一項新的研究表明，鯨魚被漁網纏住的風險似乎被低估了。無人機拍攝的照片上顯示，在加拿大圣勞倫斯灣，多達 60% 的藍鯨與漁繩和漁網接觸過，因為從照片中能看到它們身上的疤痕。

Getting caught up in fishing ropes or nets is one of the biggest threats to whales. The animals can suffocate or starve after becoming trapped. Reports of very large whales getting entangled in fishing gear are rare compared with smaller species, leading to the assumption that the biggest whales might largely avoid such threats.

被漁繩或漁網纏住是鯨魚面臨的最大威脅之一。它們在被困住后可能會窒息或挨餓。與體型較小的鯨魚相比，關于大型鯨魚被漁具纏住的報道很少，因此產生了一種假設，即最大的鯨魚可能在很大程度上避免了這個威脅。

A new study, led by experts at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, cast doubt on this idea. The researchers analysed images taken by drones of blue and fin whales in Canada's Gulf of St Lawrence – an important summer feeding ground for whales.

由蘇格蘭圣安德魯斯大學的專家牽頭的一項新研究對這一觀點提出了質疑。研究人員們分析了無人機在加拿大圣勞倫斯灣拍攝的藍鯨和長須鯨的照片，圣勞倫斯灣是鯨魚夏季的重要覓食地。

Scars seen on the bodies of the whales suggest that 60% of blue whales studied, and about half of fin whales, had been entangled in nets at some point in their life.

鯨魚身上的傷疤表明，被研究的60%的藍鯨和大約半數的長須鯨曾在它們生命中的某個時刻被漁網纏住。

The researchers say death from entanglement could tip some whale populations into decline. The blue and fin whale are the two largest species in the oceans. Both are endangered, though the blue whale's starting to make a comeback in Antarctic waters.

研究人員表示，鯨魚被纏住致死可能會導致一些鯨魚數量下降。藍鯨和長須鯨是海洋中體型最大的兩個物種。盡管藍鯨的數量在南極水域有所增加，但這兩種鯨魚均為瀕危物種。

詞匯表

caught up 被纏住
suffocate 窒息
starve 挨餓
trapped 被困住
entangled 被纏在一起
gear 用具，裝備
cast doubt on… 對…懷有疑慮
blue whales 藍鯨
fin whales 長須鯨
feeding ground 覓食地
scars 傷疤
endangered 瀕臨滅絕的
make a comeback 重新增長

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. True or false? The new study has found that the biggest whales might largely avoid becoming trapped in fishing gear.

2. What can happen if a whale becomes trapped?

3. Where did the drones take images of blue and fin whales?

4. According to the researchers, what could death from entanglement result in?

答案  

1. True or false? The new study has found that the biggest whales might largely avoid becoming trapped in fishing gear.
False. The new study suggests the assumption that the biggest whales might largely avoid becoming trapped in fishing gear is uncertain.

2. What can happen if a whale becomes trapped?
It can suffocate or starve after becoming trapped.

3. Where did the drones take images of blue and fin whales?
The drones took images of blue and fin whales in Canada's Gulf of St Lawrence. 

4. According to the researchers, what could death from entanglement result in?
Death from entanglement could tip some whale populations into decline.