# 第四册 Lesson 18 Porpoises 海豚

## 一、课文原文

There has long been a superstition among mariners that porpoises will save drowning men by pushing them to the surface, or protect them from sharks by surrounding them in defensive formation. Marine Studio biologists have pointed out that, however intelligent they may be, it is probably a mistake to credit dolphins with any motive of life-saving. On the occasions when they have pushed to shore an unconscious human being they have much more likely done it out of curiosity or for sport, as in riding the bow waves of a ship. In 1928 some porpoises were photographed working like beavers to push ashore a waterlogged mattress. If, as has been reported, they have protected humans from sharks, it may have been because curiosity attracted them and because the scent of a possible meal attracted the sharks. Porpoises and sharks are natural enemies. It is possible that upon such an occasion a battle ensued, with the sharks being driven away or killed.

Whether it be bird, fish or beast, the porpoise is intrigued with anything that is alive. They are constantly after the turtles, who peacefully submit to all sorts of indignities. One young calf especially enjoyed raising a turtle to the surface with his snout, and then shoving him across the tank like an aquaplane. Almost any day a young porpoise may be seen trying to turn a 300-pound sea turtle over by sticking his snout under the edge of his shell and pushing up for dear life. This is not easy, and may require two porpoises working together. In another game, as the turtle swims across the oceanarium, the first porpoise swoops down from above and butts his shell with his belly. This knocks the turtle down several feet. He no sooner recovers his equilibrium than the next porpoise comes along and hits him another crack. Eventually the turtle has been butted all the way down to the floor of the tank. He is now satisfied merely to try to stand up, but as soon as he does so a porpoise knocks him flat. The turtle at last gives up by pulling his feet under his shell and the game is over.

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| superstition | /ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃn/ | n. | 迷信 | long-standing superstition 长期迷信 |
| mariner | /ˈmærɪnə/ | n. | 水手，海员 | = sailor, seaman |
| porpoise | /ˈpɔːpəs/ | n. | 海豚 | 鼠海豚科，与dolphin有别 |
| credit | /ˈkredɪt/ | v. | 归功于，认为有 | credit sb. with sth. 认为某人有某品质 |
| bow wave | /baʊ weɪv/ | n. | 船首浪 | riding the bow waves 乘船首浪 |
| waterlogged | /ˈwɔːtəlɒɡd/ | adj. | 浸满水的 | waterlogged mattress 浸水的床垫 |
| ensue | /ɪnˈsjuː/ | v. | 接踵而来，接着发生 | a battle ensued 随之发生战斗 |
| intrigue | /ɪnˈtriːɡ/ | v. | 引起...的好奇心 | be intrigued with 对...好奇 |
| indignity | /ɪnˈdɪɡnɪti/ | n. | 侮辱，轻蔑 | submit to indignities 忍受侮辱 |
| calf | /kɑːf/ | n. | 幼崽 | young porpoise calf 小海豚 |
| snout | /snaʊt/ | n. | （动物的）口鼻部 | push with his snout 用口鼻推 |
| shove | /ʃʌv/ | v. | 推，猛推 | shoving him across the tank 把它推过水槽 |
| aquaplane | /ˈækwəpleɪn/ | n. | 滑水板 | 滑水橇 |
| swoop | /swuːp/ | v. | 猛扑，俯冲 | swoops down from above 从上方俯冲 |
| butt | /bʌt/ | v. | 用头撞 | butts his shell 用身体撞龟壳 |
| equilibrium | /ˌiːkwɪˈlɪbriəm/ | n. | 平衡 | recovers his equilibrium 恢复平衡 |
| oceanarium | /ˌəʊʃəˈneəriəm/ | n. | 海洋水族馆 | 大型海洋动物展览馆 |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. however 引导的让步状语从句

> ..., **however intelligent they may be**, it is probably a mistake to credit dolphins with any motive of life-saving.

| 结构 | 含义 |
|------|------|
| however + adj. + 主语 + may be | 无论多么... |
| = no matter how + adj. + 主语 + may be | 同义 |

### 2. whether...or... 让步状语从句（虚拟语气）

> **Whether it be** bird, fish or beast, the porpoise is intrigued with anything that is alive.

