Whale1 Watching in Kaikoura在凯库拉观鲸

soniamillet

Kaikoura is a smalltown on the east coast2of the South Island of NewZealand which looks outover the Pacific Ocean. Ifyou keep going east from Kaikoura， you will arrive in South America. There are3，500 people in the town.

凱库拉是新西兰南岛东海岸的一个小镇，面朝太平洋。如果你从凯库拉一直向东，将会到达南美洲。这个小镇上有3500 人。

Kaikoura was first settled3 by Maori4 900 years ago. The name comes fromtwo Maori words： Kai means eat or food， and koura means a kind of seafood verygood to eat. Twenty years ago， Kaikoura was a small town best known for itsseafood. However， today it is famous for the whales that visit the coast. Whales arethe largest animals on the earth and whale watching has grown into an importanttourist attraction5. The tourists from all over the world are coming for it.

900 年前，毛利人最早在凯库拉定居，Kaikoura 这个名字来自两个毛利语单词：kai 意为吃或食物，而koura 意为一种非常好吃的海鲜。二十年前，凯库拉是一个以海鲜闻名的小镇。然而，今天它以造访海岸的鲸鱼而闻名。鲸鱼是地球上最大的动物，观鲸已成为一个重要的旅游项目。世界各地的游客都慕名而来。

During the mid 19th century， European settlers6 in Kaikoura builtwhaling stations which produced7 oil. The oil from whales was valuable8.Now all that has changed. Whaling is big business again， but now it isabout watching them not killing them.

19 世纪中叶，凯库拉的欧洲定居者建造了捕鲸站，生产（鲸鱼）油。鲸鱼油的价值很高。现在一切都变了。捕鲸又成了一项大生意，但现在是观赏它们而不是屠杀它们。

The waters off the coast of Kaikoura are so rich9 in food that some kinds ofwhales live there for many months of the year. Other kinds of whales swim up thecoast from the cold waters in the south to give birth10 and raise11 their young inthe warmer waters in the north. They pass Kaikoura on the way.

凯库拉海岸附近的水域食物很丰富，以至于有些种类的鲸鱼一年中有好几个月都生活在那里。其他种类的鲸鱼从南部寒冷的水域沿着海岸一直游到北部温暖的水域分娩，并养育幼崽。它们在途中会经过凯库拉。

Whale watching tours are run all year. There are anumber of companies12 running several tours13 each day， but itis best to buy a ticket before you go. So you wont miss it. Youcan go whale watching on a boat or fly over the water in asmall plane. Some companies will give you your money back ifyou dont see a whale.

全年都有观鲸之旅。有很多公司每天都有几趟旅程，但最好在出发前买好票，这样你才不会错过。

你可以在船上观鲸，也可以乘坐小型飞机飞越水面观鲸。如果你没有看到鲸鱼，有些公司会把钱退还给你。

Whales are not the only attraction inKaikoura. Many other animals live in the oceanand along the coast. You can go swimming withdolphins which are sometimes seen in groups of800. You can see many kinds of ocean birds，like the albatross14， one of the worlds largestflying birds. You can go fishing. The Kaikoura coast is home to 200 kinds of fishand sea life.

鲸鱼不是凯库拉唯一的游览项目。许多其他动物生活在海洋和沿海地区。

你可以和海豚一起游泳，有时可以看到多达800 只海豚。你可以看到许多种海鸟，比如世界上最大的飞鸟之一，信天翁。你还可以去钓鱼。凯库拉海岸是200种鱼类和海洋生物的家园。

Kaikoura is rich in Maori history and you can enjoy the beautiful snowmountains. While there are many things to do in Kaikoura， the most popularattraction is whale watching.

凯库拉的毛利人历史悠久。你还可以欣赏美丽的雪山。虽然在凯库拉有很多事可以做，但最受欢迎的游览项目还是观鲸。

Notes

1. whale. 鲸

2. coast .海岸；海滨

3. settle . 定居；安家；在……建殖民地；移居于

4. Maori . 新西兰的毛利人；毛利语

5. attraction . 有吸引力的事物；游览胜地

6. settler . 移居者；殖民者

7. produce . 出产；产出；生产；制造

8. valuable.值钱的；贵重的；重要的；珍贵的

9. rich  . 富含的

10. birth . 出生；诞生

11. raise  . 抚养；养育

12. company . 公司

13. tour . 旅行；旅游；游览；参观；观光

14. albatross .[鸟]信天翁