cold.

Mother

I see. Anything else?

Pat

M..mm.m, let me see. Oh, yes. There are about 900 kinds of bats and they are common all over the world.

Mother

Really? That’s a lot isn’t it? What else did you learn?

Pat

We learned that bats are not like birds. Baby bats don’t come out of eggs like baby birds do.

Mother

Oh yes, that’s right, isn’t it? Anything else?

Pat

No, I don’t think so. I think that’s everything. Oh wait… there is something else I wanted to tell you. One more thing.

Mother

What’s that? What else did you want to tell me?

Pat

Mom, if Lee asks if he can have a pet bat, please don’t let him have one. All right?

Mother

All right, Pat. I won’t let your brother have a pet bat.

佩特

媽媽，您知道我們今天在學校裡學了什麼嗎？

媽媽

不知道，佩特。你今天學了什麼了？

佩特

今天我們學了關於蝙蝠的所有知識。

媽媽

真的嗎？有趣嗎？

佩特

是的，很有趣。老師告訴了我們很多以前我們不知道的東西。

媽媽

真的嗎？比如說？

佩特

比如蝙蝠是怎麼找到它們周圍的路線的。

媽媽

那蝙蝠是怎麼找到它們周圍的路線的呢？

佩特

它們用耳朵，它們聽聲音。那很聰明，不是嗎？

媽媽

是的。蝙蝠為什麼不像其他的動物一樣用眼睛？

佩特

因為蝙蝠只在夜間飛行，夜晚有很多蚊子和其他飛蟲供蝙蝠吃。它們在晚上沒法用眼睛，它們得用耳朵，它們得聽聲音。

媽媽

我知道了。你還學到了什麼？

佩特

我們學習到蝙蝠群居。其中有幾群蝙蝠數量很大，一群蝙蝠就有幾百只。

媽媽

我知道了。你還學到了什麼？

佩特

我們學到了有些種類的蝙蝠可以睡很長一段時間。有些蝙蝠能睡幾周！

媽媽

真的嗎？它們為什麼要那樣？

佩特

在很冷的時候，它們通過睡眠來保護它們的身體。

媽媽

真的嗎？

佩特

是的。其他種類的蝙蝠在太冷的時候會飛走，它們向北或者向南飛去不太冷的地方。

媽媽

我知道了。還有什麼嗎？

佩特

呃……呃，讓我想想，噢，對了。蝙蝠大約有900多種，它們在世界各地都很常見。

媽媽

真的嗎？那很多了，不是嗎？你還學到了什麼？

佩特

我們學到了蝙蝠不像鳥。小蝙蝠不像小鳥一樣破殼而出。

媽媽

哦，是的，不是嗎？還有什麼嗎？

佩特

沒了，我覺得沒了。我想這就是全部。噢等等……我還想告訴您一些其他事情，還有一件事。

媽媽

什麼？你還想告訴我什麼呢？

佩特

媽媽，如果李問他能否養一隻寵物蝙蝠，請不要讓他養一隻。可以嗎？

媽媽

好的，佩特。我不會讓你哥哥養一隻寵物蝙蝠的。

**********

Questions

1. How are bats different to birds?

2. In what way can bats be useful to people?

3. How do bats find their way around?

4. Which kind of bats are the smallest?

5. And the largest?

6. Why do some bats go to sleep for a long time?

7. What do you think about bats?

**********

23. Mosquitoes蚊子

New Words新單詞

blood (n.)

讀音：[blʌd]

釋義：血，血液（名詞）

die (v.)

讀音：[daɪ]

釋義：死亡（動詞）

plant (n+v)

讀音：[plɑ:nt]

釋義：植物；種植（名詞、動詞）

studied (past tense of study) (v.)

讀音：[ˈstʌdid]

釋義：學習（study的過去式）（動詞）

become (v.)

讀音：[bɪˈkʌm]

釋義：變成（動詞）

nowhere (adv.)

讀音：[ˈnəʊweə(r)]

釋義：無處，任何地方都不（副詞）

through (prep.)

讀音：[θru:]

釋義：通過（介詞）

**********

Mosquitoes are very small, flying insects. They are very small, but they can also be very dangerous. Some mosquitoes bite people so that they can drink the blood of those people!

蚊子是很小的飛蟲。它們很小，但它們也可以很危險。有些蚊子叮咬人，這樣它們可以吸人血。

Like many other flying insects, mosquitoes have three body parts and two small wings. They are very good at flying and very difficult for us to find and kill. Because mosquitoes are dangerous, it is very important that we know how to control them.

像許多其他飛蟲一樣，蚊子有三個身體部分和兩隻小翅膀。它們很擅長飛行，我們很難找到並消滅它們。蚊子危害大，知道如何防控它們非常重要。

If a female mosquito bites a sick animal and then bites us, we could become sick, too. If we do become sick, we should go quickly to see a doctor so the doctor can give us some special medicine. The medicine that can make us better after getting very sick from one of these mosquito bites is very strong. However, if we do not take this medicine, we could die.

如果母蚊子叮咬了生病的動物之後來叮咬我們，我們也會生病。如果我們生病了，我們應該迅速去看醫生，這樣醫生就能給我們特效藥。這種特效藥能使我們在被毒蚊子叮咬後恢復過來，藥效極強。可如果我們不吃這特效藥，我們可能會死。

It is only female mosquitoes that drink the blood of people or animals. Male mosquitoes do not live on blood and will not bite us. Male mosquitoes get their food from plants.

只有母蚊子能吸人或者動物的血液。公蚊子不以吸血為生，不會叮咬我們。公蚊子從植物中覓食。

When a female mosquito wants to eat, it flies onto the skin of an animal. Then it will start to bite through the skin. After it bites through the skin, it will drink up some of the blood of that animal. If mosquitoes do this to people, it not only hurts us (because mosquito bites do hurt), but can sometimes make us very sick or even kill us.

當母蚊子想進食時，它就飛到動物的皮膚上。然後它會開始咬穿動物的皮膚。在它咬穿皮膚之後，它會吸食動物的血液。如果蚊子對人這樣做，它不僅咬傷我們（因為蚊子叮咬確實很疼），而且有時候讓我們生重病或甚至咬死我們。

The best way to control mosquitoes is for people to make sure there is not too much old, dirty water or mud around their homes. This is because female mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in dirty water or muddy places, When the females do this, large groups of these eggs will stay in the water until the young mosquitoes are ready to come out of the eggs.

防制蚊子的最好方法是讓人們確保房子周圍沒有太多死水、泥水或泥巴，這是因為母蚊子喜歡在泥水或泥巴里產卵。當母蚊子產卵時，大批的卵會留在水裡直到小蚊子準備好破卵而出。

After the groups of young mosquitoes come out of their eggs, they will stay in the water or mud until they grow into adults and are ready to fly. However, if people make sure that there is no old, dirty water around their houses, the mosquitoes will have nowhere to lay their eggs. If there is nowhere to lay their eggs, the female mosquitoes will not be able to produce young mosquitoes.

