A diver and a 15-foot-long tiger shark深海友誼：潛水員與巨虎鯊奇緣

程麗萍

潛水員吉姆·阿伯內西稱，他和一條名叫艾瑪的鯊魚已經是近23年的好朋友了。每次吉姆在巴哈馬群島海域潛水時，她都會過來和他擦頭以示愛意。

主題語境：人與動物 篇幅：345詞 建議用時：7分鐘

1 A diver claims he has been best friends with a15footlongtiger shark named Emma for almost 23years now. Jim Abernethy and Emma first met in2001 when he removed a fishing hook from hermouth， and they＇ve been inseparable ever since.Every time Jim goes into the water in the area ofTiger Beach， in the Bahamas， she comes around and rubs her head with him as a sign of theaffection. It＇s not the kind of behavior most people expect from a huge， 15footlongtigershark that could easily tear a human apart.

“2 What makes Emma so special is that she is really big， and she＇s huge when you lookat her like it might be the last thing you do，” Jim said.“ But you＇re in the water for a shortamount of time before realizing she is so loving and affectionate. Sharks are not mindlessmaneatingmonsters. In fact， they are sentient （有感知能力的） creatures just like cats anddogs. As for Emma， it＇s just like rolling around in the grass with your dog， it＇s very fun andloving.”

3 Jim was diving around Tiger Beach in 2001 when he first spotted this giant tigershark circling a few feet away. She eventually approached him， and he managed to pull a fishing hook from her mouth， despite the obvious risks. Jim has since removed four otherhooks from Emma＇s mouth on several occasions， and the two are best friends.

4 Emma approaches Jim every time he dives in her area and she can recognize himeven if he changes diving gear （設備）. Over time， she learns his hand signals—aninvitation to get her head rubbed and Jim claims that she starts acting like a playful dogwho loves being petted.

“5 Trying to describe what it＇s like really makes me believe that the English languageisn＇t good enough，” Jim Abernethy said.“ To have a connection that lasts the entire timeyou＇re in the water is so moving and so influential. One of the best things that＇s happened tome is this discovery of the affectionate side of sharks.”

Reading Check

Detail

1. What physical feature makes Emma impressive according to Jim？

A. Her speed in the water. B. Her 15foot length.

C. Her ability to eat. D. Her sharp teeth.

Detail

2. How did Jim Abernethy first come into contact with Emma？

A. He saw her while on a guided tour.

B. He captured her for a research project.

C. He removed a fishing hook from her mouth.

D. He was filming a documentary on tiger sharks.

Detail

3. How many hooks has Jim removed from Emma＇s mouth？

A. One. B. Three.

C. Four. D. Five.

Detail

4. What can we know about Jim and Emma？

A. They have kept their friendship for 15 years.

B. They always meet near the Great Barrier Reef.

C. They are very close friends over two decades.

D. They cant remember how they started their friendship.

Language Study

Ⅰ. Difficult sentence in the text

Jim Abernethy and Emma first met in 2001 when he removed a fishing hook from hermouth， and they＇ve been inseparable ever since. 吉姆·阿伯內西和艾瑪第一次見面是在2001年，當時他從艾瑪的嘴里取出了一個魚鉤，從那以后他們就形影不離了。

【點石成金】本句是一個由and連接的并列句，when引導的是一個定語從句，先行詞是2001。

Ⅱ. Fill in the blanks.

Jim Abernethy， an experienced diver， shares a special bond with a 15footlongtigershark 1.________（name） Emma since their first encounter in 2001 in the area of TigerBeach in the Bahamas. Their 2.________（usual） friendship started when Jim removed afishing hook from Emma＇s mouth. Since then， he 3.________（remove） four more hooksfrom her mouth over the years， further strengthening their relationship.

Emma 4.________（recognize） Jim even when he changes his diving equipment andresponds to his hand 5.________（signal） by approaching for head rubs， much like aplayful and affectionate dog. Their interaction challenges the common view of sharks， and6.________（showcase） them as sentient creatures capable of forming bonds 7.________humans.

Jim finds it 8.________（challenge） to express the depth of his connection with Emma，which he likens to the strong affection one shares with a pet. His 9.________（experience）with Emma have led him to appreciate the gentler side of sharks， 10.________has beenprofoundly influential and meaningful to him.