英语听力：自然百科 冰冻星球 前往地球尽头(2)

I'm standing¹ at the north pole, the very top of the earth. Up here, is easing sea while the polar regions are so cold. The sun never rises higher enough in the sky to warm my back. And those rays do strike the surface, eventually reflected back from these white wildness. But the fundamental problem is that there's no sun here at all for half the year.

我站在地球的最顶端北极。这里是非常寒冷的极地地区。太阳永远不会天空中升起很高来使我的背保持温暖。光线只是射到地面而已,最终还会从白茫茫的荒野中反射回去。但根本的问题是,这里一年中的一半根本没有太阳。

The polar winter is unrivaled in its harshness, a night that lasts for months. Only the toughest day as temperatures plunge² to minus 70 degree centigrade. And yet, the greatest challenge survive here is not the cold, but the extreme swings between the seasons.

极地冬季是无与伦比的荒芜,一个晚上就像好几个月一样。最艰难的一天气温降至零下70摄氏度。然而在这里生存的最大挑战并不是寒冷,而是极端季节之间的变化。

When the sun finally returns, an extraordinary transformation³ begins. This frozen world begins to melt away. The polar sping bings a brief opportunity for life. By summer, the sun no longer sets and works its magic for 24 hours a day. Now it's a race to breed before the sun departs. By autumn, all but the hardest abandon the poles and the ice extends script. And the sea closes down for the long polar winter until once again the sun returns.

当太阳终于返回,一个异乎寻常的变革开始。这个冰冷的世界开始融化。极地春天为生命带来了短暂的机会。到了夏天,太阳不再光顾而且不会出现一天24小时的情况。所以物种们现在要在太阳离去前繁衍生息。到了秋天,只有冰冷的两极而且冰层开始延伸。海水在冬季结冰直到太阳再次返回。

It's spring in the high arctic and the sun illuminates⁴ a giant frozen ocean, the first stop on our journey. The most powerful land predator⁵ is on the prowl.

这是春天的北极高地，太阳照亮一个巨大的冰冻的海洋,我们旅程的第一站就是这里。最强大的陆地捕食者被放出来了。

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

3 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

4 illuminates   

v.使明亮( illuminate的第三人称单数 )；照亮；装饰；说明

参考例句：

• The light shines on from over there and illuminates the stage. 灯光从那边照进来，照亮了舞台。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sun illuminates the sky. 太阳照亮了天空。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。