當成群的小蚊子破卵而出之後，它們會待在水裡或者泥巴里直到它們長大成年，即將飛行。然而如果人們確保房子周圍沒有死水、泥水，蚊子就沒有地方產卵了。如果沒有地方產卵，母蚊子就沒法繁殖小蚊子了。

Like most other animals and insects, males and females need to be able to find each other. Mosquitoes need to be able to find each other so that they can produce young mosquitoes. Male and female mosquitoes have a special way of finding each other. They find each other through sound. The males know the sounds the females make, and the females know the sounds the males make. When a male hears the special sound a female makes, the male will go to where the sound is coming from to find the female.

正如許多其他動物和昆蟲一樣，公蚊子和母蚊子需要能夠找到彼此。蚊子需要能夠找到彼此，這樣它們就能繁殖小蚊子。公蚊子和母蚊子有一種特殊的方法來找到彼此，它們通過聲音尋找彼此。公蚊子懂得母蚊子發出的聲音，而母蚊子懂得公蚊子發出的聲音。當公蚊子聽見一隻母蚊子發出的特殊聲音時，公蚊子會去聲音的發源地找到母蚊子。

We can find mosquitoes everywhere in the world except for places where it is too hot or too cold for plants to grow. In most parts of Antarctica, it is too cold for plants to grow. And in some parts of Africa and Asia, it is too hot for plants to grow. However, most kinds of mosquitoes do live in hot countries. Only a few kinds of mosquitoes live in colder countries and, because water is so important for the young mosquitoes, most kinds live in places where there is water on the ground for most of the year.

除了在植物無法生長的極熱和極寒之地，我們能在世界各地找到蚊子。南極洲的大多數地方都太冷了，植物無法生長。可是大多數種類的蚊子確實生活在炎熱的國家。只有少數幾種蚊子生活在較冷的國家，因為水對小蚊子來說尤為重要，大多數種類的蚊子都生活的地方一年中大部分時間地表有水。

Like bats and some other animals, mosquitoes will sometimes sleep for many weeks at the coldest time of the year. Sometimes, they will sleep in large groups in holes in the ground. They will wait there until the temperature is right. When the temperature is right, the mosquitoes will fly out of the holes and the females will start to lay their eggs.

像蝙蝠和一些其他的動物，蚊子有時會在一年中最冷的時候睡好幾周。有時候，它們會成群睡在地上的洞裡。它們會在那兒等著直到溫度合適。當溫度適宜時，蚊子會飛出洞，母蚊子會開始產卵。

***********

Mom and Dad are talking about the garden.

媽媽和爸爸正在談論花園。

Mom

I think we should do something about the garden

Dad

What? What do you want to do?

Mom

Well, there are too many places for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.

Dad

Really?

Mom

Yes. There are lots of places where water just stays on the ground and doesn’t go away. Some parts are very muddy, too.

Dad

What’s wrong with that?

Mom

Don’t you know? Female mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in places like those. They lay their eggs and the young mosquitoes grow in water that stays in the same place for a long time.

Dad

Really? I didn’t know that.

Mom

Well, they do. It’s important to make sure there’s nowhere for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. If we don’t, we could have thousands and thousands of mosquitoes around here!

Dad

Oh yes, you’re right. We should control mosquitoes, shouldn’t we?

Mom

Yes, we should. We don’t want mosquitoes to bite our children. If mosquitoes bite our children, our children could get very sick.

Dad

All right. I’ll do something about the garden tomorrow.

Mom

Good. Oh, look!

Dad

What? What’s wrong?

Mom

There’s a mosquito now!

Dad

Where?

Mom

There! Right there on your arm! A big one!

Dad

Oh, yes… there – I killed it.

Mom

Good. Now look at your arm. There’s blood all over your skin.

Dad

M…mm.., I’ll go to the bathroom and wash it off. Is there anything else you want to talk to me about?

Mom

Yes, there is. There is something else.

Dad

What’s that?

Mom

Can we take the children to the zoo on Saturday?

Dad

Again? We took them just a few weeks ago.

Mom

I know, but Lee and Pat are studying all about animals now. It would be good for them if we could go and see some of the animals so they could see for themselves.

Dad

Oh, all right. We’ll go to the zoo early on Saturday morning. But let’s not stay too long – there’s a game I want to watch on television on Saturday afternoon.

Mom

All right. We won’t stay too long. Now go and wash that blood off your arm!

媽媽

我覺得我們應該整理一下花園。

爸爸

什麼？你想怎麼做？

媽媽

花園裡有太多地方供蚊子產卵。

爸爸

真的嗎？

媽媽

是的。花園裡很多地面有積水不退，有些地方也很泥濘。

爸爸

那有什麼問題嗎？

媽媽

你不知道嗎？母蚊子喜歡在那樣的地方產卵。母蚊子在長期積水的地方產卵，小蚊子在那裡長大。

爸爸

真的嗎？我不知道啊。

媽媽

它們就是這樣。確保沒有地方讓蚊子產卵非常重要。如果我們不這麼做，我們這周圍會有成千上萬只蚊子！

爸爸

哦對，你說得對。我們應該防控蚊子，對吧？

媽媽

是的。我們不想讓蚊子叮咬我們的孩子。如果蚊子叮咬了我們的孩子，我們的孩子會生重病。

爸爸

好吧。我明天會整理一下花園。

媽媽

好極了。噢，看！

爸爸

什麼？什麼問題？

媽媽

現在就有隻蚊子！

爸爸

在哪兒？

媽媽

在那兒！就在你胳膊上！一大隻！

爸爸

噢，是的……在那兒——打死它了。

媽媽

好極了。現在看看你的胳膊。皮膚上全都是血。

爸爸

呃……呃呃，我會去浴室沖洗乾淨。還有別的什麼你想跟我聊聊嗎？

媽媽

是的，還有別的事情。

爸爸

是什麼？

媽媽

我們能在週六帶孩子們去動物園嗎？

爸爸

又去？我們幾周前才帶他們去過。

媽媽

我知道，但是李和佩特現在正在學習關於動物的所有知識。如果我們能去看看一些動物，讓他倆親眼看看這會對他倆有好處。

爸爸

噢，好的。我們週六早上早點去動物園。但我們不要待太久了——週六下午電視上有場比賽我想看。

媽媽

好的。我們不會待太久的。現在去洗掉你胳膊上的血！

***********

Questions

1. Why do female mosquitoes bite people?

2. What should we do if we become sick after amosquito bite?

3. How can we control mosquitoes?

4. How do male and female mosquitoesfind each other?

5. Why are there no mosquitoes in Antarctica?

6. What did Pat’s dad do to the mosquito on his arm?

7. Are there mosquitoes where you live?

************

24. Butterflies蝴蝶

New Words新單詞

butterfly / butterflies (n.)

讀音：[ˈbʌtəflaɪ] / [ˈbʌtəflaɪz]

釋義：蝴蝶（名詞）

feed (v)

讀音：[fi:d]

釋義：餵養（動詞）

often (adv.)

