1.Does your mother ever give you fish for dinner？If so，I dare say that you have eaten the fish called the sole.From the shape of its body it is called a flat fish.
2.The two sides of
the sole are of different colours.The one side is nearly white.That is the side that rests on the ground when the fish lies at the bottom of the sea.The other or upper side is of a brown colour，with dark spots.
3.You must not think
that the dark upper side is the back of the fish.Most fishes swim upright in the water，and so does the sole when it is quite young.But as it grows it spends its time lying on its left side on the sandy bottom of the sea.Then this side turns white，and the right side dark.
4.Now in this position its left eye could be of no use to it.So a very wonderful thing happens.The left eye of the young sole1.Young flat fish with an eye on each side（比目鱼幼体，眼睛一边一只）2.Second eye coming round（第二只眼睛转了过来）moves slowly round its head，until both eyes are on the upper or right side of the fish.
5.The sole has a very small mouth，and only the lower jaw has any teeth.Look at its fins.There is a long fin on each side，reaching from the head right along to the tail.There are also two pairs of fins lying just behind its head，a large pair and a small pair，near the ends of the slits，where the gills or lungs of the fish are placed.
6.The sole is a common fish in the shallow waters of the English Channel①.During the daytime it lies on the sand at the bottom of the sea.It is covered with small scales，and from between these comes a slime②which causes some of the sand to stick to the body of the fish.Thus the big fishes which might catch and eat the sole are not able to see it.
7.At night the sole moves about，seeking for the small creatures on which it feeds.It cannot see very well，but its sense of smell is very keen③；and it also feels for its prey by means ofthe rough skin on the lower or white side of the head.
8.Soles are not good to eat in March，for they are then laying their eggs or spawn.These tiny eggs float in the sea，and soon each egg （if it is not eaten up by fishes）produces④a little sole.
9.The sole is caught by means of big nets，which are dragged along the bottom of the sea by ropes fastened to fishing-boats.The flesh of the sole is white，and it is very good for food.
①The English Channel，that part of the Atlantic Ocean which separates England from France.
②Slime，soft，sticky matter.
③Keen，sharp；quick.
④Produces，yields；brings forth.
SUMMARY
On account of its shape，the sole is called a flat fish.It has a very small mouth，and teeth only in its lower jaw.The sole spends most of its time lying on the bottom of the sea.It lies on its left side，which is white in colour；and both its eyes are on the right or upper side of its head.It is not easily seen by other fishes，owing to the sand which sticks to its body.At night it seeks for its food，which is chiefly worms and star-fishes.In March it lays its eggs or spawn，which float in the sea，and soon produce little soles.It is caught by dragging nets along the sea-bottom.Its flesh is white，and is very good to eat.
【中文阅读】
1．小朋友，妈妈给你吃过鱼吗？要是吃过，我敢说你一定吃过一种叫“鳎”的鱼。因为它的身体是平的，所以也叫“板鱼”（flat fish），学名是“比目鱼”。①2．比目鱼的身体两边颜色不一样。一边差不多是白色的，比目鱼躺在海底的时候，就用这一边贴着地面。另一边，也就是上边，是褐色的，长着深色的斑点。
3．可不要以为，这深色的上边是鱼的后背！大多数鱼在水里是左右平衡地游泳的，比目鱼在很小的时候也这么游泳，但是长大的时候，它就有越来越多的时间，用身体的左边躺在海底沙子上。这一面就变成了白色，身体右边就变成了深色。
4．这时候，左眼的位置就没有用了，于是发生了一件非常奇妙的事。小比目鱼的左眼慢慢地绕过脑袋，移了过来，最后，两只眼睛都到了鱼的上边，也就是右半边。②5．比目鱼的嘴非常小，只有下腭才有牙。看看比目鱼的鳍，身体两边各有一条很长的鳍，从脑袋一直延伸到尾巴。在脑袋后面还有两对鳍，一对比较大，一对比较小，就在鱼鳃开口位置的末端。鱼鳃相当于人类的肺。③6．比目鱼在英吉利海峡的浅水中很常见。白天躺在海底的沙子上。比目鱼全身都长着特别细小的鳞，鳞片中间能分泌出一种粘液，把一些沙子黏在身体上，这样，能把比目鱼抓住吃掉的大鱼就看不见它了。④7．晚上，比目鱼就到处游，寻找小动物当食物。比目鱼的视力不怎么样，但是嗅觉非常灵敏，还能用身体的底面（头的白色一面）粗糙的皮肤“感觉”到猎物。
8．三月份是比目鱼的产卵季节，所以这时候不适合吃比目鱼。比目鱼细小的卵浮在海水中，很快，每一粒卵（如果没有被鱼吃掉）就会孵出一条小比目鱼来。⑤9．人们是用大网捕捞比目鱼的，在渔船上用绳子拴上大网，沿着海底拖网。比目鱼的肉是白色的，非常好吃。⑥译注①汉语里平时说的“平鱼”是鲳鱼，不是比目鱼。比目鱼在生物学上，属于“鱼纲”“鲽形目”，分为“亚目”、“鲽亚目”“鳎亚目”三大类。课文中的sole属于“鳎亚目”，俗称“鳎目鱼”或者“鳎蟆”。中国人耳熟能详的绕口令“打南边来了个喇嘛，手里提着五斤鳎蟆”，就是这种鱼。为了行文方便，在全文中译成了“比目鱼”。再说一下英语和汉语名字的由来：鳎的英语名字sole来自拉丁语的solea，意思是草鞋。中文名字“比目鱼”最早在春秋时代的《管子》里出现：“东海致比目之鱼，西海致比翼之鸟。”这是因为古人错误地认为比目鱼必须两条贴在一起才能游泳，把它视为友爱和吉祥的象征。
②比目鱼大部分是两眼位于右侧，但鲽亚目的“科”、鳎亚目的“舌鳎科”是两眼位于左侧。亚目则有一些种类，一部分两只眼睛位于左侧，一部分两只眼睛位于右侧。眼睛的移动，还伴随着头骨、肌肉、牙齿等很多部分的变化。
③gills or lungs，“鳃或肺”，这种说法不准确，不能直接说鱼有肺，只能说鱼有鳃，或者说鳃“相当于”人类的肺，因为二者都是呼吸器官。有一类“肺鱼”，可以用鱼鳔呼吸，但鱼鳔也不是真正的肺。
④比目鱼不但会伪装，还会变色，是鱼类中变色本领最强的。在中国，比目鱼主要分布在黄海和渤海，东海和南海也有一些。
⑤比目鱼的幼体有鱼鳔，可以在中间的水层游泳；但成长的过程中鳔会消失，像成年鱼一样沉到海底。
⑥现在也有很多地方开始人工养殖比目鱼了。
A CUP OF COFFEE
