时差N小时 爱琴海上最神秘的火山岛屿(上)

Fira is a typical Greek city overlooking the Aegean Sea.

菲拉是一座典型的希腊城市，在这里可以俯瞰爱琴海。

Sitting atop a twelve hundred foot cliff on Santorini Island, it’s an ideal vacation spot.

这座城市坐落在圣托里尼岛1200英尺高的悬崖顶端，是一处理想的度假胜地。

But this island wasn’t always a paradise. Thirty five hundred years ago, it was the site of one of the largest volcanic¹ eruptions³ in historic times.

然而，这座岛屿之前并不一直是人间天堂。3500年前，这里发生了史上最大规模之一的火山爆发。

The Santorini volcano blew up with very little warning, causing a massive tsunami⁴ that destroyed coastal⁵ towns around the Mediterranean⁶.

圣托里尼火山爆发前几乎毫无征兆，这次的爆发引发了一场巨大的海啸，摧毁了地中海沿岸的城镇。

The volcano collapsed⁷ to form what looks like a collection of small islands, but the islands are actually part of the rim⁸ of its four mile wide sunken caldera.

火山塌陷后形成了如今的一座座小岛。这些岛屿其实是四英里宽的破火山口边缘的一部分。

The volcano’s long slumber⁹, followed by such a sudden and massive eruption², was a puzzle to scientists.

圣托里尼火山经过长期的沉寂，突然间大规模的喷发现象令科学家们困惑不已。

Why does a volcano sit dormant¹⁰ for thousands of years and then suddenly erupt?

为何一座火山在休眠数千年后突然喷发呢？

Scientists think they have found a clue in layers of crystal rock.

科学家们认为，他们已在结晶岩层中发现了一条线索。

1 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

2 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。

3 eruptions   

n.喷发，爆发( eruption的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year. 今年火山爆发了好几次。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Over 200 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions. 火山喷发已导致200多人丧生。 来自辞典例句

4 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

5 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

6 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

7 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

8 rim   

n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界

参考例句：

• The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
• She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。

9 slumber   

n.睡眠，沉睡状态

参考例句：

• All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。
• Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。

10 dormant   

adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的

参考例句：

• Many animals are in a dormant state during winter.在冬天许多动物都处于睡眠状态。
• This dormant volcano suddenly fired up.这座休眠火山突然爆发了。