纪录片《为何无法预测地震》 第9期:土地即将被撕裂

Six months after the disaster,

灾难过去6个月后

geologist¹ Mike Ellis is travelling to China

地质学家麦克·艾利斯远赴中国

to investigate the earthquake.

来调查这次地震

Mike has worked in this region before

麦克以前曾在这一地区工作过

so he always knew

所以他确信

there could be a major quake here one day

这里迟早会有一场大规模地震发生

but he didn't think he'd ever get to see it in his lifetime.

可他没想到在有生之年能亲眼看到

I've chased quite a few earthquakes,as we call it,

我追踪过一些地震 比如

um, Taiwan downwards².

台湾地震等等

Big earthquakes like this happen in the ocean all the time

像这样的大地震在海洋里时有发生

but of course you can't go there to see them

当然你没法去那里看

so academically and scientifically

所以从学术和科学角度上讲

it's a treat to come to an earthquake like this

能来观测这样一次地震非常难得

but of course it's a very sobering experience as well.

当然这也是一段发人深省的经历

For the inhabitants of Sichuan Province,

对于四川省的居民来说

Monday May 12th was a day like any other.

5月12日星期一是寻常的一天

Many people were at work, their children in school,

许多人在上班 他们的孩子在上学

while others were simply out enjoying the sunshine.

而其他人则是在外面享受阳光

Little did they know that the ground beneath their feet

他们完全不知道自己脚下的大地

was about to be ripped apart by a rupture³

即将会被一道 在50秒内波及

that would travel 100km in just 50 seconds.

100公里的裂缝所撕开

1 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。

2 downwards   

adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地）

参考例句：

• He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。
• As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。

3 rupture   

n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂

参考例句：

• I can rupture a rule for a friend.我可以为朋友破一次例。
• The rupture of a blood vessel usually cause the mark of a bruise.血管的突然破裂往往会造成外伤的痕迹。