环球英语 — 384：Sharkwater

　　Voice 1
Hello, I’m Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I’m Ruby¹ Jones. Welcome to Spotlight². This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Deep in the ocean, a man is swimming. He is carrying a tank of air on his back. He breathes in the air through a tube leading to his mouth. The man is wearing fins⁴ on his feet. The long rubber fins help him to move more easily through the deep water. The man swims with smooth, slow movements. He does not want to be noticed. Why? Well, the man is not alone. A number of large, dark fish swim round about him. These fish have mouths full of sharp teeth. Many people say they are the most dangerous fish in the ocean. They are sharks!
Voice 2
The man’s name is Rob Stewart. He does not share most people’s negative opinions about sharks. In fact, he believes the opposite. He knows that sharks are necessary to keep the balance of life in the ocean. And he wants to show people how important sharks are. So, he has made a film about them. It is called, “Sharkwater.” Rob explained how his love of sharks began. He said:
Voice 3
“I was a child. One day, I was swimming and diving in the water… I had wanted to see a shark my whole life. I had read about them in books. I had watched them on television. I thought they were the greatest animals on earth! That day, I was swimming among the rocks. Then, I saw a shark. I was just amazed⁵. It was so great to see something so big and so powerful and so perfect.”
Voice 1
Rob Stewart became a very experienced⁶ diver. Today, he uses this skill in his job. Rob works⁷ as a nature photographer - he takes pictures of wildlife around the world. It was while doing this job that Rob made a terrible discovery - a discovery that would change his life.
Voice 2
Rob Stewart was working in the Galapagos Islands. These islands are famous for their many different kinds of animal and plant life. For this reason, wildlife authorities⁸ have protected particular areas of water around the islands. Fishing is illegal in protected waters. One day, Rob was taking pictures in an area of protected water. And he saw something very tragic⁹. He found a long plastic fishing line. It stretched for many kilometres under the water. Many hooks¹¹ were hanging from this line. Someone was trying to catch fish. On the end of each hook¹⁰ was the body of a dead shark. Rob was shocked. This was long-line fishing! long-line fishing was illegal in this area. Rob remembers that day clearly. Before this, he did not understand how dangerous life was for sharks. But that day he thought:
Voice 3
“People are doing this in one of the most protected areas of water on the planet¹². So, imagine what is happening to sharks all around the world!”
Voice 1
Rob wrote to some nature magazines about this illegal shark fishing. He also tried to collect some money. He wanted to operate a boat around the Galapagos Islands. This boat would hunt for people trying to catch sharks illegally. But, he had no success. He received very little money. Nobody seemed interested in the sharks’ situation. Then Rob had another idea. His idea was to make a film about the problem. Later he said:
Voice 3
“I had never made a film before but I decided¹³ to do it… I found some people willing to lend me some money. I rented some cameras and got started.”
Voice 2
At first, Rob’s aim was to change public opinion about sharks. He wanted to show people how beautiful they were. He wanted to persuade people that sharks were worth caring for. But Rob’s experiences led to him telling a much sadder story…
Voice 1
Rob wanted to film sharks in protected areas. So, he went on a sea trip with an organization called, “Sea Shepherd”. “Sea Shepherd” is a wildlife conservation group. Group members travel into protected water. They look for people who are fishing illegally. They warn the fishing boats that they are breaking the law. And, if necessary, they act directly to stop them from fishing. The group’s leader is Paul Watson. He has been fighting to protect sea animals for many years. He took Rob on a boat called, “The Ocean Warrior”. It sailed to an area of protected water in the Pacific Ocean near Costa Rica. The Costa Rican government wanted help to stop illegal fishing there.
Voice 2
However, the trip did not go as Rob and his friends expected. They went there to prevent illegal shark-fishing. But instead, the authorities treated them as the enemies! Rob explained:
Voice 3
“Everything that could go wrong did go wrong! The police in Costa Rica arrested us. They charged us with attempted murder. Some shark fishermen crashed their boats into our boat. Finally, we had to sail away from Costa Rica while they were firing machine guns at us.”
Voice 2
Why did people treat them this way? Well, Rob and the team from the “Ocean Warrior” did some investigating. And, they discovered evidence of a large shark-finning¹⁴ industry in Costa Rica. Shark fins are very valuable to some people. But they are even more valuable to the sharks! Without its pointed¹⁵ fin³, a shark cannot swim or move. People cut the fin from the shark’s back. Then, they throw the live body back into the water. The shark then bleeds to death - or drowns. Shark finning is a big industry. People use the sharks’ fins to make soup, or medicine.
Voice 1
So Rob and his team had found their answer. The people in Costa Rica had treated them badly to cover their illegal industry - shark finning. These people did not want anyone ruining their business. Rob filmed all of his experiences on the “Ocean Warrior” boat. He wants people to know about illegal shark-fishing. And he wants illegal trade in shark fins to stop. Rob explains the messages in the film:
Voice 3
“Everyone was scared of sharks. So nobody cared that people were killing¹⁶ them. I thought that a film could give people a new relationship with sharks. Then they would care enough to protect them…. People have spent a few hundred million dollars over the last fifty years on films. These show sharks as monsters, as dangerous hunters. So, a film that would show sharks in the opposite way was important.”
 

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

3 fin   

n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼

参考例句：

• They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
• The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

4 fins   

[医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌

参考例句：

• The level of TNF-α positively correlated with BMI,FPG,HbA1C,TG,FINS and IRI,but not with SBP and DBP. TNF-α水平与BMI、FPG、HbA1C、TG、FINS和IRI呈显著正相关，与SBP、DBP无相关。 来自互联网
• Fins are a feature specific to fish. 鱼鳍是鱼类特有的特征。 来自辞典例句

5 amazed   

adj.吃惊的，惊奇的v.使大为吃惊，使惊奇( amaze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Just the size of the place amazed her. 仅仅地方之大就使她十分惊奇。
• I was amazed at her knowledge of French literature. 她的法国文学知识之丰富使我大为惊奇。

6 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

7 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

8 authorities   

n.当局，权力，权威；权威( authority的名词复数 )；权力；学术权威；[复数]当权者

参考例句：

• They interceded with the authorities on behalf of the detainees. 他们为被拘留者向当局求情。
• At his instigation we conceal the fact from the authorities. 我们受他的怂恿向当局隐瞒了事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

10 hook   

vt.钩住；n.钩子，钩状物

参考例句：

• The blacksmith forged a bar of iron into a hook.铁匠把一根铁条锻造成一个钩子。
• He hangs up his scarf on the hook behind the door.他把围巾挂在门后的衣钩上。

11 hooks   

钩拳( hook的名词复数 )； 挂钩； 转弯处； 曲线球

参考例句：

• I want to buy the hams hanging on the hooks. 我想买挂在钩子上的火腿。
• This dress hooks at the back, not at the side. 这件衣服是在背后而不是在旁边扣钩。

12 planet   

n.行星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun. 海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Rubbish, however, is only part of the problem of polluting our planet. 然而, 垃圾只是我们这个星球的污染问题的一个方面。

13 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

14 finning   

n.鱼鳍式划水（仰卧水面，两脚并拢，两手放身旁上下拍水使身体向头的方向移动）

参考例句：

• Fish could be sighted finning near the surface. 我们可以看到鱼把鳍露出水面。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• A shark was finning around the surface of the ocean. 一条鲨鱼把鳍露出海面游动。 来自互联网

15 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

16 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。