1.The plaice is one of the fishes that we call “flat fishes，”such as the sole，the flounder，and the turbot.It is from twelve to eighteen inches long，and weighs about two or three pounds.Asin all the flat fishes，the body is very broad in proportion to①itslength，and very thin or “flat.”
2.Most people make the mistake of thinking that the dark-brown side of the plaice，with its yellow or red spots，is the back of the fish，and that the white or under side is its belly.But this is not so：the dark part is really the right side of the fish，and the white part is its left side.
3.Can you see a line or mark near the
middle of each side of this “flat fish，”reaching from its head to its tail ？This line divides the real upper side or back from the real lower side or belly of the fish.
4.In the lesson on the sole in your last
book，you were told how the young flat fishchanges its habits②and appearance③.WhenUNDER SIDE OF HEAD（鱼头下方）the plaice is very young，it swims upright，oron its edge.It has then an eye on each side of its head，just like other fishes.But soon it begins to spend most of its time on the bottom of the sea，and there it lies always on its left side.Then，wonderful to say，the left eye very slowly works its way round，until after some weeks it is on the upper side of the head along with the right eye.
UPPER SIDE OF HEAD
（鱼头上方）
5.The plaice has a single fin，stretching along its back like a fringe④nearly all the way from its head to its tail，and a similar fin along its belly.It has a short fin near the middle of each side①In proportion to，compared with；put alongside of.
②Habits，ways of living；customs.
③Appearance，look.
④Fringe，border of loose threads；edge.
just behind its head，and another pair of short fins between the head and the belly fin.It has also a large tail fin.
6.Most fishes swim by moving their tails from side to side；but the plaice swims in a very funny way，by moving its wholePLAICE SWIMMING（游动的欧鲽鱼）body，and by a waving①motion of its long fins.Some day you will perhaps go to an aquarium②and see many kinds of fish in large tanks with glass sides.Then you will be pleased to see how the plaice swims.
7.It is very hard to see the plaice as it lies on the sand or mud with its dark and spotted side upwards.This is just what the plaice likes：it does not want the big fishes to see it；because，if they did，they would soon catch and eat it.
8.When children are wading in the sea by the sandy beach，they sometimes tread③on a plaice lying half buried in the sand.They get a great fright when they feel the fish moving away fromunder their feet.
①Waving，moving backwards and forwards.
②Aquarium，a place with tanks in which fish are kept for show.
③Tread，tramp.
9.The plaice spawns or lays its thousands of little eggs in the sea water in the month of March.The fish is not good to eat then；but it soon improves，and is at its best in the month of May.
10.Plaice feed chiefly at night，when they swim about near the bottom of the shallow bays in which they live，devouring①any shell-fish or star-fish that they may find.They have a largemouth，and a number of small teeth.
11.Have you ever eaten the plaice ？Its flesh is not so good as that of the sole，being soft and watery.In large towns there are many fried-fish shops，where the plaice is cut into slices and fried in dripping or oil.You can often tell，by the smell of the burning fat，when you are passing one of these shops.
SUMMARY
The plaice is a “flat fish”from twelve to eighteen inches in length，and two or three pounds in weight.The dark side of the fish is the right side，and the white part is its left side.When very young the plaice swims upright，and has an eye on each side of its head.But when it lies for some time at the bottom of the sea，the left eye moves round to the upper or right side of the head.The plaice has two fringe-like fins-one along the back，the other along the belly-two pairs of short side fins，and a large tail fin.It has a large mouth，with a number of small teeth.The plaice swims by moving its whole body and by a waving motion of its fins.The plaice spawns in March，and is at its best for eating in May.
【中文阅读】
1．欧鲽鱼①就是“比目鱼”（俗称板鱼）的一种，比目鱼的科类有箬鳎鱼、鲽鱼以及菱鲆等等。这种鱼的体长为12-18英寸，重量大约为2-3磅。所①Devouring，eating greedily.
有比目鱼都呈现相似的体态--就它的长度而言，身体很宽很薄，就像“板”一样。
2．很多人都会错误地以为，带有黄色或红色斑点的深棕色那一侧是比目鱼的背部，而白色或下方一侧才是它的腹部。然而，实际情况并非如此，深色一侧是比目鱼的右侧，白色一侧是左侧。
3．你有没有看到每条“比目鱼”身体两侧，几乎靠近中间的位置，都有一条贯穿头尾的细线或标记？这条细线将比目鱼真正的上方（或背部），与下方（或腹部）一分为二。
4．通过前面关于比目鱼的课文，你已经知道，幼年比目鱼能够改变习性与外表。当欧鲽鱼处于幼年早期阶段时，它笔直向前游泳，两只眼睛跟其他鱼类一样分别长在身体两侧。不过很快，它的大部分时间都在海底度过而且总是用左侧躺在海底。然后，奇妙的事情发生了：它的左眼慢慢开始移动，几周之后便来到了头部的上方，与右眼并排固定在一起。
5．欧鲽鱼的背部从头到尾与腹部分别长有一条鱼鳍。在身体每一侧头部下方靠近中间的位置上也分别有一个短鳍，另外一对短鳍则生长在头部与臀鳍之间。它还有一个巨大的尾鳍。
6．大多数鱼类都是通过向两侧摆动尾巴来游动身体；然而，欧鲽鱼的泳姿却非常有趣，它晃动整个身体以及长长的鱼鳍进行移动。有一天，你可以前往水族馆，在巨大的玻璃密闭水池中观赏到各种各样的鱼类。到时候，你就会看到欧鲽鱼那令人发笑的泳姿。
7．我们很难看到欧鲽鱼的身影，因为它总是躺在沙地或淤泥之中，将带有斑点的深色一面朝上。这正是它需要的：它可不希望那些大鱼发现自己，否则它将很快小命难保了。
8．当孩子们在浅水里涉水，有可能会踩到一半身子埋在沙地里的欧鲽鱼。当欧鲽鱼从孩子们的脚底溜走时，他们肯定会吓得不轻。
9．三月，欧鲽鱼就会在海水中产卵。那时候的鱼肉味道可不是很好；到了五月，肉质最为鲜美。
10．欧鲽鱼生活在浅湾的水底，到了夜间，它们会四处觅食，将能够找到的贝类或海星全部一吞而下。它们的嘴巴很大，嘴中则长有很多小小的牙齿。11．你有没有吃过欧鲽鱼？与箬鳎鱼相比，欧鲽鱼肉质并没有那么鲜美，质地比较软，水分也多。很多大城镇里都有烤鱼店，人们将欧鲽鱼切成片，放入油中生煎。当你经过这样一家烤鱼店时，只要闻一下燃烧的脂肪味道就可以知道是不是欧鲽鱼了。
译注
①欧鲽：比目鱼家族再次登场！这一次的主角是plaice，“欧鲽”是商业名称，学名是“扁海鲽”。鳎（sole）前面已经介绍了。牙鲆（flounder）和多宝鱼（turbot，学名“大菱鲆”）都属于“鲽亚目”。欧鲽也是鲽亚目的一类。有点儿可惜，它的眼睛，跟上次的鳎一样，也位于右侧，原本还以为能换一位左侧的仁兄上台呢。
EVAPORATION