讀音：[ˈɒfn]

釋義：經常，常常（副詞）

change (v+n)

讀音：[tʃeɪndʒ]

釋義：改變；變化（動詞、名詞）

life / lives (n.)

讀音：[laɪf] / [laɪvz]

釋義：生命（名詞）

during (prep.)

讀音：[ˈdjʊərɪŋ]

釋義：在……時候；在……期間（介詞）

**********

Most people like butterflies. This is because butterflies are often very beautiful and because there are so many different kinds of butterflies. In North America, there are about 700 different kinds of butterflies. One butterfly often has many different colors on its wings and its body. This makes butterflies very interesting to look at and to study.

多數人喜歡蝴蝶，這是因為蝴蝶通常很漂亮，而且品種繁多。在北美洲大約有700種不同種類的蝴蝶。蝴蝶的翅膀和身體往往色彩斑斕。這讓蝴蝶看起來很有趣、研究起來也很有趣。

Butterflies are flying insects. Like many other flying insects, they have three body parts and six legs. They also have four wings. The largest butterflies can be forty centimeters over their open wings. That is as large as many birds! Those really large butterflies are called ‘bird wing butterflies’. The smallest butterflies are only about half a centimeter over their open wings.

蝴蝶是飛蟲，像許多其他飛行昆蟲一樣，它們有三個身體部分和六條腿。它們還有四隻翅膀。最大的蝴蝶張開翅膀能有40釐米長，這和許多鳥一樣大！那些很大的蝴蝶叫作“鳥翼鳳蝶”。最小的蝴蝶張開翅膀大約只有半釐米長。

Butterflies live all over the world – from the north to the south and from hot countries to cold countries. Most kinds of butterflies fly and feed during the day. That makes it easier for us to find and study them. Like bees, butterflies feed on parts of plants and flowers, especially plants that farmers grow. This feeding does not hurt the plants. It helps the plants to grow and produce young plants and fruit.

蝴蝶生活在世界各地——從北到南，從炎熱的國家到寒冷的國家。大多數種類的蝴蝶在白天飛行進食，那讓我們更容易找到並研究它們。像蜜蜂一樣，蝴蝶吸食植物和花朵的部位，尤其是農民們種植的植物。這種進食方法不會傷害植物，它幫助植物生長並繁殖幼苗和結出果實。

Let’s look at the life of a butterfly. The lives of butterflies are very interesting. This is because butterflies go through many important changes during their lives. First, female butterflies lay groups of eggs. The females lay their eggs on plants. They always lay their eggs on the kinds of plants that the young butterflies like to feed on. These plants become homes for the young butterflies.

我們看看蝴蝶的生活。蝴蝶的生活非常有趣。這是因為蝴蝶在它們的一生中要經歷許多重要的變化。首先，雌蝶產下成堆的卵，雌蝶在植物上產卵。它們總是在蝴蝶的幼蟲喜歡吸食的植物上產卵。這些植物成了蝴蝶的幼蟲的家園。

When the young butterflies come out of their eggs, they stay on their plant homes and start growing. During their time growing on the plants, the young butterflies change their body shape and their skin many times. They move out of one skin and start to live inside a new skin.

當蝴蝶的幼蟲破卵而出時，它們待在植物家園上並開始成長。在植物上的成長期間，蝴蝶的幼蟲會多次變形和蛻皮。它們褪去一層皮膚，在新的一層皮膚下生活。

The young butterfly has no wings so it cannot fly. The young butterflies spend many weeks staying on their plant home while they grow inside their new skins. When the butterfly comes out of its last skin, it has wings and is ready to fly. It is now an adult. The adult butterfly will then open its wings and fly away from the plant.

蝴蝶的幼蟲沒有翅膀，不能飛。蝴蝶的幼蟲會在植物家園上待上好幾周，同時在新皮膚下成長。當從最後一層皮膚裡破繭而出時，蝴蝶長了翅膀並可以飛行，它現在成年了。成年的蝴蝶會張開翅膀，從植物上飛走。

So butterflies have very interesting lives. However, the lives of most adult butterflies are not very long. Most adult butterflies live only four to six weeks before they die. Just a few kinds of butterflies do not die so quickly. Those kinds of butterflies can live as long as thirty-five or forty weeks!

因此蝴蝶過著非常有趣的生活。然而大多數成年蝴蝶的壽命不很長。大多數成年蝴蝶在死前只活四到六週。只有少數幾種蝴蝶不會死的這麼快。那些種類的蝴蝶能活到三十五或者四十週那麼久！

Butterflies are not very strong, and it is easy for other animals to kill them. The most dangerous animals that like to attack butterflies are birds. Every day, millions of butterflies around the world die because of attacks from birds.

蝴蝶並不非常強大，其他動物很容易捕殺它們。喜歡襲擊蝴蝶的最危險動物是鳥類。每一天世界上有幾百萬只蝴蝶因為鳥類的襲擊而滅亡。

Like some birds, some butterflies fly south at times of the year when temperatures are too cold for them. They fly to places where the temperatures are not so cold. Some of these butterflies are able to fly all the way from North to South America, or from Europe to Africa to find places with better temperatures.

正如有些鳥，有些蝴蝶在一年中氣溫對它們來說太過寒冷的時候向南飛。它們飛去氣溫沒有這麼寒冷的地方。這些蝴蝶能夠一路從北美飛到南美，或者從歐洲飛到非洲去尋找氣溫更適宜的地方。

Because butterflies are so beautiful and so interesting, some people like to look after them in their homes or gardens. This is a very interesting thing to do. First, those people look for a plant on which female butterflies like to lay their eggs. If the plant has butterfly eggs on it, they take the plant into their home or garden. They put the plant in a special place where they can watch it for many weeks. It is important not to take the eggs from that plant because the young butterflies will not feed on any other kind of plant.

蝴蝶如此美麗而且如此有趣，有些人喜歡在他們的家裡或者花園裡飼養蝴蝶。這是非常有趣的一件事情。首先，那些人尋找一株雌蝶喜歡產卵的植物。如果植物上有蝴蝶卵，他們就把植物拿進他們的家裡或者花園裡。他們把植物放在一個特殊的地方，在那兒他們能觀察這株植物好幾周。重要的是不要把卵從植物上拿開，因為蝴蝶的幼蟲不會吃任何其他種類的植物。

If people watch carefully, they will be able to see all the interesting changes the butterfly goes through. After the young butterfly comes out of its egg, it will start to feed on the plant. This helps the young butterfly to grow and after a few days it will start changing its body. During these changes, the young butterfly comes out of one skin and starts to grow a new skin.

如果人們仔細觀察，他們就能看見蝴蝶經歷所有有趣的變化。在蝴蝶的幼蟲破卵而出之後，它會開始吃植物。這有助於蝴蝶的幼蟲成長，幾天之後它會開始變形。在這些變化期間，蝴蝶的幼蟲褪去一層皮膚，並開始長出新的一層皮膚。

After a few weeks, and after it changes its skin four or five times, the adult butterfly will be ready to open its wings and fly away from the plant. The life of a butterfly is very interesting because it is only butterflies that go through changes like these.

