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南极地区发出气候警告
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辽阔而令人生畏的南大洋以咆哮的狂风和恶魔般的巨浪而闻名,几个世纪以来,这些都考验着水手们。
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双语精读
The immense and forbidding Southern Ocean is famous for howling gales and devilish swells that have tested mariners for centuries. But its true strength lies beneath the waves.
辽阔而令人生畏的南大洋以咆哮的狂风和恶魔般的巨浪而闻名,几个世纪以来,这些都考验着水手们。但它真正的力量在于海浪之下。
The ocean's dominant feature, extending up to two miles deep and as much as 1,200 miles wide, is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, by far the largest current in the world.
南大洋的主要特征是南极绕极洋流,它深达2英里,宽达1200英里,是目前世界上最大的洋流。
It is the world's climate engine, and it has kept the world from warming even more by drawing deep water from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, much of which has been submerged for hundreds of years, and pulling it to the surface.
南极绕极洋流是世界的气候引擎,它通过从大西洋、太平洋和印度洋汲取深水(其中大部分已被淹没了数百年),将其带到海面,从而阻止了世界进一步变暖。
There, it exchanges heat and carbon dioxide with the atmosphere before being dispatched again on its eternal round trip. Without this action, which scientists call upwelling, the world would be even hotter than it has become as a result of human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases.
在海面,它与大气交换热量和二氧化碳,然后再次被送上其永恒的往返之旅。如果没有这一被科学家称为“上升流”的运动,由于人类排放二氧化碳和其他吸热气体,世界将比现在更热。
"From no perspective is there any place more important than the Southern Ocean," said Joellen L. Russell, an oceanographer at the University of Arizona. "There's nothing like it on Planet Earth."
“从这个角度来看,没有什么地方比南大洋更重要了,”亚利桑那大学的海洋学家乔伦·L·拉塞尔说。“这个地方在地球上是独一无二的。”
For centuries this ocean was largely unknown, its conditions so extreme that only a relative handful of sailors plied its iceberg-infested waters. What fragmentary scientific knowledge was available came from measurements taken by explorers, naval ships, the occasional research expeditions or whaling vessels.
几个世纪以来,这片海洋在很大程度上是未知的,它的气候条件太过极端,只有相对少数的水手在这片有冰山出没的水域中航行。那些残缺不全的科学知识来自于探险者、海军船只、偶尔的研究探险或捕鲸船只所进行的测量。
But more recently, a new generation of floating, autonomous probes that can collect temperature, density and other data for years-diving deep underwater, and even exploring beneath the Antarctic sea ice, before rising to the surface to phone home-has enabled scientists to learn much more.
但最近,新一代的漂浮自动探测器能够长年收集温度、密度和其他数据。这种自动探测器可以潜入水下,甚至在南极海冰下探索,然后浮出水面给(研究)基地报告信息,让科学家们得以了解更多。
They have discovered that global warming is affecting the Antarctic current in complex ways, and these shifts could complicate the ability to fight climate change in the future.
他们发现,全球变暖正在以复杂的方式影响南极洋流,而这些变化可能会使未来应对气候变化的能力变得更加复杂。
As the world warms, Dr. Russell and others say, the unceasing winds that drive the upwelling are getting stronger.
罗素博士和其他人表示,随着世界变暖,驱动上升流的无休无止的风正变得越来越强。
That could have the effect of releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, by bringing to the surface more of the deep water that has held this carbon locked away for centuries.
