托福听力荟萃 03

I'm glad you brought up the question of our investigations¹ into the ______of the Earth's interior. In fact, since this is the topic of your reading assignment for next time, let me spend these last few minutes of class talking about it. There were several important discoveries in the early part of this century that helped geologists³ develop a more accurate picture of the Earth's interior. The first key discovery had to do with ______ waves. Remember they are the ______caused by earthquakes. Well, scientists found that they traveled thousands of miles through the Earth's interior. This finding enabled geologists to study the inner parts of the Earth. You see, these studies revealed that these vibrations⁵ were of two types: ______ or P waves and ______ or S waves. And researchers found that P waves travel through both liquids and solids, while S waves travel only through solid matter. In 1906, a British geologist² discovered that P waves slowed down at a certain depth but kept traveling deeper. On the other hand, S waves either disappeared or were reflected back, so he concluded that the depth marked the ______ between a solid ______ and a liquid ____. Three years later, another boundary was discovered, that between the mantle⁶ and the Earth's _____. There's still a lot to be learned about the Earth. For instance, geologists know that the core is hot. Evidence of this is the _____, ____that flows out of volcanoes. But we're still not sure what the source of the heat is.

 

 

【填空答案】

1. makeup⁷: n. ［singular］a particularly combination of people or things that form a group or whole（人或物的）组成，构成

2. seismic⁸: adj. technical connected with or caused by earthquakes or powerful explorations 【术语】地震的；地震引起的

3. vibration⁴: n. ［C,U］a continuous slight shaking movement 颤动，振颤，震动

4. compression: n. an increase in the density⁹ of something 压缩

5. shear¹⁰: n. 【地】切变

6. boundary: n. ［C］the official line that marks the edge of a town, country etc 分界线，边界［+between］

7. mantle: n. ［C］technical the part of the Earth around the central core【术语】地幔

8. core: n. ［C］the central part of the Earth or any other planet 地心；（天体的）核心

9. crust: n. ［C,U］a thin hard dry layer on the surface of something（某物的）硬薄外层（the Earth’s crust 地壳）

10. molten: adj. molten metal or rock has been made into a liquid by being heated to a very high temperature 溶化的，熔融的（molten lava¹¹ 熔岩）

11. lava: n. ［U］hot liquid rock that flows from a volcano（火山喷出的）岩浆，熔岩

【听力原文】

I'm glad you brought up the question of our investigations into the makeup of the Earth's interior. In fact --- since this is the topic of your reading assignment for next time --- let me spend these last few minutes of class talking about it. There were several important discoveries in the early part of this century that helped geologists develop a more accurate picture of the Earth's interior.

The first key discovery had to do with seismic waves --- remember they are the vibrations caused by earthquakes. Well, scientists found that they traveled thousands of miles through the Earth's interior. This finding enabled geologists to study the inner parts of the Earth. You see, these studies revealed that these vibrations were of two types: compression --- or P --- waves and shear --- or S--- waves. And researchers found that P waves travel through both liquids and solids, while S waves travel only through solid matter. In 1906 a British geologist discovered that P waves slowed down at a certain depth but kept traveling deeper. On the other hand, S waves either disappeared or were reflected back, so he concluded that depth marked the boundary between a solid mantle and a liquid core. Three years later another boundary was discovered --- that between the mantle and the Earth's crust. There's still a lot to be learned about the Earth. For instance, geologists know that the core is hot. Evidence of this is the molten lava that flows out of volcanoes. But we're still not sure what the source of the heat is.

1 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

2 geologist   

n.地质学家

参考例句：

• The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley.在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。
• He was a geologist,rated by his cronies as the best in the business.他是一位地质学家，被他的老朋友们看做是这门行当中最好的一位。

3 geologists   

地质学家，地质学者( geologist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Geologists uncovered the hidden riches. 地质学家发现了地下的宝藏。
• Geologists study the structure of the rocks. 地质学家研究岩石结构。

4 vibration   

n.颤动，振动；摆动

参考例句：

• There is so much vibration on a ship that one cannot write.船上的震动大得使人无法书写。
• The vibration of the window woke me up.窗子的震动把我惊醒了。

5 vibrations   

n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动

参考例句：

• We could feel the vibrations from the trucks passing outside. 我们可以感到外面卡车经过时的颤动。
• I am drawn to that girl; I get good vibrations from her. 我被那女孩吸引住了，她使我产生良好的感觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 mantle   

n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红

参考例句：

• The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
• The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。

7 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

8 seismic   

a.地震的，地震强度的

参考例句：

• Earthquakes produce two types of seismic waves.地震产生两种地震波。
• The latest seismic activity was also felt in northern Kenya.肯尼亚北部也感觉到了最近的地震活动。

9 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

10 shear   

n.修剪，剪下的东西，羊的一岁；vt.剪掉，割，剥夺；vi.修剪，切割，剥夺，穿越

参考例句：

• Every spring they shear off the sheep's wool and sell it.每年春天他们都要剪下羊毛去卖。
• In the Hebrides they shear their sheep later than anywhere else.在赫伯里兹，剪羊毛的时间比其他任何地方都要晚。

11 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。