幾周之後，蝴蝶的幼蟲蛻皮四、五次，成年蝴蝶會準備好要張開翅膀飛離植物。蝴蝶的生命非常有趣因為只有蝴蝶才會經歷這些變化。

**********

Lee and Pat are talking in the garden

李和佩特正在花園裡聊天

Lee

What are you doing in the garden, Pat?

Pat

I’m looking for butterflies. I want to know how many there are around here.

Lee

What’s that book for?

Pat

This is a book about butterflies. It’s got pictures of all the common kinds of butterflies. I want to know how many butterflies there are here and how many different kinds there are, too.

Lee

Oh, how many are there?

Pat

Well, I started counting this morning. This morning, I counted seventy-three butterflies and another twenty-one so far this afternoon.

Lee

That’s a lot! That makes ninety-four.

Pat

Yes. Ninety-four butterflies so far, and there are fifteen different kinds.

Lee

Let me help you. I’m good at hunting for things.

Pat

Yes, I know, and you like to kill things, too!

Lee

No, I don’t!

Pat

Yes, you do! Last week, you went hunting for insects all over the house, and you killed lots of them.

Lee

I killed those insects because they were in the house. Mom and Dad don’t want to have insects in the house.

Pat

Well, you didn’t have to kill them. Why didn’t you just take them outside and let them go in the garden?

Lee

Not all insects are beautiful and safe like butterflies, Pat. Some insects are dangerous. I only killed the dangerous insects.

Pat

No, you didn’t! Dangerous insects are insects like mosquitoes, but I saw some of the insects you killed. There were no mosquitoes. You just killed lots of safe insects.

Lee

No, I didn’t!

Pat

Yes, you did!

Lee

No, I didn’t!

Pat

Yes, you did!

Lee

If you won’t let me help you look for butterflies, I’ll go and count them by myself.

Pat

Go on then!

Lee

I will, and I’ll count more than you. I’ll count a lot more than ninety-four. I’ll count millions!

Pat

No, you won’t.

Lee

Yes, I will. I’m going to look for insects down by the river.

Pat

You won’t find many butterflies down there.

Lee

Why not?

Pat

Because there are no plants down there for butterflies to feed on and lay their eggs. Butterflies look for special plants to feed on and lay their eggs. There aren’t any of those kinds of plants near the river.

Lee

Really? I didn’t know that?

Pat

You don’t know very much, do you? Come on! Come with me and I’ll show you where there are lots of plants butterflies like. Those plants are in Dad’s vegetable garden.

Lee

All right, but I’m still going to count more butterflies than you. I’m going to count millions.

李

你在花園裡做什麼呢，佩特？

佩特

我正在尋找蝴蝶。我想知道花園這裡周圍有多少隻蝴蝶。

李

那本書是講什麼的？

佩特

這是一本關於蝴蝶的書。它有所有常見種類的蝴蝶圖片。我想知道花園這裡有多少隻蝴蝶和多少不同種類的蝴蝶。

李

噢，有多少種？

佩特

呃，我今天早上開始數的。今天早上，我數了七十三隻蝴蝶，而今天下午到現在為止又另外數了二十一隻。

李

那很多！那就有九十四隻了。

佩特

是的。到現在為止有九十四隻蝴蝶，有十五種不同種類的蝴蝶。

李

讓我幫幫你，我很擅長找東西。

佩特

是的，我知道，你還喜歡弄死東西！

李

不，不是的。

佩特

是的，你就是的！你在家裡到處捕捉昆蟲，捕殺了很多昆蟲。

李

我捕殺那些昆蟲是因為它們在屋裡，爸媽不想要屋裡有昆蟲。

佩特

好吧，你沒必要捕殺它們。你為什麼不就把它們帶出去，讓它們到花園裡去？

李

不是所有昆蟲都像蝴蝶一樣美麗安全，佩特。有些昆蟲危害大，我只捕殺危險的昆蟲。

佩特

不，你不是的！危險的昆蟲是像蚊子這樣的昆蟲，可是我看到你捕殺的有些昆蟲不是蚊子，你捕殺了很多安全的昆蟲。

李

不，我沒有！

佩特

是的，你有！

李

不，我沒有！

佩特

是的，你有！

李

如果你不讓我幫你照看蝴蝶的話，我就自己去數數它們

佩特

那你去啊！

李

我會去的，我會數得比你多。我會數得比九十四還多。我會數上百萬！

佩特

不，你不會的。

李

是的，我會的。我會去河邊尋找昆蟲。

佩特

你去那兒找不到多少蝴蝶。

李

為什麼不行呢？

佩特

因為那兒沒有植物供蝴蝶食用和產卵。蝴蝶尋找特殊的植物來食用和產卵。河邊沒有那種植物。

李

真的嗎？我不知道？

佩特

你瞭解的不多，不是嗎？來吧！跟我來，我會向你指明蝴蝶喜歡的很多植物都在哪兒。那些植物在爸爸的菜園裡。

李

好吧，但我還是要去數比你更多的蝴蝶。我會數上百萬。

**********

Questions

1. How big are the largest butterflies?

2. What about the smallest butterflies?

3. In what ways are butterflies like bees?

4. Where do female butterflies lay their eggs?

5. What changes do young butterflies go through?

6. How many butterflies did Pat count this morning?

7. Do you think Lee can count millions of butterflies?

**********

25. Our Changing World我們不斷變化的世界

New Words新單詞

die out / died out

讀音：[dai aut] / [daid aut]

釋義：（指物種、家族、習慣、觀念等）絕跡，消失；絕種；絕滅；淘汰

number

讀音：[ˈnʌmbə(r)]

釋義：數量；號碼；數字；編號

dinosaur

讀音：[ˈdaɪnəsɔr)]

釋義：恐龍

needed (past tense of need)

讀音：['ni:dɪd]

釋義：需要，必須（need的過去式和過去分詞）

**********

We know there are thousands and thousands of different kinds of animals in the world. The number of different kinds of plants is even larger. There are millions and millions of different kinds of plants! However, the numbers of these different animals and plants do not stay the same. These numbers of animals and plants change during hundreds, thousands and millions of years.

我們知道世界上不同種類的動物成千上萬。不同種類植物的數量甚至更龐大。不同種類的植物成百上千萬！然而，這些不同動植物的數量並非保持不變。在過去的幾百、幾千以及幾百萬年中，這些動植物的數量一直在變。

There are many millions more people now than there were just one hundred years ago. However, there are not more plants and animals. There are not as many plants and animals now as there were before. This is because many kinds of plants and animals died out. Because of this, there are many kinds of plants and animals that we cannot see today. Those kinds of plants and animals died out many years ago. Why? Why did all those kinds of plants and animals die out?

