【英语时差8，16】俄国潜艇缔造下潜湖泊最深记录

 A Russian mini-submarine reached the bottom of Lake Baikal, setting a record for the deepest dive in a lake.

"The Mir-2 has reached the bottom of Lake Baikal at a depth of 1,680 meters (5,512 feet)," ITAR-TASS reported from the barge¹ where the submarine was diving from.

Artur Chilingarov, a pro-Kremlin member of parliament and an Arctic explorer organized the scientific expedition.

Scientists plan to collect samples at different depths and hope to document the effects of global warming on the Siberian lake, as well as drawing the attention of the government to the need for greater environmental protection.

"We want to study and observe Baikal, preserve it," Chilingarov said ahead of the dive as he inspected the Soviet-designed Mir-1 and Mir-2 submarines in the small port of Turka on the shores of Lake Baikal.

Expedition member Anatoly Sagalevich said the expedition could turn up new species of wildlife living at the bottom of the lake, which has never been explored, as well as possible reserves of gas and oil.

Lake Baikal is the deepest lake and largest reserve of fresh water in the world, although not the largest lake in terms of surface area. Environmental groups say pollution is threatening the pristine² lake.

barge  (n.)   驳船；（河中或港内载运客货的）平底船Huge barges³ are used to transport machinery⁴ between islands.

parliament  (n.)   国会；议会It is up to the parliament of each country to make up laws.

explorer  (n.)   探险家；探究者Explorers are the ones who discover new lands.

expedition  (n.)   远征；探险We went on an expedition to Kinmen to observe the wildlife.

to inspect  (v.)   检查；巡查The mechanic who inspected my car said I needed a new engine.

reserve  (n.)   储备；蕴藏The reserve was set up by the govenment to protect the island's fragile ecosystem⁵.

to be pristine   原始的；初步的I just mopped the floor and it was pristine－until you walked on it.

the effect(s) of   …的效应；…的影响The effect of eating too much fried food is heart problems.

to turn up   找到；发现I looked for my keys all day and they turned up in the weirdest⁶ place.

in terms of   以…方面来说；以…而言I have really high grades in terms of mathematics.

1 barge   

n.平底载货船，驳船

参考例句：

• The barge was loaded up with coal.那艘驳船装上了煤。
• Carrying goods by train costs nearly three times more than carrying them by barge.通过铁路运货的成本比驳船运货成本高出近3倍。

2 pristine   

adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的

参考例句：

• He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
• He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。

3 barges   

驳船( barge的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The tug is towing three barges. 那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。
• There were plenty of barges dropping down with the tide. 有不少驳船顺流而下。

4 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

5 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

6 weirdest   

怪诞的( weird的最高级 )； 神秘而可怕的； 超然的； 古怪的

参考例句：

• Think of the weirdest, craziest shit you'd like to see chicks do. 想想这最怪异，最疯狂的屁事。你会喜欢看这些鸡巴表演的。
• It's still the weirdest damn sound I ever heard out of a Jersey boy. 这是我所听过新泽西人最为怪异的音调了。