听力文摘：凶猛的鱼类

The movie Jaws¹ was so frightening that many peoplewho saw the film swore off swimming in the ocean.

很多人看了电影《大白鲨》心有余悸，不敢在海边游泳了。

Consequently, when most people think of fearsome seacreatures, sharks come immediately to mind.

所以，每当人们想到可怕的海洋生物，就会立刻想到鲨鱼。

Less well remembered is the movie Piranha, a Jawsknock-off that featured deadly tropical fish terrorizing a small-town river.

另外一部电影《食人鱼》也给观众留下深刻的印象，鲨鱼吃掉致命的热带鱼威胁小镇的安全。

But while Piranha themovie may have been toothless, in real life its featured predators² put sharks and all other aquatic³ creatures to shame when it comes to underwater ferocity.

电影中食人鱼是没有牙齿的，但在现实生活里，当说到水下凶猛动物，这类食肉动物已经使鲨鱼和其它水生物相形见绌。

Piranha are native to South American freshwater rivers.

食人鱼是一种原产于美国南部的淡水鱼。

Although legends abound⁴ about theireating prowess, most of the twenty species of piranha are actually vegetarian⁵.

虽然关于它们捕食本领的传说比比皆是，但实际上在这二十种比拉鱼中，大多数都是吃素的。

They are flat, oval-shaped fish that grow from ten to approximately twenty-four inches in length.

它们的身体呈扁平椭圆状，长度从10到24英寸不等。

The four species of piranha that are carnivorous, however, certainly earn their reputation as fiercefish.

有四种食人鱼是食肉 的，当然可以称之为凶猛鱼类。

These meat-eaters have powerful jaws and razor sharp teeth that fit together like cuttingshears when they bite.

这些食肉鱼有着强健的下颚和锋利的牙齿，这样组合在一起当它们吃东西的时候就像裁剪刀。

Piranha travel and hunt in schools of about twenty fish, and can engage in impressive feedingfrenzies when aroused by blood or commotion⁶ in the water.

食人鱼一次可以捕猎到20只小鱼，水里的血液和骚动会引起一场激烈的食物猎取大战。

Carnivorous piranha will eat anything from other fish to large mammals such as cows and even jaguars⁷ that wander too far into thewater.

食人鱼什么都吃，从其它鱼类到大型兽类，例如奶牛，甚至还有那些在水里散步的美洲虎。

Although flesh-eating piranhas sometimes attack people, humans tend to have the last laugh.

虽然食人鱼有时也会攻击人类，但最终还是人类占据上风。

In South America and elsewhere piranha are considered fine eating fish.

在南美及其它地区，食人鱼被认为是很好的鱼类食物。

It’s safe to say that many more piranha are eaten by people than the other way around.

可以这么说，许多食人鱼是被人类吃掉而不是食人鱼吃人。

1 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

2 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 aquatic   

adj.水生的，水栖的

参考例句：

• Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.水上运动包括游泳和划船。
• We visited an aquatic city in Italy.我们在意大利访问过一个水上城市。

4 abound   

vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于

参考例句：

• Oranges abound here all the year round.这里一年到头都有很多橙子。
• But problems abound in the management of State-owned companies.但是在国有企业的管理中仍然存在不少问题。

5 vegetarian   

n.素食者；adj.素食的

参考例句：

• She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
• I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。

6 commotion   

n.骚动，动乱

参考例句：

• They made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theatre.他们在剧院里相互争吵，引起了一阵骚乱。
• Suddenly the whole street was in commotion.突然间，整条街道变得一片混乱。

7 jaguars   

n.（中、南美洲的）美洲虎( jaguar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jaguars are largely nocturnal creatures. 美洲虎基本上是夜行动物。 来自辞典例句
• Jaguars (Panthera onca) once ranged from southern South America to theUnited States. 美洲虎曾经分布在北美洲南部和美洲南部。 来自互联网