Japanese scientists have taken the first photographs of one of the most mysterious creatures in the deep ocean — the giant squid①.
Until now the only information about the behavior of the creatures which measure up to 18 meters (59 feet) in length has been based on dead or dying squid washed up on shore or captured②in commercial fishing nets.
But Tsunemi Kubodera, of the National Science Museum, and Kyoichi Mori of the Ogasawara Whale Watching Association, both in Tokyo have captured the first images of Architeuthis attacking bait③900 meters below the surface in the cold, dark waters of the North Pacific. “We show the first wild images of a giant squid in its natural environment,” they said in a report in the journal Proceedings B of the Royal Society.
Little is known about the creatures because it has been so difficult to locate and study them alive. Large ships and specialist equipment, which is costly, are needed to study deep sea environments.
The Japanese scientists found the squid by following sperm whales, the most effective hunters of giant squid, as they gathered to feed between September and December in the deep waters off the coast of the Ogasawara Islands in the North Pacific. They used a remote long-line camera and depth logging system to capture the giant squid in the ocean depths.
The most dramatic character of giant squids is the pair of extremely long tentacles④, distinct from the eight shorter arms. The long tentacles make up to two-thirds of the length of the dead specimens⑤to date. The giant squid appear to be a much more active meat-eating animals than researchers had thought.
Notes:
① squid n. 鱿鱼
② capture vt. 捕获
① bait n. 鱼饵
② tentacle n. 触角，触须
③ specimen n. 标本，样本
小题1:The passage mainly tells us that ________.
A．Scientists captured a giant squid alive
B．Scientists captured a giant squid on camera
C．giant squids are special meat-eating animals
D．giant squids mainly live in the deep sea小题2:According to the passage, we can infer that the word “Architeuthis” should refer to ________.
A．a scientist
B．the sperm whale
C．a big ship
D．the giant squid小题3:Which of the following about giant squids is TRUE?
A．They like living the cold and deep waters.
B．They mainly feed on the dead fish.
C．They like playing, using their tentacles.
D．They have only eight arms around the mouth.小题4:According to the passage, the scientists located the giant squid ________.
A．through a remote long-line camera
B．by using depth logging system
C．by following sperm whales
D．by using the bait to attract them