現在的人口僅與一百年前相比就多了好幾百萬。然而，動植物的數量卻沒有增加。現在動植物的數量沒有以前多。這是因為很多種類的動植物都滅絕了。因此，很多種類的動植物我們今天都看不到。那些種類的動植物在很多年前就滅絕了。為什麼？為什麼那些種類的動植物都滅絕了？

First, let’s think about animals. There are three important ways in which animals die out. The places where animals live, like forests and seas, often change during hundreds, thousands or millions of years. Because so many more people came into the world, we needed to change many forests into farms so we could grow enough food to feed the world’s people. We also needed to cut down forests so people could make homes to live in. However, because of this, many animals did not have the places they needed to live in and hunt for food. Those animals had nowhere to go and nothing to feed on. This made those animals die out.

首先，我們來想想動物。動物滅絕的原因主要有三種。動物生存的環境，比如森林和海洋，往往經歷了千百年、幾百萬年的變化。因為有更多的人來到這個世界，我們需要把許多森林變成農場，這樣我們就可以種植足夠的糧食來養活世界人口。我們還需要砍伐森林來建造房子給人居住。但是，正因為如此，很多動物沒有生存和捕食所需的地方。那些動物沒有地方可去，沒有東西可吃。這導致那些動物滅絕。

A second way animals die out is when people hunt and kill them to feed themselves. People also hunt and kill animals to make clothes, medicines and other things. For thousands of years, people needed to hunt wild animals so the people could feed themselves. If they did not do this, the people themselves would die out.

動物滅絕的第二種原因是人類捕殺動物來養活自己。人類還捕殺動物來製造衣服、藥材和其他東西。幾千年來，人類需要捕殺野生動物來養活自己。如果人類不這樣做，他們自己就會滅絕。

Another way in which animals die out is because they cannot change in a way to let them live in a changing world. Our world is always changing. Sometimes, during hundreds, thousands or millions of years, temperatures in different parts of the world change. Places become hotter or colder. This change in temperature makes the plants in those places change, too. Some plants die out because they do not have the temperatures they need. Then animals that are not able to find the plants they need to feed on also die out.

動物滅絕的第三種原因是它們無法在一個不斷變化的世界上應變以生存。我們的世界一直在改變。有時候，在千百年或幾百萬年裡，世界不同地區的氣溫變化了。有些地方變得更熱或更冷。溫度的這種變化使這些地方的植物也發生了變化。有些植物因為沒有它們需要的溫度而死亡。有些動物找不到它們所需食用的植物，同樣也會死亡。

More than 200 million years ago, nearly all living things in seas all over the world died out. During this time, nearly half of all the other animals in the world also died out. This was because of very large changes in the world’s temperature during that time.

2億年多前，全世界海洋中的所有生物幾乎都滅絕了。在這段時間裡，世界上幾乎半數的所有其他動物也滅絕了。這是因為當時世界氣溫變化非常巨大。

Most people know about the dinosaurs. Some of the dinosaurs were very, very large animals. The biggest dinosaurs could be twelve meters long! That is really big! However, not all dinosaurs were large. The smallest dinosaur was only about half the size of the chickens we see today.

大多數人都知道恐龍。有些恐龍是非常、非常大型的動物。最大的恐龍可以長達十二米！那真的很大！但是不是所有恐龍都很大。最小的恐龍大約只有我們今天看到的雞的一半大小。

The dinosaurs lived until around seventy million years ago. Then, around that time, all the dinosaurs died out. Now there is nowhere in the world where we can find dinosaurs.

恐龍生活在大約七千萬年前。此後，大約在那段時間，所有恐龍都滅絕了。現在世界上沒有任何地方我們能找到恐龍。

What killed all the dinosaurs? Why did they all die out? Nobody really knows. It was not because of people. There were no people during the time of the dinosaurs. Maybe it was because of changes in temperature. Maybe they were not able to find enough of the plants or other animals they needed to feed on. Maybe it was because of something else, but at the same time as all the dinosaurs died out, so did nearly half of all the other animals in the world.

是什麼讓所有恐龍滅亡？為什麼它們都滅絕了？沒有人真正知道。不是因為人類。在恐龍生活的年代沒有人類存在。也許是因為氣溫變化。也許它們找不到所需要的足夠的植物或其他動物來養活自己。也許是因為其他原因，不過在所有恐龍滅絕的同一時期，世界上幾乎一半的所有其他動物也滅絕了。

These days, especially in the last one hundred years, most plants and animals are dying out because of people. Plants and animals are dying out much more quickly than before. This is not only dangerous for animals; it is also dangerous for people.

現如今，尤其是在過去的一百年中，大多數動植物因為人類而瀕臨滅絕。動植物滅絕的速度比比以前快得多。這不僅對動物很危險，而且對人類也有危險。

We need lots of different kinds of plants and animals to produce our food and medicines. Even the smallest animals and the smallest plants are important for our lives. Without enough plants and animals, we could not live. Because of this, we should be careful to protect animals and plants so that their numbers all over the world do not get too small.

我們需要許多不同種類的動植物來生產糧食和藥材。即使最小的動植物也對我們的生活很重要。沒有足夠的動植物，我們人類就無法生存。因此，我們應當小心保護動植物，這樣它們在世界各地的數量不會變得太少。

**********

Lee and his father are talking about the changing world.

李和他爸爸正在談論不斷變化的世界

Lee

Dad, we learned about dinosaurs at school today. Do you know about the dinosaurs?

Dad

The dinosaurs? What about the dinosaurs?

Lee

Do you know why the dinosaurs all died out?

Dad

No, I don’t. Do you?

Lee

No, I don’t, but something killed them. Our teacher said that it could be because of a change in the world’s temperature that started millions of years ago.

Dad

How would that kill them?

Lee

Our teacher told us that changes in the temperature make plants change. Some plants die out, and other plants change to become new plants.

Dad

So?

Lee

So some animals would not be able to find the plants they need to feed on, and other animals would not be able to feed on the different kind of plants that started to grow.

Dad

I see. So those animals died out.

Lee

Or maybe there would just not be enough plants for the dinosaurs to feed on. Lots of the dinosaurs were really big so they needed to be able to find lots of food to eat.

Dad

I think most of the dinosaurs were not so big. The big ones are just the ones people always think of. What else did you learn today?

Lee

We learned when it was that all those different animals and plants died out.

Dad

So when was it? When did all those plants and animals die out?

Lee

Well, it wasn’t just one time. During millions of years, really large numbers of animals died out five, six or more times.

Dad

Really? That’s interesting. When was the last time?

Lee

The last time really large numbers of animals died out was at the time of the dinosaurs.

Dad

How long ago was that?

Lee

That was about seventy or eighty million years ago.

Dad

Oh, that was a long time ago, wasn’t it?

Lee

Yes, but large numbers of plants and animals also died out millions of years before the time of the dinosaurs.

Dad

What about people? Why didn’t people die out at the same time. People like us are still here. Why didn’t people die out, too?

Lee

Dad! There were no people at the time of the dinosaurs. There were no people before the time of the dinosaurs. Didn’t you know that?

Dad

Of course I did. I just wanted to see if you know it, too.

Lee

Well, I do. There’s something else we learned today. In our time, lots of plants and animals are dying out again!

Dad

Why are so many plants and animals dying out now? Are temperatures changing again?

Lee

Many people think they are. But most plants and animals are dying out now because of people.

