There has long been a superstition among mariners that porpoises will save drowning men by pushing them to the surface, or protect them from sharks by surrounding them in defensive formation.
长期以来，海员中流传着一种迷信的说法，认为海豚会把快要淹死的人托到水面，救人性命；或在人们周围列队保护，使他们免遭鲨鱼伤害。
新概念英语第四册
Lesson 18 Porpoises
📚 句中词汇解析
从本句中提取的重要词汇
n. 迷信;迷信行为;<古>邪教;
💡 super在…上面+stit站+ion名词后缀→站在人理智之上的东西→迷信
"According to superstition, breaking a mirror brings bad luck."
按照迷信的说法，摔碎镜子会带来噩运。
近义：fetichism
反义：incertitude, incredulity, mistrust, scepsis, scepticism, unbelief
vt. 节省;保存;储蓄;解救;
vi. 节省;挽救;救球;
prep.&conj. 除…之外;
n. 救援，救援;
💡 save救助 → 挽救
"It was going to take some deft political footwork to save the situation."
当时得采取一些巧妙的政治手段以挽回局势。
近义：liberate, rescue, salvage, emancipate, free, husband
反义：outlay, consume, deplete, disburse, dissipate, drain
n. 表面;外观，外表;地面。水面;
vi. 浮出水面;在表面工作;显露;
vt. 使浮出水面;使成平面;
adj. 表面的，外观的;外表上的，平地上的;肤浅的;
💡 sur超过，在上面+face脸面→表面
"Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria adhere to the surface of the red cells."
细菌一进入血液里，就附着在红细胞表面上。
近义：appear, arise, loom, materialize, outcrop, rise
vt. 保护，保卫;贸易保护;备款以支付;
💡 pro在前面+tect盖上，保护→在前面盖上→保护；防止
"The males in the herd protect the females and the young."
兽中的雄性动物保护雌性动物和幼崽.
近义：preserve, safeguard, save, screen, secure, shelter
反义：neglect, abandon, forsake
n. 环境，周围的事物;
adj. 周围的，附近的;
v. 包围( surround的现在分词 );与…紧密相关;围绕;喜欢结交（某类人）;
💡 sur在…下面+round圆圈+ing表动名词→被围起来的状态→环境
"The surrounding countryside is windswept and rocky."
这周围的乡村风多石头多。
近义：neighboring, neighbouring, adjacent, encircling
反义：isolated, outlying, remote, retired, secluded, separate