纪录片《冰冻星球》 第75期 履于薄冰（7）

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This daring attempt by the Russians to claim

2007年 俄罗斯大胆地声称

the disputed seabed at the North Pole in 2007

北极受争议的海床是自己的领土

caused fury among the competing countries

引发了几个竞争国的强烈反对

and it's unlikely to be the last such dispute.

而这样的争端将会源源不断

The Arctic has never been so important

北极从来没有这么重要过

and not just because of its resources.

而这并不仅仅因为它资源丰富

The North-West passage,

西北水道

a legendary¹ sea route

是加拿大北部和阿拉斯加周围的

around the north of Canada and Alaska,

一条传奇海路航线

cleared of ice in the summer of 2007

2007年夏天

for the first time since records began.

自有记录以来 冰雪首次消融

This promises a much faster and cheaper shipping² route

从此 往来大西洋和太平洋的航线

between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

变得既快捷又便宜

And some wildlife could benefit from an ice-free Arctic too.

无冰的北冰洋同时也惠及了一些野生动物

Bowhead whales are one of just

北极露脊鲸是少数

a few whales that can live year-round in the Arctic

一整年待在北极的一种鲸鱼

because they have no dorsal³ fin⁴.

因为它们没有背鳍

This means they can come up for air in small spaces

因此它们能在狭小的空间里浮起来呼吸

and travel easily under the ice.

并能在冰下自如游弋

Their unique body shape used to mean that the Arctic whales had

独特的身形曾让它们

the seas to themselves for most of the year.

几乎整年都独占这片海域

But now, some cousins from down south are moving in.

但现在 南方的"亲戚"也来搬来这里

1 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

2 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

3 dorsal   

adj.背部的，背脊的

参考例句：

• His dorsal fin was down and his huge pectorals were spread wide.它的脊鳍朝下耷拉着，巨大的胸鳍大张着。
• The shark's dorsal fin was cut off by the fisherman.鲨鱼的背鳍被渔夫割了下来。

4 fin   

n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼

参考例句：

• They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
• The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。