There are approximately 460 known shark species living in our oceans today. They belong to a family of fish whose skeletons are made up of cartilage rather than bone. Cartilage is a tissue that is a lot more flexible and lighter than bone. We humans have cartilage in specific areas of our body, including our ears and nose. This material allows sharks to more durable when traveling through the ocean and exploring the ocean floor.
当今的海洋中生活着大约460种已知的鲨鱼。鲨鱼属于软骨鱼类。软骨是一种较骨骼而言柔韧性更好且轻得多的组织。我们人类在身体的特定区域包括耳朵和鼻子等部位也有软骨组织。软骨组织使得鲨鱼在海洋中游动或在海底探索时更持久。
The skin of a shark is also something to be aware of. The shark's skin consists of a collection of scales that act as an outer skeleton for the fish species. This, along with cartilage makeup of the fish, allows the shark to have easy movement in the ocean, along with the ability to save energy when it needs it most.
鲨鱼的皮肤也是值得人们留意的。它们的皮肤由充当外骨骼的鱼鳞组成。鱼鳞和软骨能使鲨鱼在海洋中游得更容易，也可以在它们需要时节省体力。
Sharks, like other fish, possess gills in order to breathe underwater. They generally have about five to seven gill slits that are located on either side of their bodies. These gills filter the ocean water in order to obtain the oxygen that is necessary for these creatures to survive. Think of these gills as the "lungs" of the shark.
因为水下呼吸的需要，鲨鱼同其他鱼类一样拥有鳃。它们通常拥有五到七个鳃裂，分布在身体两侧。这些鳃可以通过过滤海水来为其提供生存所必需的氧气。这些鳃就好比鲨鱼的"肺"。
Probably the most recognizable, and at the same time, most fearsome, part of the shark is their teeth. All sharks have multiple rows of teeth, which help them attack and ingest prey. Unlike humans, these teeth will fall out on a regular basis, being replaced with brand new teeth in the process. These teeth, along with their powerful jaws, are what make sharks an apex predator in our oceans.
也许鲨鱼最容易为人辨识且最让人感到惧怕的部分就是它们的牙齿。所有的鲨鱼都拥有多排牙齿，这些牙齿帮助它们袭击并吞咽猎物。与人类不同的是，这些牙齿会定期脱落，与此同时换上新的牙齿。鲨鱼强有力的牙齿和下颌，使它们成为我们海洋中的顶级掠食者。
Speaking of teeth and prey, let's provide some more information about sharks by talking about their usual diet. Unlike Hollywood movies, sharks don't have a craving for humans. While shark attacks do occur, it's not because these sharks are outwardly looking for human prey. These accidents usually occur because a human swimmer gets too close to a shark's territory, or they are mistaken for a seal (which is common since most swimsuits that surfers use are silky black just like the fur of a seal.). Instead, sharks will feast on small fish, crustaceans, mollusks, plankton, krill, marine mammals, and even other sharks.
说到鲨鱼的牙齿和猎物，我们可以多了解一下它们的日常食物。不同于好莱坞电影中鲨鱼食人的血腥画面，鲨鱼对人类的兴趣其实不是特别大。当然鲨鱼袭击人的事情的确发生过，但是这并不是因为鲨鱼在寻找人类猎物才发生的。这些意外的发生，通常是因为游泳的人过于靠近一只鲨鱼的领地，也有时是因为这些游泳的人被鲨鱼误当作了海豹。而这是很正常的，因为大多数冲浪者穿丝制的柔软的黑色泳衣，正如同海豹的皮肤一样。相反，鲨鱼更喜欢享用小鱼、甲壳类动物、软体类动物、浮游生物、磷虾、海洋哺乳动物，甚至一些其他的鲨鱼。
One of the most fascinating shark facts to consider is their ability to detect blood in the ocean water. That's one aspect of Hollywood that actually holds true in real life. Sharks have the ability to detect blood from miles away, allowing them to identify their next meal from long distances. If you are swimming in shark waters and cut yourself, make your way to the shore as quickly as you can!
鲨鱼最吸引人的本领之一莫过于它们能在海水中追踪鲜血。好莱坞电影把鲨鱼的这一本领做了真实的还原。鲨鱼在几英里外就可追踪定位血腥味的来源，这使得它们能在很远的距离外就能准确定位自己的下一顿大餐。所以，如果你在鲨鱼水域游泳时不小心伤到了自己，请务必尽快游上岸！
本文英文来自Sharksider，已选入《快捷英语 活页英语时文阅读理解 高一年级19》，参考译文由快捷英语整理。转载需注明出处。
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