- whether...or... + 虚拟语气（be原形）
- = whether it is bird, fish or beast（但虚拟式更正式）

### 3. no sooner...than... 一...就...

> He **no sooner** recovers his equilibrium **than** the next porpoise comes along...

| 结构 | 含义 |
|------|------|
| no sooner...than... | 一...就... |
| hardly...when/before... | 同义 |
| 如放句首需倒装 | No sooner had he recovered...than... |

### 4. as soon as 一...就...

> ...but **as soon as** he does so a porpoise knocks him flat.

- = the moment, immediately when
- 比 no sooner...than 更口语化

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. credit sb. with sth. 认为某人有某品质

> ...it is probably a mistake to **credit dolphins with** any motive of life-saving.

- = attribute sth. to sb.
- 仿写：He is credited with the invention.

### 2. out of curiosity 出于好奇

> ...they have much more likely done it **out of curiosity** or for sport...

- out of + 名词 = 出于（动机）
- out of pity/fear/jealousy/generosity

### 3. for dear life 拼命地

> ...and pushing up **for dear life**.

- = with all one's might, desperately
- 仿写：He clung to the rope for dear life.

### 4. give up by doing 以...方式放弃

> The turtle at last **gives up by pulling** his feet under his shell...

- by + 动名词，表方式
- give up = yield, surrender

## 五、课文翻译

长久以来，水手中流传着一种迷信：海豚会拯救溺水的人，把他们推到水面，或者以防御阵形围住他们来保护他们免受鲨鱼伤害。海洋馆的生物学家指出，不管海豚有多聪明，认为它们有任何救人的动机可能是错误的。在它们把一个失去知觉的人推上岸的时候，它们更可能是出于好奇或游戏而做的，就像乘船首浪一样。1928年，有人拍到了几只海豚像河狸一样努力把一个浸满水的床垫推上岸的照片。如果像报道中说的那样它们保护了人类免受鲨鱼伤害，那可能是因为好奇心吸引了海豚，而可能的一顿美餐的气味吸引了鲨鱼。海豚和鲨鱼是天敌。在这种情况下，有可能发生了一场战斗，鲨鱼被赶走或杀死了。

无论是鸟、鱼还是兽，海豚对任何有生命的东西都感兴趣。它们总是追逐海龟，而海龟则平静地忍受各种屈辱。一只小海豚特别喜欢用口鼻把海龟顶到水面，然后像滑水板一样把它推过水槽。几乎每一天都能看到小海豚试图把一只300磅重的大海龟翻过来——把口鼻插到龟壳边缘下面拼命往上顶。这并不容易，可能需要两只海豚合作。在另一种游戏中，当海龟游过水族馆时，第一只海豚从上方俯冲下来用肚子撞龟壳。这把海龟撞下几英尺深。它刚恢复平衡，下一只海豚就过来再撞它一下。最终海龟被一直撞到水槽底部。它现在只满足于试着站起来，但刚一站起来，一只海豚就把它撞翻。海龟终于把脚缩回壳里放弃了，游戏就此结束。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 1. 写作手法：驳论+生动叙事

- 前半段：驳斥海豚救人的迷信（理性分析）
- 后半段：以幽默笔调描述海豚戏弄海龟（生动叙事）
- 理性与趣味兼备

### 2. 文化背景

- **海豚（porpoise vs dolphin）**：porpoise通常指鼠海豚科，体型较小；dolphin指海豚科，但在口语中常混用
- **海豚救人传说**：自古希腊以来就有海豚救人的传说，但科学界普遍认为是好奇心驱使

### 3. 修辞分析

- **让步**：however intelligent they may be——先承认海豚聪明，再否定救人说
- **拟人**：海豚像"运动员"一样玩游戏——for dear life, game is over
- **幽默**：水logged mattress——用荒诞的例子反驳迷信

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **理解题**：What would you say is the main characteristic of porpoises?（对任何活物都好奇，喜欢游戏）
2. **语法题**：however让步从句与whether虚拟让步从句的对比
3. **词汇题**：区分 porpoise/dolphin, credit/attribute 的用法
4. **翻译练习**：no sooner...than... 与 as soon as 的互换翻译

## 八、本课小结

本课讨论**海豚的行为特征**，核心观点：海豚的"救人"行为实为好奇心和游戏本能，海豚对任何活物都充满好奇。语法重点包括however让步从句、whether虚拟让步从句、no sooner...than...结构、as soon as时间从句。写作手法上以驳论开篇、以生动叙事展开，兼具理性和趣味。