An eel is a long, thin fish that looks rather like a snake, with smooth skin and no obvious scales. It lives in rivers and in the sea, and people eat it in many countries — in Taiwan you already know it as the rich fish in 鰻魚飯.

An eel鰻魚 is是 a long, thin fish一種長長瘦瘦的魚 that looks rather like a snake長得有點像蛇, with smooth skin and no obvious scales皮膚光滑、沒有明顯的魚鱗。It牠 lives in rivers and in the sea生活在河裡和海裡, and people eat it in many countries很多國家的人都吃牠——in Taiwan在台灣 you already know it你早就認識牠了 as the rich fish in 鰻魚飯就是鰻魚飯裡那種味道濃郁的魚。

Eels are famous for being hard to hold: wet and slippy. That is why English says someone is “slippery as an eel” when they will not give a straight answer, or keep wriggling out of trouble.

Eels鰻魚 are famous for being hard to hold以難以抓牢出名: wet and slippy又濕又滑。That is why那就是為什麼 English英文 says someone is “slippery as an eel”會說某人「slippery as an eel」（像鰻魚一樣滑溜） when they will not give a straight answer用在他不肯給明確答案的時候, or keep wriggling out of trouble或是一直想辦法脫身。

Though actually, the “electric eel” people talk about is not a true eel; it is a different South American fish that can give a shock, and we just borrowed the name because of the shape. The word is ordinary enough for a menu, and clear enough for a science book.

Though actually不過其實, the “electric eel”大家講的「electric eel（電鰻）」 people talk about is not a true eel並不是真正的鰻魚; it is a different South American fish牠是一種不同的南美洲魚 that can give a shock會放電, and we just borrowed the name我們只是借用了這個名字 because of the shape因為外型像。The word這個字 is ordinary enough for a menu用在菜單上夠普通, and clear enough for a science book用在科學書裡也夠清楚明確。