原版英文小故事 27. Learning to Share

The seal population just south of Monterey, California, is making life difficult for the surfer population. There have been several incidents in the past month of surfers being bitten or attacked by seals. Scientists think it is merely a result of overcrowding. Over the past 10 years, the seals have made “their” beach bigger to suit their growing population.

The seal-loving activists¹ say that the surfers should surf elsewhere. They say that the surfers are infringing² on the seals’ territory and making them nervous and irritable³. Sometimes, when there are too many surfers, they actually cause the seals to leave the beach. This, the activists say, deprives nature lovers of the opportunity to enjoy watching and listening to the seals. The activists argue that this area should be off limits to surfers.

Surfers, of course, don’t see it quite that way. They think that it’s good if the seals get hit in the head with a loose surfboard occasionally, because that will teach them to stay on their rocks and stay away from the surfers’ part of the beach.

“They shouldn’t be allowed to have their rocks and our beach, too,” exclaimed one blond, tan, thin 16-year-old who refused to identify himself. “All these seals think about is me, me, me! They need to learn to share. Can’t someone just train them to clear out of here from about 1:00 to sunset? They could come back here and stay all night and all morning. That makes sense to me.”

The park service is going to hold a public hearing on the issue. They know it’s going to be a tough issue to settle, because neither the activists nor the surfers seem willing to compromise. A similar issue in San Diego was settled in the seals’ favor. Surfers were prohibited from using the seals’ area. Mysteriously, the seals eventually vacated that particular area, and the surfers were allowed to return.

 

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 infringing   

v.违反（规章等）( infringe的现在分词 )；侵犯（某人的权利）；侵害（某人的自由、权益等）

参考例句：

• The material can be copied without infringing copyright. 这份材料可以复制，不会侵犯版权。
• The media is accused of infringing on people's privacy. 人们指责媒体侵犯了大家的隐私。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 irritable   

adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的

参考例句：

• He gets irritable when he's got toothache.他牙一疼就很容易发脾气。
• Our teacher is an irritable old lady.She gets angry easily.我们的老师是位脾气急躁的老太太。她很容易生气。