这可能会将更多已经封存碳长达几个世纪之久的深层水带到表层,在大气中释放出更多的二氧化碳。
词汇预习
current [高考]
美[ˈkɜːrənt] | 英[ˈkʌrənt]
n. 趋势;(水、气、电)流 adj. 现在的;流通的
largely [高考]
美[ˈlɑːrdʒli] | 英[ˈlɑːdʒli]
adv. 大部分;主要地
complicate [高考]
美[ˈkɑːmplɪkeɪt] | 英[ˈkɒmplɪkeɪt]
v. 使复杂化;使起纠纷 adj. 复杂的
occasional [高考]
美[əˈkeɪʒənl] | 英[əˈkeɪʒənl]
adj. 偶然的;临时的;不时的
perspective [高考]
美[pərˈspektɪv] | 英[pəˈspektɪv]
n. 视角,观点;远景;景观;透视法 adj.(按照)透视画法的;透视的
dominant [高考]
美[ˈdɑːmɪnənt] | 英[ˈdɒmɪnənt]
adj. 主要的;占优势的;显性的 n. 主宰者;显性基因
density [高考]
美[ˈdensəti] | 英[ˈdensəti]
n. 密度;浓度;比重
data [高考]
美[ˈdeɪtə] | 英[ˈdeɪtə]
n. 数据;资料
complex [高考]
美[kəmˈpleks , ˈkɑːmpleks] | 英[ˈkɒmpleks]
adj. 复杂的;合成的;复合的 n. 综合体;复合体;[医]综合症状;[心]情结
generation [高考]
美[ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃn] | 英[ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃn]
n. 一代(人);一代人的时间;(产品发展的)代;产生
atmosphere [高考]
美[ˈætməsfɪr] | 英[ˈætməsfɪə(r)]
n. 大气;空气;气氛;气压
extreme [高考]
美[ɪkˈstriːm] | 英[ɪkˈstriːm]
adj. 极度的;极端的 n. 极端;极限
beneath [高考]
美[bɪˈniːθ] | 英[bɪˈniːθ]
prep. 在 ... 之下;被...覆盖;低于...;不值得 adv. 在下方;在底下
Antarctic [高考]
美[ænˈtɑːrktɪk] | 英[ænˈtɑːktɪk]
adj. 南极的 n. (the A-)南极洲;南极圈
autonomous [高考]
美[ɔːˈtɑːnəməs] | 英[ɔːˈtɒnəməs]
adj. 自治的
handful [高考]
美[ˈhændfʊl] | 英[ˈhændfʊl]
n. 一把;少数,少量; 难以控制的人(或事物)
as a result of [高考]
美[æz ə rɪˈzʌlt əv] | 英[æz ə rɪˈzʌlt ɒv]
作为 ... 的结果; 由于
by far [高考]
美[baɪ fɑːr] | 英[baɪ fɑː]
到目前为止;显然,明显地;最,极高
iceberg [高考]
美[ˈaɪsbɜːrɡ] | 英[ˈaɪsbɜːɡ]
n.冰山;(事物全貌的)一小部分;冷若冰霜的人
immense [高考]
美[ɪˈmens] | 英[ɪˈmens]
adj. 巨大的;广大的;[口]非常好的
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将;可能;大概;总会;愿意;will的过去式
naval [四级]
美[ˈneɪvl] | 英[ˈneɪvl]
adj. 海军的;军舰的
up to [四级]
美[ʌp tu] | 英[ʌp tu]
胜任;直到;多达;该由 ... 决定
eternal [六级]
美[ɪˈtɜːrnl] | 英[ɪˈtɜːnl]
adj. 永久的;永恒的 n. 永恒的事
forbidding [专四]
美[fərˈbɪdɪŋ] | 英[fəˈbɪdɪŋ]
adj. 可怕的;令人反感的;令人生畏的
fragmentary [专八]
美[ˈfræɡmənteri] | 英[ˈfræɡməntri]
adj. 碎片的;碎块的;碎屑状的;零碎的;不完全的
whaling [雅思]
美[ˈhwelɪŋ, ˈwel-] | 英[ˈweɪlɪŋ]
n. 捕鲸(业)
重点讲解
The immense and forbidding Southern Ocean is famous for howling gales and devilish swells that have tested mariners for centuries. But its true strength lies beneath the waves.
辽阔而令人生畏的南大洋以咆哮的狂风和恶魔般的巨浪而闻名,几个世纪以来,这些都考验着水手们。但它真正的力量在于海浪之下。
immense adj. 极大的;巨大的
(英文释义:extremely large or great)
【例】The benefits are immense.
