If we look from space, Earth is blue. The blue parts are oceans. They cover(覆蓋) about 70% of the Earth’s surface(表面). Under the ocean there are many kinds of amazing animals and plants. Let’s meet them one by one!
It is the largest and deepest ocean in the world. It is larger than all of the Earth’s land together. The Great Barrier Reef (大堡礁) lies in the Pacific and it is the longest of all.
It is the second largest ocean in the world. It is like the letter “S”. This ocean has the most salt.
Titanic(泰坦尼克號(hào)), the largest ship in the world, sank(沉陷) here in 1912. It hit(撞擊) an iceberg(冰山) on its first travel from the UK to the US.
It is a winter wonderland(奇境)! It is the smallest ocean. On this freezing(冰凍的) land, there are six months of daylight(白晝) and six months of darkness(黑暗). Imagine(想象) that!
It is the third largest ocean. It is also the warmest one.
What do you think of fishes in the sea? Some have amazing skills(本領(lǐng)) and look weird(奇怪的). Let’s meet them!
It has a huge head and a big mouth. It swims in the deep ocean, about 1,000 meters below the water. It is very dark there. So it glows(發(fā)光) itself! It uses the light to attract(吸引) other little fish and then... chomp(吃掉) them!
When a flying fish(飛魚) jumps above the water, it looks as if(好像) it is flying. It is really gliding(滑行). The flying fish can glide through the air for up to 200 meters. It has wing-like(翅狀的) fins(鰭). It touches(觸碰) the water with its tail(尾巴). This can help push(推) itself along.
Handfish are not like other fish. They don’t swim. They like walking on their “hands”. Their fins are like human hands. That is very cool! Handfish mostly live in the water around Tasmania(塔斯馬尼亞) in Australia.
Frogfish(青蛙魚) can look like a coral reef(珊瑚礁) or a stone(石頭). They can change colour to match(匹配) the colour of its surroundings(環(huán)境). They lie(躺) on the sea floor and wait for little fish to come. Then they suck in(吸入) the “meal”. It’s hard to find them even when they are in front of your eyes.
Look! This is a young boxfish. Its body is like a box. The world’s largest boxfish grows to about 50 cm. They are brighter(更明亮的) when little. As they grow up, they turn(變成) blue-gray(藍(lán)灰色).
They are very smart like people. Some are fierce(兇猛的). Some are very mild(性情溫和的). Let’s say hello to these ocean giants!
The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. It weighs(重) about 200 tons(噸). Its body is as long as three school buses. Its tongue(舌頭) is very big and wide(寬的). Fifty people can stand on it.
A blue whale’s blood vessels(血管) are very wide. A human can swim in it.
Blue whale’s food: krill(磷蝦).
The humpback whale is known for its beautiful songs. It makes sounds like singing.
The killer whale is the largest one in the class of dolphin(海豚科). It has sharp teeth and it is very fierce(兇猛的).
It lives only in the Arctic Ocean(北冰洋). It has the largest mouth of any animal.
The whale shark(鯨鯊) is the biggest fish in the world. Its mouth can be 1.5 meters wide. But whale sharks are very gentle(溫和的). Sometimes they like to give swimmers a ride.
Most of them live in the North Pole(北極). Its two long teeth never stop growing. The teeth can help them climb on an iceberg(冰山).
The giant oarfish is the" longest bony fish(硬骨魚) alive. It can grow up to 17 meters. It lives about 1,000 meters below the ocean. They come to the surface(表面) if they’re sick or dying.
It is like a kite flying in the ocean. Its body can be 8 meters wide. It has strong muscles(肌肉). Even sharks(鯊魚) can be a little scared of(害怕) them. The manta ray often plays tricks on(捉弄) fishermen. It beats(拍打) the bottom(底部) of their boat and scares them.
Plants need sunlight(陽(yáng)光) to grow. What about the plants in the ocean? Many live only near the sea surface(海面). Some grow at the bottom(底部) of the sea. Land plants(陸生植物) have roots(根). Ocean plants without(沒(méi)有) roots drift(漂?。? Some hold on to(緊緊抓?。?the sea floor(海床).
Seaweed(海藻) is the main(主要的) ocean plant. The most common(常見的) one is kelp(海帶). Giant kelp(巨型海帶) can grow to over 60 meters. It’s one of the world’s fastest growing plants. Its leaves can grow up to 50 cm a day. It has no real roots(根). It sticks to(粘住) the rocks(巖石). Kelp is good for our health.
Kelp can make a forest in the ocean. It can be the house of crabs(螃蟹) and sea sponges(海綿). It is also the playground(游樂(lè)場(chǎng)) of big fish. Giant kelp can live for up to 10 years.