The Fish that Fly(b)|圣卡塔利娜岛的飞鱼季(b)

The Fish that Fly 圣卡塔利娜岛的飞鱼季

by Timothy Laird

The Flying Fish Festival is officially celebrated on Santa Catalina Island every year.

每一年圣卡塔利娜岛上都会在飞鱼季时举办正式庆典。

Flying fish can get as high as 1.2 meters in the air and glide as far as 200 meters in a single jump. This activity is usually performed simultaneously by an entire school of flying fish. Tourists find this fascinating, but the flying fish are not doing this for entertainment. They leap out of the water mostly to escape predators. However, flying isn't always the best solution since the sky is also infested with hungry birds like seagulls looking for a snack. Their superior flying ability may even doom them. Fishermen oftentimes take advantage of this by setting up nets on their boats and waiting for the fish to fly in. It is also not uncommon for boaters to spot these fish lying dead on their boat decks in the morning.

Some species of flying fish are two-winged, while other species, such as the Californian flying fish commonly spotted near Santa Catalina Island, have enlarged pelvic fins in addition to pectoral fins, which gives them the appearance of having four wings. These are also the largest type, which are twice the size of most other species.

When the sun sets and the stores on Santa Catalina Island are about to close, celebrations for the Flying Fish Festival are usually just kicking into high gear. At this moment, the evening tour boats are ready to take the tourists out to sea, where the flying fish can best be lured out of the water by bright lights. The Flying Fish Festival is going to be held from June 3 to 6 this year. If you haven't yet seen these amazing creatures in flight, now is your chance.

1.  Which of the following is NOT true of Santa Catalina Island?

(A) Flying fish swim past the island each year.

(B) Californian flying fish can be seen near the island.

(C) Visitors get up very early to see the flying fish.

(D) People swarm to the island during the flying fish season.

2.  What enables flying fish to fly?

(A) Their small size.

(B) Their unique fins.

(C) Their high intelligence.

(D) Their extraordinary speed.

3.  Why do flying fish leap out of the water?

(A) They want to get some fresh air.

(B) They are hotly pursued by predators.

(C) Male fish are courting female fish and want to show off.

(D) Scientists are still trying to figure it out.

4.  Why are flying fish sometimes found dead on people's boats?

(A) Locals are usually playing a joke.

(B) Flying fish have suicidal tendencies.

(C) Fishermen catch them with bright lights.

(D) Flying fish are attracted to lights, so they inadvertently jump aboard.

   飞鱼在一次的跳跃中，在空中的高度可达 1.2 公尺、滑行的距离可达 200 公尺。牠们通常会在同一时间成群跳跃。游客觉得这样满有趣的，但飞鱼这样做可不是为了娱乐。牠们从水中跃出大多是为了逃避掠食者。可是，飞行并不全然是最好的解决方式，因为空中也会有许多像海鸥等饥饿的鸟群在虎视眈眈。牠们高超的飞行能力甚至可能让自己走上绝路，因为渔夫经常利用这点在船上设下渔网等待鱼儿自投罗网。划船的人也很常在清晨见到甲板上躺着死掉的飞鱼。

　　有些种类的飞鱼是双翅的，而其他像在圣卡塔利娜岛附近经常看到的加州飞鱼种类，在胸鳍之外还拥有很大的腹鳍，这使牠们看似有 4 只翅膀。这种飞鱼也是最大的种类，体型是其他大多数种类的两倍大。

　　在日落时分，圣卡塔利娜岛上的店家即将打烊时，飞鱼节庆典往往正要进入高潮。在这个时刻，夜间游船已准备好带游客出海，在那里飞鱼最容易受亮光引诱而跃出水中。今年的飞鱼节将在 6 月 3 号到 6 号举办。若你尚未见过这些飞行中的尤物，现在正是你的良机。

   1.  以下有关圣卡塔利娜岛，何者为非？

(A) 飞鱼每年都会游过这座岛屿。

(B) 加州飞鱼可在这座岛屿附近见到。

(C) 访客很早就起床去看飞鱼。

(D) 人们在飞鱼季节蜂拥至这座岛屿。

题解:   根据第一天的文章，从 5 月到 9 月，位于加州外海的圣卡塔利娜岛会有飞鱼光临，而且每一年的飞鱼节都有数百万名游客涌上这座岛屿只为了看牠们一眼；而根据第二天的文章，圣卡塔利娜岛附近经常看到的是加州飞鱼；而在日落时分，夜间游船带游客出海，因为飞鱼在这时容易受亮光引诱而跃出水中，可知选项 (C) 的叙述错误，故选之。

   2.  什么东西使飞鱼能够飞行？

(A) 牠们的小巧身材。

(B) 牠们的独特鱼鳍。

(C) 牠们的高智慧。

(D) 牠们超乎寻常的速度。

题解:   根据 6月 4 日文章第三段，飞鱼能够飞行的秘密在于牠们拥有像翅膀一般的胸鳍，故选 (B)。

   3.  飞鱼为何跃出水中？

(A) 牠们要呼吸一些新鲜空气。

(B) 牠们被掠食者紧追不舍。

(C) 雄性飞鱼在向雌性飞鱼求爱，想要卖弄一下。

(D) 科学家仍试图找出原因。

题解:   根据 6月 5 日文章第一段，飞鱼自水中跃出大多是为了逃避掠食者，故选 (B)。

   4.  为何有时飞鱼被发现死在人们的船上？

(A) 当地人经常在开玩笑。

(B) 飞鱼有自杀倾向。

(C) 渔人用亮光捕鱼。

(D) 飞鱼受光线吸引而无意间跳上船。

题解:   根据 6月 5 日文章第三段，游船通常在夜间带游客出海，因为这时最容易看到受亮光引诱而跃出水中的飞鱼，由此可推知，飞鱼有时可能不小心跳到船上，这就是船上的人很常在清晨见到甲板上躺着死掉飞鱼的原因，故选 (D)。

答案：1. (C)2. (B)3. (B)4. (D)

For Your Information

分布于台东县东南外海兰屿岛上的达悟族（Tao/Tau），自古以渔业为生，他们有一项传统，即每年 3 至 6 月飞鱼季期间，除飞鱼外，不捕其他鱼类。达悟人捕捉飞鱼时，有一套古老而独特的方法，他们在夜里点上火把，吸引飞鱼朝船上飞来，近代则引进追逐网渔法，使用两艘式机动船布网，再配合水中人群的追赶，使飞鱼纷纷进入网内。（数据源：维基百科）