万物简史 第320期:美丽而危险(3)

 　　Imagine a pile of TNT about the size of Rhode Island and reaching eight miles into the sky, to about the height of the highest cirrus clouds, 想像一下，有一堆TNT，面积相当于英国的一个郡，伸向13公里高的天空，达到了最高的卷云的高度，

　　and you have some idea of what visitors to Yellowstone are shuffling¹ around on top of. 你就会大体知道黄石公园的游客们是在什么东西上面漫步。

　　The pressure that such a pool of magma exerts on the crust above has lifted Yellowstone 这样的一池岩浆对上面的地壳所产生的压力，已经把黄石公园及其周围地区顶了起来，

　　and about three hundred miles of surrounding territory about 1,700 feet higher than they would otherwise be. 使其比本来所处的位置高出大约半公里。

　　If it blew, the cataclysm² is pretty well beyond imagining. 要是发生爆炸，这场灾难简直是难以想像的。

　　According to Professor Bill McGuire of University College London, "you wouldn't be able to get within a thousand kilometers of it" while it was erupting. 伦敦大学院的比尔·麦圭尔说，一旦爆发，“你无法走到离它1000公里以内的地方”。

　　The consequences that followed would be even worse. 造成的结果也许更加糟糕。

　　Superplumes of the type on which Yellowstone sits are rather like martini glasses—thin on the way up,  黄石公园所在的几处超级热柱，很像马提尼酒杯，越往上越细，

　　but spreading out as they near the surface to create vast bowls of unstable³ magma. 但到了接近地面的地方就向外张开，变成盛着不稳定岩浆的许多“大碗”。

　　Some of these bowls can be up to 1,200 miles across. 有的“大碗”的直径可达1900公里。

　　According to theories, they don't always erupt explosively but sometimes burst forth⁴ in a vast, continuous outpouring—a flood—of molten rock, 根据目前的理论，超级热柱并不总是猛烈爆发，有时候只是源源不断地喷出大量熔岩，

　　such as with the Deccan Traps in India sixty-five million years ago. 就像6500万年前发生在印度德干暗色岩区的情况。

　　These covered an area of 200,000 square miles  超级热柱占地50万平方公里，

　　and probably contributed to the demise⁵ of the dinosaurs—they certainly didn't help—with their noxious⁶ outgassings. 喷出的毒气很可能对恐龙的灭绝起了作用——肯定不会起好作用。

　　Superplumes may also be responsible for the rifts⁷ that cause continents to break up. 超级热柱也许还要对造成大陆破裂的裂缝负责。

1 shuffling   

adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Don't go shuffling along as if you were dead. 别像个死人似地拖着脚走。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some one was shuffling by on the sidewalk. 外面的人行道上有人拖着脚走过。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

2 cataclysm   

n.洪水，剧变，大灾难

参考例句：

• The extinct volcano's eruption would mean a cataclysm for the city.死火山又重新喷发，对这座城市来说意味着大难临头。
• The cataclysm flooded the entire valley.洪水淹没了整个山谷。

3 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

6 noxious   

adj.有害的，有毒的；使道德败坏的，讨厌的

参考例句：

• Heavy industry pollutes our rivers with noxious chemicals.重工业产生的有毒化学品会污染我们的河流。
• Many household products give off noxious fumes.很多家用产品散发有害气体。

7 rifts   

n.裂缝( rift的名词复数 )；裂隙；分裂；不和

参考例句：

• After that, through the rifts in the inky clouds sparkled redder and yet more luminous particles. 然后在几条墨蓝色云霞的隙缝里闪出几个更红更亮的小片。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
• The Destinies mend rifts in time as man etches fate. 当人类想要再次亵渎命运的时候，命运及时修正了这些裂痕。 来自互联网