英语听力：自然百科 化石改变全球变暖预言？

 15 million years ago, New Zealand was a different place. The country was blanketed by dense¹ rainforests and partially² submerged under the ocean. Analysis of sedimentary(沉淀性的) rocks has shown that sea temperatures in this part of the world rose between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit³ during a global warming period of a few million years.

 

"And so this is a time when a massive amount of carbon was rapidly released over a few thousand years. We think something similar to what will be released through fossil fuel combustion（燃烧） over the next several centuries. "

 

By comparing these data with records from other parts of the world, it may be possible to see how global warming has affected⁴ the earth in the past. The finding showed that surface waters in this part of the world exceeded 86 degrees Fahrenheit (or 30 degrees Celsius) during a 2 to 3-million-year period of global warming. That’s about 10 degrees more than previously⁵ thought.

 

This means that previous computer climate models may also be underestimating future rises in sea temperatures. The most surprising aspect is the rate of warming as if it would have required massive levels of greenhouse gases, such as carbon or methane（甲烷） to be released in just a short amount of time.

 

"And then there is one idea that the earth was slowly warming prior to this time. And that, in the process of warming, gradually it hits some sort of climatic threshold. And as a consequence, you get a jump from one climate state to another. "

 

However, not everyone is convinced by the report’s findings.

 

"My interest is in the fossil evidence. And as a paleontologist, I look at the fossil record. And I don’t quite say there’re clear evidence for the extremes. I think it was clearly hot, but was it about 30 degrees？ I’ll wait to be convinced."

1 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

2 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

3 Fahrenheit   

n./adj.华氏温度；华氏温度计(的)

参考例句：

• He was asked for the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit.他被问到水的沸点是华氏多少度。
• The thermometer reads 80 degrees Fahrenheit.寒暑表指出华氏80度。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。