Dad

How is that?

Lee

Because people are changing the places where plants and animals live and grow. People often need those places to make houses and farms. If the plants and animals have nowhere to live and grow, they will die out.

Dad

Oh, that’s not so good, is it?

Lee

No, it isn’t. It’s very bad. It’s bad for the plants and animals, but it’s also bad for us. We need to have large numbers of plants and animals to produce all the food, medicines and other things we need.

Dad

So do you think we should protect the lives of plants and animals so we can protect our own lives and the lives of all the children who will come after us?

Lee

Yes, I do. If we don’t, people will be just like the dinosaurs. People will die out just like the dinosaurs did!

李

爸爸，我們今天在學校學習了關於恐龍的知識。您知道關於恐龍的知識嗎？

爸爸

恐龍？關於恐龍的什麼？

李

您知道恐龍為什麼滅絕嗎？

爸爸

不，我不知道。你知道嗎？

李

不，我不知道，但是有些事物讓它們滅亡了。我們老師說，可能是因為幾百萬年前開始的世界氣溫變化。

爸爸

那怎麼會讓它們滅亡呢？

李

我們老師告訴我們說，氣溫變化導致植物發生改變。有些植物滅絕，有些植物變異成新的植物。

爸爸

所以呢？

李

所以有些動物找不到它們需要吃的植物，有些動物不能食用開始長出來的不同種類的植物。

爸爸

我明白了。因此那些動物滅絕了。

李

或者可能只是沒有足夠的植物供恐龍食用。很多恐龍真的很大，它們需要能夠找到很多吃的食物。

爸爸

我認為大多數恐龍沒有那麼大。大恐龍往往只是人們的想象而已。你今天還學了什麼？

李

我們學習了所有那些動植物滅絕的時期。

爸爸

是什麼時期？那些動植物都是什麼時期滅絕的？

李

好吧，它們並不是一次性滅絕的。在幾百萬年中，大量動物滅絕了五、六次或更多次。

爸爸

真的嗎？那有意思。最後一次是什麼時候？

李

大量動物最後一次滅絕是恐龍生活的時代。

爸爸

那是多少年前？

李

大約是七、八千萬年前。

爸爸

哦，年代很久遠了，是嗎？

李

是的，不過在恐龍生活的年代以前，還有大量動植物也滅絕了。

爸爸

人類呢？為什麼人類沒有在同一時期滅亡呢？像我們這樣的人還在這兒活著。為什麼人類沒有也跟著滅亡？

李

爸爸！在恐龍生活的年代沒有人類。在恐龍生活的年代之前也沒有人類。難道您不知道嗎？

爸爸

我當然知道。我只想知道你是不是也知道。

李

好吧，我知道。我們今天還學了一些其他知識。在我們這個時代，許多動植物又正在瀕臨滅絕！

爸爸

為什麼現在有這麼多的動植物滅絕？氣溫又在變化嗎？

李

很多人認為氣溫在變化。不過現在大多數動植物因為人類而瀕臨滅絕。

爸爸

怎麼會呢？

李

因為人類正在改變動植物生存和成長的環境。人類經常需要那些地方來建造房子和改造農場。如果動植物沒有地方生存和成長，它們就會滅絕。

爸

哦，那可不妙，是嗎？

李

是的，不妙。那很糟糕。那對動植物有害，對我們人類也有害。我們需要大量動植物來生產我們需要的所有糧食、藥材和其他事物。

爸爸

所以你認為我們應當保護動植物的生存，這樣我們就能保護我們自己的生存和我們子孫後代的生存？

李

是的，我是這樣認為的。如果我們不這樣做，人類就會像恐龍那樣，人類就會像恐龍那樣滅亡！

**********

Questions

1. How many different kinds of plants are there?

2. How large were the biggest dinosaurs?

3. What happened more than 200 million years ago?

4. What is one way in which large numbers of plants and animals die out?

5. When did the dinosaurs die out?

6. Why are so many plants and animals dying out now?

7. Why are plants and animals so important for people?

**********

26. We really learned a lot!我們真的學到了很多！

No new words!

**********

Let’s look again at what we learned in this book. Let’s look at some things for the second time. We studied a lot of animals in this book, didn’t we? We studied where the different animals live now and where they lived millions of years ago. We learned that there is nearly nowhere in the world where animals cannot live. Animals live in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and even Antarctica.

我們再來看看我們在這本書裡學到了什麼。我們再次來看看一些內容。我們在這本書裡學習了很多動物，不是嗎？我們學習了不同動物現在生活的地方和它們幾百萬年前生存的地方。我們瞭解到世界上幾乎沒有動物不能生存的地方。動物生活在北美洲、南美洲、歐洲、非洲、亞洲，甚至南極洲。

We saw that some animals live in trees. Other animals live in holes in the ground. Some animals live with people and some live in forests and other wild places. Still other animals live in seas, rivers and muddy places. Large animals live everywhere in the world except for places that are really, really cold or really, really hot. Only the very smallest of animals can live in those places.

我們看到有些動物生活在樹上。有些動物生活在洞穴裡。有些動物和人生活在一起，而有些動物生活在森林裡和其他野外地方。還有些動物生活在海洋裡、河流裡和泥沼裡。除了極寒或極熱之地，世界上到處都是大型動物。只有非常小的動物才能生活在那些極寒或極熱之地。

We learned that animals come in every shape, size and color that we can think of. We studied some very large animals like elephants, whales and buffaloes. We learned about some of the smallest animals like ants, mosquitoes and butterflies.

我們瞭解到動物有各種體型、大小和顏色，正如我們所能想象的那樣。我們學習了一些非常大型的動物，比如大象、鯨魚和水牛。我們學習了一些最小型的動物，比如螞蟻、蚊子和蝴蝶。

We learned that some animals do not live very long. Some insects do not even live as long as one day! However, some large animals, like some kinds of turtles, can live longer than people. People usually live for eighty or ninety years but many large turtles live to be over one hundred years old!

我們瞭解到有些動物不能活很久。有些昆蟲甚至活不了一天！但是有些大型動物，比如海龜，比人活得還久。人通常活到八、九十歲，然而許多大海龜活到一百歲以上！

Those large animals need to live in places where there is lots of food for them to feed on. Nearly everything that is living now, or lived before, can be food for animals. However, some animals will only eat special kinds of food. Other animals, like pigs, will eat nearly anything.

那些大型動物需要生活有很多可食用食物的地方。幾乎所有現在活著或過去活過的生物都能成為動物的食物。但是有些動物只吃特定種類的食物。其他動物，比如豬，幾乎什麼都吃。

We learned that many animals can be useful for people and that people use animals in many different ways. Cows give us meat and milk. Buffaloes can help farmers with the work on their farms. Dogs and cats can be our friends. Bees can produce the honey that we like to eat. Bees also help us to grow more food by bringing the male and female parts of plants together so the plants can then produce fruits and vegetables.

