A diver and a 15-foot-long tiger shark深海友谊：潜水员与巨虎鲨奇缘

程丽萍

潛水员吉姆·阿伯内西称，他和一条名叫艾玛的鲨鱼已经是近23年的好朋友了。每次吉姆在巴哈马群岛海域潜水时，她都会过来和他擦头以示爱意。

主题语境：人与动物 篇幅：345词 建议用时：7分钟

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 （设备）. 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·阿伯內西和艾玛第一次见面是在2001年，当时他从艾玛的嘴里取出了一个鱼钩，从那以后他们就形影不离了。

【点石成金】本句是一个由and连接的并列句，when引导的是一个定语从句，先行词是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.