效益是极大的。
forbidding adj. 冷峻的;令人生畏的
【例】a forbidding appearance/look/manner 冷峻的样子/面孔/态度
The ocean's dominant feature, extending up to two miles deep and as much as 1,200 miles wide, is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, by far the largest current in the world.
南大洋的主要特征是南极绕极洋流,它深达2英里,宽达1200英里,是目前世界上最大的洋流。
dominant adj. 首要的;占支配地位的
【例】The firm has achieved a dominant position in the world market.
这家公司在国际市场上占有举足轻重的地位。
【拓展】dominate v.
1. 支配;控制
【例】The book is expected to dominate the best-seller lists.
这本书预期将占据畅销书榜首的位置。
2. 俯视; 高出
【例】It's one of the biggest buildings in this area, and it really dominates this whole place.
这是该地区最大的建筑物之一,俯视着整个地区。
dominance 优势; 统治地位
【例】The latest fighting appears to be an attempt by each group to establish dominance over the other.
最近的战斗似乎是冲突各方在试图争夺控制权。
It is the world's climate engine, and it has kept the world from warming even more by drawing deep water from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, much of which has been submerged for hundreds of years, and pulling it to the surface.
南极绕极洋流是世界的气候引擎,它通过从大西洋、太平洋和印度洋汲取深水(其中大部分已被淹没了数百年),将其带到海面,从而阻止了世界进一步变暖。
dispatch v. & n.
1. 作动词
1)派遣;调遣;派出
【例】A courier was dispatched to collect the documents.
已派信使去取文件。
2)发出,发送(邮件、包裹、信息)
【例】Goods are dispatched within 24 hours of your order reaching us.
订单到达我方24小时内发货。
2. 作名词,派遣,发送
【例】More food supplies are ready for immediate dispatch.
更多的食品供应已备妥即刻发运。
There, it exchanges heat and carbon dioxide with the atmosphere before being dispatched again on its eternal round trip. Without this action, which scientists call upwelling, the world would be even hotter than it has become as a result of human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases.
在海面,它与大气交换热量和二氧化碳,然后再次被送上其永恒的往返之旅。如果没有这一被科学家称为“上升流”的运动,由于人类排放二氧化碳和其他吸热气体,世界将比现在更热。
dispatch v. & n.
1. 作动词
1)派遣;调遣;派出
【例】A courier was dispatched to collect the documents.
已派信使去取文件。
2)发出,发送(邮件、包裹、信息)
【例】Goods are dispatched within 24 hours of your order reaching us.
订单到达我方24小时内发货。
2. 作名词,派遣,发送
【例】More food supplies are ready for immediate dispatch.
更多的食品供应已备妥即刻发运。
"From no perspective is there any place more important than the Southern Ocean," said Joellen L. Russell, an oceanographer at the University of Arizona. "There's nothing like it on Planet Earth."
“从这个角度来看,没有什么地方比南大洋更重要了,”亚利桑那大学的海洋学家乔伦·L·拉塞尔说。“这个地方在地球上是独一无二的。”
ply v.
1. 定时往来;定期行驶
【例】Ferries ply across a narrow strait to the island.
渡船定时穿越狭窄的海峡驶向海岛。
2. (娴熟地)使用
【例】The tailor delicately plied his needle.
裁缝精巧地飞针走线。
【拓展】ply sb with sth 持续大量提供(食物、饮料等);不停地提问
【例】He plied me with questions from the moment he arrived.
他一到就不断地向我提问题。
infest v.
1. 大量滋生;大批出没于
【例】shark-infested waters 鲨鱼成群的水域
2. 充斥着
【例】Crime and drugs are infesting the inner cities.
犯罪和毒品充斥着市中心区。
available adj.
1. 可获得的;可购得的;可找到的
【例】available resources/facilities 可利用的资源/设备
2. (人)有空的
【例】Will she be available this afternoon?
今天下午她有空吗?
For centuries this ocean was largely unknown, its conditions so extreme that only a relative handful of sailors plied its iceberg-infested waters. What fragmentary scientific knowledge was available came from measurements taken by explorers, naval ships, the occasional research expeditions or whaling vessels.
