Economist一句英文求解

First, there are two different situations:

(1) single diver,

(2) two diver back to back.

For single diver, 4/5 of the shark would approach the diver from the back of the diver, only 1/5 through the front.

Here, it indicates that shark has two choices, and MAJORITY of them choose to approach from the back.

For two divers (back to back, so shark CANNOT tell which side is the back). Researcher cannot find a cause why shark go one direction round (say clockwise) the two divers or the other (counterclockwise).

"either in the area or in the divers’ subliminal behavior" means there is nothing in the area (where two divers knelt) or due to divers' subliminal behavior (like move their heads, hands, bodies …) that can make the shark choose a clockwise or counterclockwise to move around the two divers.

Basically, what it says is when there are two divers knelt down back to back, shark doesn't have a preference direction to approach the two divers.

However, when there is ONLY one diver, majority of them DOES know which direction to approach the diver. This proves that when shark attaches human, it does NOT mistake human as a turtle or a seal, because it does know which side is the front or the back.

2014-01-24 13:53:18 補充：

typo: (2) two diver … ==> (2)two divers …

2014-01-24 14:09:38 補充：

In a word, shark can tell the body structure and know which direction to approach when it attacks. Since human being body structure is quite different from that of a seal or a turtle, shark cannot mistake human as turtle or seal.

2014-01-24 22:06:38 補充：

This is very common problem for scientists or engineers when they write technical paper. Since they know the situation well, they likely don't think in the readers' position. To them, it might be clear, but to us, the readers, it can be vague.

2014-01-24 22:17:28 補充：

If you have chance to read more papers published by engineers or scientists, then you will see my point. According to my reading your answers, I don't think you cannot read well. At least, in this particular question, it is the writing that caused the problem.

2014-01-24 22:22:08 補充：

"go one way round the pair rather than the other" is very ambiguous. To me, I would write, "go around the pair one way rather than the other". As you can see, they think it in their own way, not the reader's way.

I don't see it that way. I think it is my comprehension problem, coz I sometimes cannot read very well.