阅读理解
ItwasaSundayandtheheavystormhadlastedallnight.Themorningafterthestormthoughwas
beautiful:blueskieswarmairandacalminvitingseatouchingtheshoregently.
Myfatherrealiseditwasagooddayforfishingandinvitedmysisterandmetogowithhim.Iwas
only14andfishinghadneverbeenmythingbutIdecidedtogoallthesame.I'm_so_glad_I_did.
Ontheroadtotheharbourwecouldseetheterribledestructiononthecoastbuttheharbouritself
wasinfairlygoodshape.Afterallitwasprotectedbythearmsofabaythathadonlyonetinychannel
tothesea.Aswegotonboardwenoticedtwobighumps(脊背)inthedistance.
Onapproachingthemwesawitwasamotherwhalewithherbaby.Wecouldn'tbelieveit-therearen't
anywhalesalongthecoasthere.Thestormmusthavedriventhemacrosstheoceanintothebayinwhich
thestillwaterwassobadlypollutedthatnothingcouldsurvive.
Thelittlebabywhale-actuallyasbigasourboat-wasobviouslystuckandcouldnotmove.Themother
divedunderthewaterandcameupsuddenlymakingbigwhirlpools(漩涡)andwaves."She'stryingto
helpherbabybutonthewrongside"myfathersaid.Atthispointmyfathermovedourboatinasemicircletotheothersideandheadingtheboattowardsthebabywhalepusheditgently.Withourseveralgentle
pushesthebighumpturnedoveranddisappearedunderwater.Thenitswamuprightbesideitsmum.
Theystruggledintheirdesperateattemptstoescapebutmissedtheexitandstartedheadinginthewrong
direction.Wehurrieduptothewhalesandtriedtoleadthemtowardsthebaychannel.Slowlytheyletus
leadthemsometimesrisingfromthewaterrightbesideustobreathe-andtogiveusatrustinglookwith
thosehugeeyes.Oncetheyhittheirfirstpartofcleanwaterflowingstraightfromtheseathemumgave
usawavewithhertailandofftheyswamintothedistance.
Intheexcitementithadfeltlikeonlyafewminutesbutwehadbeenwiththosewonderfulanimalsfor
almostanhourandahalf.Thatwasthesimpleandlastingbeautyoftheday.NearlyfourdecadeslaterI
stilllookbackfondlytothatgoldendayatsea.
