时差N小时 尼亚加拉大瀑布正在消失(上)

Niagara Falls has been a famous honeymoon¹ spot for over a hundred years: some honeymooners have been more faithful to it than to each other.

一百多年来，尼亚加拉大瀑布一直是著名的蜜月旅行圣地：许多新婚夫妇对它情有独钟，甚至胜过对配偶的忠诚度。

When The Falls Formed

瀑布何时形成

Since the falls were formed during the late Pleistocene period, about twelve thousand years ago, they have been subject to the force of erosion.

大瀑布形成于更新世时期晚期，距今一万两千多年，此后大瀑布一直遭受着外力侵蚀。

As they erode², the falls are moving upstream, so they will one day disappear into Lake Erie.

随着不断被侵蚀，大瀑布也在逐渐向上游移动，因此，终有一天，大瀑布将消失在伊利湖。

Like all waterfalls, Niagara erodes³ because water wears away the softer rock at the base of the cliff, where a turbulent pool forms below the waterfall.

像所有的瀑布一样，尼亚加拉大瀑布遭受侵蚀是因为水流不断地冲刷悬崖底部硬度较低的石头，而瀑布下方形成湍流池。

Because erosion affects the base of the cliff, the old cliff face will collapse⁴ and the new edge will be slightly upstream.

因为侵蚀会影响悬崖底部，陈旧悬崖因侵蚀坍塌，新的悬崖形成并将逐渐往上游移动。

1 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

2 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。

3 erodes   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的第三人称单数 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The sea erodes the rock. 海水侵蚀岩石。
• The sea erodes the land. 海洋侵蚀陆地。

4 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。