Wild Europe - Genesis 肇始之初- 11

...and marked the growing pains of a young ocean. 16 million years ago, North America and Greenland finally split apart from Europe. As the continental¹ plates separated, the North Atlantic was born. It's a process that's far from over, now 5000 kilometers wide, this ocean is still expanding at the speed our fingernails grow. This is happening all along the mid-Atlantic ridge². Occasionally, eruptions³ here are immense. Volcanoes rise up from the abyss. Iceland is just the tip of one such volcano. Its violent volcanic⁴ history is written all across the island. New eruptions happen all the time, adding new territory to this isolated⁵ European outpost. These are some of Europe's youngest rocks. The events here in Iceland reflect the violent processes that have helped build Europe over the last 500 million years. Despite their violence and unpredictability, volcanic foundations do have advantages. The Icelanders put all these hot rocks to good use. A borehole sunk deep into the ground taps into all this heat and uses it to power much of the island. And a byproduct of this natural central heating is this—the Blue Lagoon⁶, the biggest hot tub in the world. As the North Atlantic grew, Europe's northwest coast was taking shape. But in the south, the continent was still missing some key ingredients. 16 million years ago, the Alps didn't exist and the Mediterranean⁷ coastline looked very different. One last great push was needed to mold the continent, and it came from a neighbor to the south—Africa.


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words and expressions

abyss: (n.) An unfathomable chasm⁸; a yawning gulf⁹. 深渊

outpost: (n.) A detachment of troops stationed at a distance from a main force to guard against surprise attacks. 前哨派

borehole: (n.) A hole that is drilled into the earth, as in exploratory well drilling or in building construction. 钻孔

tub: (n.) An open, flat-bottomed vessel¹⁰, usually round and typically wider than it is deep, used for washing, packing, or storing. 盆

take shape: (v.) Also, shape up. Turn out, develop, acquire a distinctive form 成形, 形成

1 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

2 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

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 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。

5 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

6 lagoon   

n.泻湖，咸水湖

参考例句：

• The lagoon was pullulated with tropical fish.那个咸水湖聚满了热带鱼。
• This area isolates a restricted lagoon environment.将这一地区隔离起来使形成一个封闭的泻湖环境。

7 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。

8 chasm   

n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突

参考例句：

• There's a chasm between rich and poor in that society.那社会中存在着贫富差距。
• A huge chasm gaped before them.他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。

9 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

10 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。