2007年VOA标准英语-Glacier National Park Rapidly Losing Its Glacie

By Jeff Swicord
Glacier¹ National Park, Montana
03 September 2007
 

National parks in the United States are revered² for their natural beauty and wildlife.  They are fragile ecosystems⁴ that are cared for and preserved for future generations.  Because of their fragile nature, they are also places where scientists are beginning to see the effects of climate change or global warming.  VOA's Jeff Swicord reports from Glacier National Park in the Western state of Montana.

Glacier National Park

 Since the early 20th century, Montana's Glacier National Park has attracted visitors to the majestic⁵ beauty of its peaks and valleys.  But today's visitor is witnessing a rapidly changing landscape.

Dan Fagre is an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, the government's earth and biological science organization.

 "The namesake glaciers⁶ for Glacier National Park are disappearing rapidly," he said.  "Especially in the last several decades.  These glaciers that numbered 150 when the park was first formed are now less than 27."

More than 7,000 years ago, glaciers 900 to 1,500 meters thick covered this landscape.  The constant ice flow carved out these jagged peaks and deep valleys. 

Dan Fagre

Now, Dan Fagre says the remaining glaciers are melting at an alarming rate. He blames global warming. "One glacier by itself can not invoke⁷ climate change.  But, when you have all the glaciers in almost all of the mountain ranges of the entire globe responding the same way, then you know you have global phenomena⁸.  And in this case, the glaciers are responding to warming."

Fagre says if the current melting trend continues all of the glaciers will be gone within 20 years.

"Just below the clouds is Salamander Glacier," he said.  "It is a long thin dirty glacier with a waterfall pouring off it.  And that use to be joined to Grinnell Glacier, which is much larger.  And it came all the way down to the top of the double waterfalls.  It was a thousand feet high when it was discovered in 1887."

This is grizzly⁹ bear country.  Surprising one along the trail can be a fatal mistake. Hikers often make noise to let the bears know they are in the area.  Today, Glacier National Park is a stunningly¹⁰ rich ecosystem³ with a myriad¹¹ of unique plants and animals.  That could change if the glaciers and dense¹² winter snow pack disappear.

"Climate change affects a lot more than just glaciers," said Fagre.  "It also affects our forests.  And in the back here you can see a large swath where snow avalanches¹³ have carved out large gaps in the forest.  And what grows in those gaps all the forbs [flowering plants] and everything are what bears eat, and what other organisms eat, birds and a whole host of organisms that would not be able to forage¹⁴ in the dense forest."

The water supply that feeds this mountain ecosystem is drying up, which is what happened to this dry creek¹⁵ bed.  Some of these high altitude lakes are rich with Bull Trout¹⁶, a hearty¹⁷ species that can only survive in the cold glacial waters.  Their habitat is also in danger.

Scientists say change has always been a part of life on Earth and many species have survived dramatic change over thousands of years.  But Dan Fagre says this time will be different.

"What is different now is that we have these national parks that are these protected areas that are changing rapidly in many cases.  But, the organisms don't have anywhere else to go," he said. "The landscapes outside these parks have been converted to other uses by humans."

Fagre believes in the long run, the earth will adapt to climate change.  As for the U.S. national parks, they will probably survive but their landscapes and wildlife will not be same as before.

1 glacier   

n.冰川，冰河

参考例句：

• The glacier calved a large iceberg.冰河崩解而形成一个大冰山。
• The upper surface of glacier is riven by crevasses.冰川的上表面已裂成冰隙。

2 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

3 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

4 ecosystems   

n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样，从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句

5 majestic   

adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的

参考例句：

• In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。
• He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

6 glaciers   

冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Glaciers gouged out valleys from the hills. 冰川把丘陵地带冲出一条条山谷。
• It has ice and snow glaciers, rainforests and beautiful mountains. 既有冰川，又有雨林和秀丽的山峰。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

7 invoke   

v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求

参考例句：

• Let us invoke the blessings of peace.让我们祈求和平之福。
• I hope I'll never have to invoke this clause and lodge a claim with you.我希望我永远不会使用这个条款向你们索赔。

8 phenomena   

n.现象

参考例句：

• Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。
• The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系，如果存在着任何联系的话。

9 grizzly   

adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊

参考例句：

• This grizzly liked people.这只灰熊却喜欢人。
• Grizzly bears are not generally social creatures.一般说来，灰熊不是社交型动物。

10 stunningly   

ad.令人目瞪口呆地；惊人地

参考例句：

• The cooks, seamstresses and other small investors are stunningly vulnerable to reversals. 那些厨师、裁缝及其他的小投资者非常容易受到股市逆转的影响。
• The production cost of this huge passenger liner is stunningly high. 这艘船城造价之高令人惊叹。

11 myriad   

adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量

参考例句：

• They offered no solution for all our myriad problems.对于我们数不清的问题他们束手无策。
• I had three weeks to make a myriad of arrangements.我花了三个星期做大量准备工作。

12 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。

13 avalanches   

n.雪崩( avalanche的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The greatest dangers of pyroclastic avalanches are probably heat and suffocation. 火成碎屑崩落的最大危害可能是炽热和窒息作用。 来自辞典例句
• Avalanches poured down on the tracks and rails were spread. 雪崩压满了轨道，铁轨被弄得四分五裂。 来自辞典例句

14 forage   

n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻

参考例句：

• They were forced to forage for clothing and fuel.他们不得不去寻找衣服和燃料。
• Now the nutritive value of the forage is reduced.此时牧草的营养价值也下降了。

15 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

16 trout   

n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属)

参考例句：

• Thousands of young salmon and trout have been killed by the pollution.成千上万的鲑鱼和鳟鱼的鱼苗因污染而死亡。
• We hooked a trout and had it for breakfast.我们钓了一条鳟鱼，早饭时吃了。

17 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。