A petrel is a seabird.

A petrel海燕 is a seabird是一種海鳥

Many kinds are dark with white patches; they fly far over open ocean and often come to land only to nest.

Many kinds很多種類 are dark with white patches身上是深色帶白斑 they fly far over open ocean牠們會飛到遙遠的外海 and often come to land only to nest而且通常只有要築巢時才上岸

Storm petrels are the small ones that patter their feet on the water as they pick food from the surface — they look, just for a second, as if they are walking on it.

Storm petrels暴風海燕 are the small ones是體型小的那一種 that patter their feet on the water牠們會用腳拍打水面 as they pick food from the surface一邊從水面撿食物 they look看起來 just for a second就那麼一秒鐘 as if they are walking on it好像牠們正走在水面上一樣

Sailors have long stories about them. The name may come from Saint Peter, who walked on water in the Bible, though that is only a perhaps; some people think it copies the pitter-patter of those feet. Neither story is certain.

Sailors水手們 have long stories about them流傳很多關於牠們的故事 The name這個名字 may come from Saint Peter可能來自聖彼得 who walked on water in the Bible聖經裡他曾在水面上行走 though that is only a perhaps不過這只是一種猜測 some people think有些人認為 it copies the pitter-patter of those feet這是在模仿那些腳拍打水面的啪嗒聲 Neither story is certain兩種說法都無法確定

Though actually, in English a stormy petrel can also mean a person who seems to bring trouble, or who appears when trouble is coming. In class, treat petrel as the bird unless the sentence is clearly about a person.

Though actually不過其實 in English在英文裡 a stormy petrel stormy petrel這個說法 can also mean也可以指 a person who seems to bring trouble一個好像會帶來麻煩的人 or who appears when trouble is coming或是麻煩快發生時就出現的人 In class上課時 treat petrel as the bird把petrel當成那種鳥 unless the sentence is clearly about a person除非句子明顯是在講一個人

They are cousins of albatrosses, not of garden swallows, even if the Chinese name makes you think of swallows.

They are cousins of albatrosses牠們是信天翁的近親 not of garden swallows而不是院子裡燕子的近親 even if the Chinese name makes you think of swallows就算中文名字讓你聯想到燕子