Level 3 · Reading series
Lesson 33 · The Fish That Cleaned Its Neighbor
Audio track 33
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
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At the aquarium, I saw a small fish swimming close to a much larger one. The larger fish stayed almost still while the small fish picked tiny things from its skin. For a moment, I thought the small fish was attacking it.
The sign explained that it was a cleaner fish. It can eat parasites from other fish. The small fish gets food, and the larger fish may lose unwanted guests from its body.
I watched again. The larger fish did not swim away. That did not mean every meeting between fish was friendly, but this one made more sense after I read the sign. The same movement had looked like an attack before I knew what both animals might gain.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
在水族馆，我看到一条小鱼游到一条大鱼身旁。大鱼几乎一动不动，小鱼从它的皮肤上啄下一些细小的东西。一开始，我以为小鱼在攻击它。
说明牌告诉我，这是一种清洁鱼。它可以吃掉其他鱼身上的寄生虫。小鱼得到了食物，大鱼则可能摆脱身上的不速之客。
我又看了一会儿。大鱼没有游开。当然，这不代表鱼儿每一次靠近都是友好的；但读过说明牌后，眼前这一次互动就更容易理解了。原来，知道双方可能得到什么，会改变我对同一个动作的看法。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- aquarium
- 水族馆；故事发生的地点。
- almost still
- 几乎不动；大鱼停着让小鱼靠近。
- pick ... from
- 从……取下；小鱼从大鱼皮肤上啄东西。
- skin
- 皮肤；寄生虫附着的地方。
- attack
- 攻击；主人公最初的误解。
- cleaner fish
- 清洁鱼；会清理其他鱼体表的小鱼。
- parasite
- 寄生虫；可能被清洁鱼吃掉。
- unwanted guest
- 不速之客；比喻鱼身上不需要的寄生虫。
- swim away
- 游开；大鱼没有躲避。
- gain
- 获得；双方可能各有收获。
Background notes (Chinese)
清洁鱼与其他鱼之间可能存在互利关系：清洁鱼获得食物，被清理的鱼可能减少寄生虫。说明牌为观察提供了背景，但文中没有因此断言所有鱼之间的互动都友好。