1.Have you ever seen very pretty little fishes，of a bright yellow or golden colour，swimming in a glass bowl of water？Look in the shop-windows，and perhaps you will see some.
2.Are these fishes made of gold？No；we only call them gold-fish because their colour is a bright yellow，like the colour of gold.
3.If you save up your money，you may buy a gold-fish some day.It would cost you only a few pence.If you ever get one，you must be very kind to it.You must keep the bowl in a warm room，and fill it with fresh water two or three times a week.
4.You must not forget to feed the little fish also.It is very fond of ants‘eggs，and it will eat little worms and insects，and perhaps a few bread-crumbs.
5.If you are kind to your gold-fish，it will soon learn to know you.It will then swim to your finger when you put it in the bowl.
6.Look at the shape of the fish.It is pointed at each end，which is the best shape for going through the water.Its body is covered with scales，which lap over each other，like the tiles of a roof.
7.Do you see the fins of the gold-fish？It has two breast-fins，two belly-fins，a back-fin，a tail-fin，and a fin on its under side near the tail.These fins keep the fish steady as it swims.But how does it swim？It does this by waving its tail from side to side.
8.You can see the two eyes of the gold-fish.They are very bright.It cannot shut its eyes as we can，for it has no eyelids.
9.Fishes breathe air as we do，but it is the air which is mixed with the water.The fish draws this air out of the water by its gills.
10.Do you see the two flaps，one on each side of the head of the gold-fish，just behind the eyes？Under these flaps there are some folds of red flesh.These are the gills，and they are red because all the blood in the fish’s body passes through them.
11.Look how the fish opens its mouth and takes in water.But it does not swallow this water；it lets it run out again through itsgills.And as the water passes through them，the gills suck the air out of the water.
SUMMARY
The gold-fish is so called because it is of a bright yellow or golden colour.It swims by waving its tail from side to side，and its fins keep it steady.By means of its gills it breathes the air which is mixed with the water.
【中文阅读】
1．小朋友，你见过浅黄色或者金色的漂亮小鱼，在玻璃缸里面游来游去吗？往商店橱窗里看看，可能就会看见的。①2．这些金鱼是金子做的吗？不是的，我们叫它们金鱼，是因为它们的颜色是浅黄色的，跟金子的颜色很像。②3．攒点儿钱，只花几个便士，就可以买到一条金鱼。③要是买了，小朋友一定要好好地照顾它，把鱼缸放在暖和的房间里，每个星期都给它换两三次水。④4．可不要忘了喂鱼！金鱼特别喜欢吃的是蚂蚁蛋，也吃小虫子和面包屑。⑤5．好好地照顾金鱼，金鱼很快就会认识你。只要把手指头放进鱼缸，金鱼就会向手指头游过来。
6．看看鱼的形状吧。鱼的身体，两头都是尖尖的，这是最适合在水里游泳的形状。鱼身上盖着鳞片，鳞片就像瓦片一样，是一片叠一片的。
7．你看见金鱼的鱼鳍了吗？金鱼有两个胸鳍、两个腹鳍、一个背鳍、一个尾鳍，还有尾巴附近的一个臀鳍。这些鳍让金鱼在游泳的时候保持平衡。不过金鱼是怎么游泳的呢？是左右摆着尾巴游的。
8．看看金鱼的两只眼睛，好亮啊。人类可以闭眼，金鱼却不能闭眼，因为金鱼没有眼皮。
9．金鱼也跟人类一样呼吸空气，不过呼吸的是溶解在水里的空气。金鱼是用鳃吸进水里的空气的。
10．金鱼的头，在眼睛后边的两侧，各有一个盖子，看见了么？这两个盖子里面有几层红色的肌肉，这就是鱼鳃。这几层肌肉是红色的，因为鱼身体里的血液，都要流过鱼鳃！
11．看看金鱼是怎么张嘴喝水的。可是，金鱼喝到嘴里的水，并不咽下去，而是从鱼鳃又流了出去。水流过鱼鳃的时候，鱼鳃就把里面的空气吸出去了。
译注
①现在也有很多别的颜色或者彩色的金鱼了，形状也千奇百怪。
②金鱼属于“脊索动物门”“鱼纲”“鲤形目”“鲤科”“鲫属”“鲫鱼种”，是鲫鱼在古代中国经过长期人工选择形成的。中国最晚在宋代，就已经有家养金鱼了，传到英国大约是在17世纪末。课文里的插图，大概画的是一种变异程度不大的金鱼，形状很像鲫鱼。
③便士是英国的货币单位，相当于人民币的“分”。金鱼的价格因为品种而有极大的不同，现在中国最便宜的金鱼只需要几元，最贵可以达到几十万元。
④现代的自来水中含有氯气，应该放上两三天再给金鱼换。金鱼的其他养殖技巧还有很多，读者可以自行查找。
⑤中国金鱼的动物性饲料主要有：鱼虫（水蚤）、草履虫（灰水）、水蚯蚓等等。此外，还有专门合成的人工饲料。
A LUMP OF PUTTY