我們瞭解到許多動物對人類有用，人類以各種各樣的方式使用動物。奶牛給我們提供牛肉和牛奶。水牛能幫助農民幹農活。貓狗能成為我們的朋友。蜜蜂分泌出我們喜歡吃的蜂蜜。蜜蜂把植物的雄蕊和雌蕊結合在一起，這樣植物就能產出果實和蔬菜。

We learned that most animals need to be able to look after themselves. An animal can learn to look after itself while it is still very young. We saw that a few animals like snakes, some fish and some insects do not stay with their families. Those young animals go off on their own to look for food. Most other animals like monkeys, whales and ants, stay in large family groups. It is easier for an animal to protect itself if it stays inside a large group

我們瞭解到大多數動物需要能夠照顧自己。動物在還很幼小的時候就可以學會照顧自己。我們看到少數動物，比如蛇、有些魚和昆蟲，不和它們的種群待在一起。那些動物幼崽獨自出去覓食。大多數其他動物，比如猴子、鯨魚和螞蟻，都以大部落群居。待在一個大種群內的動物更容易保護自己。

A young animal like a baby gray whale does not have to look after itself. The adult gray whales, especially the females, will feed and protect the young gray whales.

灰鯨的幼崽不需要照顧自己。成年灰鯨，尤其是母鯨，會給小灰鯨餵食並保護它們。

We learned that some animals, like snakes and turtles, have cold blood. Animals with cold blood find it difficult to move around in the mornings while it is still cold. Those animals have to wait until their blood gets to the right temperature before they can move around well.

我們瞭解到有些動物，比如蛇和海龜，它們的血液很涼。天冷的時候，涼血的動物早上很難四處活動。那些動物得等到它們的血液達到正常溫度後才能四處活動。

Animals like snakes have long, thin bodies. Those thin bodies help the snakes move around in places where there are lots of trees, small plants and grass. Animals that are not so thin cannot move around so well. We saw that the world’s largest snake lives in South America and that that snake feeds itself by hunting and killing other animals. That snake can even kill and eat baby monkeys!

像蛇這樣的動物有細長的身體。那樣細的身體幫助蛇在樹木、矮小植物和草叢茂盛的地方四處移動。身體沒這麼細的動物移動起來就沒這麼靈活。我們瞭解到世界上最大的蛇生活在南美洲，它靠捕殺其他動物來養活自己。那種蛇甚至能捕殺併吞下小猴子。

We learned about some kinds of animals that lived millions of years ago but are not living now. We learned that when life becomes too difficult for some animals, those kinds of animals die out. Many kinds of animals that lived just one hundred years ago are not living now. Most of those kinds of animals died out because of what people did, like changing forests into farms.

我們瞭解到有些種類的動物生活在幾百萬年前，但是現在沒有活著了。我們瞭解到當有些動物的生存變得太過艱難時，哪些種類的動物就滅絕了。很多生存在一百年前的動物現在都不再活著了。大多數那些種類的動物滅絕是因為人類的行為，比如把森林變成農場。

However, it was not what people did that killed all the dinosaurs. There were no people around during the time of the dinosaurs. All the dinosaurs died out because of something else. The dinosaurs died out around seventy or eighty million years ago. Many, many other kinds of animals and plants died out around the same time.

但是並不是人類讓所有恐龍滅亡的。恐龍生活的年代並沒有人類存在。所有恐龍的滅絕是因為別的原因。恐龍大約在七八千萬年前滅絕。很多很多其他動植物也在同一時期滅絕。

We know now that if we do not do things to protect the world’s animals and plants, many more animals and plants will die out. If too many animals and plants die out… so will people!

我們現在知道，如果我們不行動起來保護世界上的動植物，就會有更多動植物滅絕。如果太多動植物滅絕……那麼人類也會如此！

**********

Lee and Pat are talking about this book.

李和佩特正在談論這本書

Lee

Well, that’s it! Now we know all about animals.

Pat

No we don’t. We didn’t learn about all the different kinds of animals. We only learned about some of them. There are thousands and thousands of different kinds of animals in the world!

Lee

I know. I know that. I just said it because that’s the name of this book – ‘All about animals’. I learned everything I need to know through this book.

Pat

That’s a silly thing to say! I learned a lot too, but I didn’t learn everything I need to know about animals.

Lee

I don’t think it’s silly. I’m going to look through the book for a second time. When I read things for a second time, I really start to understand and remember them.

Pat

I know. I never remember things if I only read them only one time. I always need to read them a second time.

Lee

You’re not as clever as you often say you are, are you?

Pat

Well, I’m cleverer than you. I think two or three times isn’t enough for you to understand and remember things. I think you need to read things about eighty or ninety times before you understand and remember them.

Lee

That’s silly! Nobody reads things eighty or ninety times! I can understand and remember everything after I read them two or three times.

Pat

No, you can’t!

Lee

Yes, I can!

Pat

No, you can’t. And you always find it really difficult to read all the way through big books like this. You’re only good at reading really thin books with not many words.

Lee

I don’t only read thin books. I often read big books by myself at home or down by the river. You don’t know that. You don’t see me when I’m reading by myself.

Pat

Down by the river?

Lee

Yes. It’s very quiet down there. If I have nowhere else to go, I often get a book and go down there to read by myself.

Pat

Well, I often read by myself too. I don’t read down by the river, but I read in in lots of other places like my bedroom. I read by myself much more than you do.

Lee

No, you don’t!

Pat

Yes, I do!

Lee

No, you don’t!

Pat

Yes, I do. I read about all kinds of things.

Lee

So do I. I read about all kinds of things, too. I read about everything except the things only girls are interested in.

Pat

That’s a silly thing to say! Girls are interested in the same things as boys!

Lee

No, they aren’t!

Pat

Yes, they are!

Lee

No, they aren’t. Boys are more interested in animals, especially wild animals, than girls are. Like me. I love animals. When I grow up, I’m going to be an animal doctor.

Pat

Well, I’m going to be a doctor who can help sick people. People are much more important than animals.

Lee

No, they aren’t. Animals are just as important as people. We learned that in this book.

Pat

No, we didn’t. There’s nowhere in this book where it says that. How can you say that animals are just as important as people?

Lee

Because that’s what I think. I think animals are more interesting, too. I think animals are really, really, really, really interesting!