几个世纪以来,这片海洋在很大程度上是未知的,它的气候条件太过极端,只有相对少数的水手在这片有冰山出没的水域中航行。那些残缺不全的科学知识来自于探险者、海军船只、偶尔的研究探险或捕鲸船只所进行的测量。
ply v.
1. 定时往来;定期行驶
【例】Ferries ply across a narrow strait to the island.
渡船定时穿越狭窄的海峡驶向海岛。
2. (娴熟地)使用
【例】The tailor delicately plied his needle.
裁缝精巧地飞针走线。
【拓展】ply sb with sth 持续大量提供(食物、饮料等);不停地提问
【例】He plied me with questions from the moment he arrived.
他一到就不断地向我提问题。
infest v.
1. 大量滋生;大批出没于
【例】shark-infested waters 鲨鱼成群的水域
2. 充斥着
【例】Crime and drugs are infesting the inner cities.
犯罪和毒品充斥着市中心区。
available adj.
1. 可获得的;可购得的;可找到的
【例】available resources/facilities 可利用的资源/设备
2. (人)有空的
【例】Will she be available this afternoon?
今天下午她有空吗?
But more**** recently****,**** a new generation**** of**** floating****,**** autonomous**** probes**** that**** can collect temperature,**** density and other data**** for years—diving**** deep**** underwater****,**** and even**** exploring beneath the Antarctic sea ice,**** before**** rising**** to**** the surface to**** phone home****—has enabled scientists**** to**** learn much**** more****.****
但最近,新一代的漂浮自动探测器能够长年收集温度、密度和其他数据。这种自动探测器可以潜入水下,甚至在南极海冰下探索,然后浮出水面给(研究)基地报告信息,让科学家们得以了解更多。
They**** have**** discovered**** that**** global**** warming is**** affecting the Antarctic current in**** complex ways****,**** and these shifts**** could complicate**** the ability to**** fight climate change**** in**** the future****.****
他们发现,全球变暖正在以复杂的方式影响南极洋流,而这些变化可能会使未来应对气候变化的能力变得更加复杂。
As the world warms, Dr. Russell and others say, the unceasing winds that drive the upwelling are getting stronger.
罗素博士和其他人表示,随着世界变暖,驱动上升流的无休无止的风正变得越来越强。
bring to the surface 带到表面;揭示,阐明
【例】He brought to the surface the level of reductions local government faces in his speech.
在演讲中,他对地方政府面临的减排水平进行了说明。
That could have the effect of releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, by bringing to the surface more of the deep water that has held this carbon locked away for centuries.
这可能会将更多已经封存碳长达几个世纪之久的深层水带到表层,在大气中释放出更多的二氧化碳。
bring to the surface 带到表面;揭示,阐明
【例】He brought to the surface the level of reductions local government faces in his speech.
在演讲中,他对地方政府面临的减排水平进行了说明。
课后练习
What do we know about the Antarctic Circumpolar Current?
A. It creates strong waves and gales in Southern Ocean.
B. It transports deep water to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
C. It has significant impact on the global temperature.
D. It has facilitated marine trips for hundreds of years.
How does the Antarctic Circumpolar Current influence climate?
A. It pulls up deep water and absorbs heat in the atmosphere.
B. It keeps warmer water submerged in the depths of the ocean.
C. It travels around to let heat-trapping gases circulate.
D. It provides water energy to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide.
Scientists carry out research into the Southern Ocean by ____.
A. sending sailors to explore the iceberg
B. working with naval ships to share information
C. using advanced machines to collect data
D. diving underwater to get samples of sea ice
What has been discovered by scientists?
A. The Antarctic current has shifted its direction.
B. It is increasingly difficult to predict ocean patterns.
C. The continent is in danger of being flooded by sea water.
D. More carbon dioxide is unlocked by stronger upwelling.
Scientists’ attitude towards the changes in the Southern Ocean is ____.
A. optimistic
B. concerned
C. excited
D. desperate