Salmons

瞿麗

The salmon① is a very strange fish. It is born in a river. But the young salmon takes 2 years to swim down the rivers towards the Pacific Ocean. For another 2 years it lives in the sea and becomes full grown. Then it returns to the river where it was born.

A grown-up salmon weighs about 25 pounds and is nearly three feet long. The female salmon will not lay the eggs② in the Pacific Ocean. When it is almost time to lay them， both male and female salmon begin a great journey. Each salmon is heading for the river where it was born. A salmon may be a thousand miles from where its life began， yet it is able to return to that place.

As the salmon swim， larger fish attack③ them. The salmon are food for some other fish. Some are caught by fishermen.

After they enter the rivers， they head upstream. If rocks and waterfalls④ are in their way， the salmons leap over them. A salmon can leap⑤ up a fall as high as ten feet. It leaps by swimming at full speed under water， then rising to the surface. Almost the whole body of a salmon is made of muscle⑥. It is these powerful muscles that make the salmon fit for fast swimming， turning quickly， and leaping high out of the water.

Some reach their river in summer， others in the early autumn. They have come hundreds， even thousands of miles and it has taken them weeks and months.

Choose the best answer.

1. The underlined word “surface” means ____ in Chinese.

A. 底部 B. 表面 C. 河岸 D. 海洋

2. ____， both male and female salmon will return to where they were born.

A. When it is almost time for a female salmon to lay eggs

B. After the female salmon has laid the eggs

C. When they weigh 25 pounds and are nearly three feet long

D. After they have lived in the Pacific Ocean for 4 years

3. ____ swims down the rivers towards the Pacific Ocean while ____ swims upstream to the river where it was born.

A. The young salmon; the grown-up salmon B. A male salmon; a female salmon

C. A baby salmon; both male and female salmon D. A grown-up salmon; a baby salmon

4. Why salmons swim fast？

A. Because they have powerful muscles. B. Because they are too big.

C. Because they have long necks. D. Because they are too small.