【英语时差8,16】断层线

 Scientists say the surface of the Earth is cracked¹ like a giant eggshell. They call the pieces tectonic plates. As many as twenty of them cover the Earth. The plates float about slowly, sometimes crashing into each other, and sometimes moving away from each other. When the plates move, the continents move with them. Tectonic plates can cause earthquakes as they move. Modern instruments show that about ninety percent of all earthquakes take place along a few lines in several places around the Earth. Other earthquakes take place at the edges² of continents. Pressure increases as two plates move against each other. When this happens, one plate moves past the other, suddenly causing the Earth's surface to split³.One example of this is found in California⁴, on the West Coast of the United⁵ States. Scientists say the Pacific plate is moving toward⁶ the northwest, while the North American plate is moving more to the southeast. Where these two huge plates come together is called a fault line. A major earthquake in nineteen-ninety-four was centered along one of these smaller fault lines.

 

1 cracked   

adj.有裂缝的；声音沙哑的；精神失常的v.破裂；崩溃(crack的过去分词)；发沙哑声

参考例句：

• The ice cracked as I stepped onto it. 我一踩冰就裂了。
• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。

2 edges   

n.边( edge的名词复数 )；优势；（悬崖、峭壁的）边缘；锋利

参考例句：

• Blood began to coagulate around the edges of the wound. 血液开始在伤口的边缘凝固。
• a surface with rounded edges 带圆边的面

3 split   

n.劈开，裂片，裂口；adj.分散的；v.分离，分开，劈开

参考例句：

• Who told you that Mary and I had split up?谁告诉你玛丽和我已经离婚了？
• The teacher split the class up into six groups.老师把班级分成6个小组。

4 California   

n.加利福尼亚(美国)

参考例句：

• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。
• We were driving on a California freeway.我们正沿着加利福尼亚的一条快车道驾车行驶。

5 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

6 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。