李

好吧，就這樣！現在我們知道關於動物的所有知識。

佩特

不，我們還不知道。我們沒有了解所有不同種類的動物。我們只知道其中一些。世界上有成千上萬不同種類的動物。

李

我知道。我知道啊。我這樣說是因為那是這本書的名稱《關於動物》。通過這本書，我學到了我需要知道的所有知識。

佩特

那樣說真可笑！我也學到了很多東西，不過我並沒有學到所有我需要知道的關於動物的知識。

李

我覺得那不可笑！我要再看一遍這本書。我看第二遍時就真的開始理解並記住書裡的內容了。

佩特

我知道了。如果我只看一遍，我永遠記不住書裡的內容。我總是需要再看一遍。

李

你經常說自己聰明，你沒你說的那樣聰明，是吧？

佩特

好吧，我比你聰明。我覺得你看兩三遍還不足以理解並記住書裡的內容。我覺得你需要看八、九十遍才能理解並記住書裡的內容。

李

那真可笑！沒有人看八、九十遍書！我看兩三遍就能理解並記住一切。

佩特

不，你不能！

李

我能！

佩特

不，你不能。你總是發現看這樣一本厚書真的很難。你只擅長看很薄的書，裡面字不多。

李

我不只看很薄的書。我經常獨自在家裡或河邊看很厚的書。你不知道而已。我獨自看書時你看不到我。

佩特

在河邊？

李

是的。那裡很安靜。如果我沒有其他地方去，我經常帶著書去那裡獨自看。

佩特

好吧，我也經常獨自看書。我不在河邊看書，可是我在其他很多地方看書，比如我的臥室。我獨自一人看得書比你多得多。

李

不，你沒有！

佩特

有，我就有！

李

不，你沒有！

佩特

有，我就有。我看各種各樣的書。

李

我也是。我也看各種各樣的書。除了只有女生感興趣的書，我什麼書都讀。

佩特

那樣說真可笑！女生和男生的興趣一樣。

李

不，不一樣。

佩特

是的，一樣的。

李

不，不一樣。男生比女生對動物更感興趣，尤其是野生動物。比如我，我愛動物。等我長大，我打算成為一名獸醫。

佩特

好吧，我打算成為一名醫生，能夠幫助病人。人比動物更重要。

李

不，不是的。動物和人同樣重要。我們在這本書裡學到的。

佩特

不，不是的。這本書裡沒有哪個地方那樣說。你怎麼能說動物和人同樣重要呢？

李

因為我是那樣想的。我覺得動物也很有趣。我覺得動物真的、真的、真的很有趣！

**********

Questions

1. Which kinds of animals can live in very, very hot places?

2. How small are some of the smallest animals?

3. In what ways do we use some animals?

4. Do all animals live in family groups?

5. Did the dinosaurs die out because of people?

6. What doesn’t Lee want to read about?

7. Who wants to work with animals?

8. What would you like to read about next?

**********

THE END

Notes for Teachers and Parents給教師和家長的註解

Structure Notes語法結構註解

Expressions短語表達

Some dogs don’t have any hair at all.

Bees cannot hear at all.

“I don’t like sharks. I don’t like them at all !”

Some sharks are not dangerous at all .

These days…

“I don’t know about that!”

“You’re just saying that!”

“So?”

“So what?”

“There you go again!”

“I’ll tell you what… ”

“Never mind.”

_______________

Quantifiers量詞表達

as many as

Snakes can lay as many as fifty eggs.

as large as

Cows are not as large as buffaloes.

as long as

Dogs do not live as long as people.

An adult whale can be as long as 30 meters.

as few as

There can be as few as 100 wasps in a nest.

up to

Some turtles can be up to two meters long.

_______________

Messages課文傳遞的信息

We should protect wild animals.

We should be kind to animals, and we should be kind to people, too.

Some boys like the same things as girls.

We should keep our bathrooms and kitchens clean.

Brothers and sisters should help each other.

It’s not enough to be intelligent – we have to be kind, too.

It’s not good to get angry. We have to learn to control ourselves.

_______________

Superlatives形容詞或副詞的最高級

North America has the biggest chicken farms.

The largest of all the whales is the blue whale.

The smallest owls are 12 to 13 centimeters tall.

Dogs are man’s best friends.

Many people think parrots are the most interesting birds.

Female black rats are the most dangerous .

Many people think butterflies are the most beautiful kinds of insects.

The most common ants are very small.

_______________

Past Continuous Tense過去進行時

“I was trying to get some of the bees’ honey.”

“The whale was blowing water out of a hole in its head.”

A hundred years ago, people were hunting and killing thousands of years every year.

“All your friends were playing, talking and looking out of the window.”

_______________

‘able to’能夠

Owls are able to move their wings very quietly.

Cows are able to help farmers with some of the farm work.

A baby turtle is not able to protect itself.

How is a dolphin able to breathe?

Ants are able to produce a special medicine.

What are we able to make from the skin of pigs?

_______________

Reflexive Pronouns反身代詞

myself

“I don’t like wasps myself. ”

“Sometimes, I can’t control myself ”.

yourself

“Did you do it by yourself ?”

“Look at yourself !”

itself

A bee can protect itself in the same way as a wasp.”

“A turtle won’t be able to find food for itself around here.”

themselves

Baby sharks are able to look after themselves .

Ants are able to keep themselves clean.

________________

Conditionals虛擬條件句

“It would be nice to have a cat.”

“Lee said he would like to have a rat as a pet.”

“It would be difficult to look after that many chickens.”

“I wouldn’t keep my rats in the house.”

“A cat wouldn’t be as friendly as our dog.”

“It wouldn’t be difficult for me.”

_______________

Gerunds (Nouns made from verbs)動名詞

Tigers live by the hunting and killing of other animals.

Bees feed by flying from flower to flower.

Those teeth are best for eating meat.

Monkeys are very good at climbing .

Buffaloes help the famers make the ground good for growing rice.

_______________

‘like’ = the same as”“像 ”= 和 ……一樣

Those are animals like dogs, cats, rabbits and parrots.

Those snakes can eat animals like monkeys.

Baby bats do not come out of eggs like baby bats do.

Cats can hunt and kill animals like rats and snakes.

Cats are not like dogs.

“Why can’t you be happy with pets like dogs, cats and fish?

Like other cats, tigers have very good eyes.

________________

Phonic Emphasis單詞重音

sh ape / sh ark / sh e / sh ow / sh op/sh ould / wash /brush /

wild / world / child ren / old / cold / told

ea r / hear / near / near ly / butyear / lear n

fl y / fl ower / butterfl y

sound / ground / around

****************

Thanks so much for making it to the end of our book!

非常感謝您學完本書！

You can see all the Word by Word books on our website here:

您可以在我們官網查閱《循序漸進學英語》的所有系列叢書：

http://www.wordbywordseries.com/

Kind regards,

Philip Gibson

Author: Word by Word series of graded, illustrated English readers.

謹此問候！

《循序漸進學英語》是英語插圖分級讀本。

菲利普·吉布森是該系列圖書的作者。

10：All About Animals

Description

Table of contents

1. All About Animals關於動物

2. Dogs狗

3. Cats貓

4. Tigers老虎

5. Rats老鼠

6. Elephants大象

7. Snakes蛇

8. Monkeys猴子

9. Parrots鸚鵡

10. Chickens雞

11. Owls貓頭鷹

12. Cows奶牛

13. Buffaloes水牛

14. Turtles海龜

15. Sharks鯊魚

16. Wasps黃蜂

17. Whales鯨魚

18. Bees蜜蜂

19. Dolphins海豚

20. Ants螞蟻

21. Pigs豬

22. Bats蝙蝠

23. Mosquitoes蚊子

24. Butterflies蝴蝶

25. Our Changing World我們不斷變化的世界

26. We really learned a lot!我們真的學到了很多！

Notes for Teachers and Parents給教師和家長的註解