英语听力文摘 English Digest 263、与火山抗争的小镇

　　The Town That Fought A Volcano, And Won
火山喷发（volcanic¹ eruption²）是一种奇特的地质现象，是地壳运动的一种表现形式，也是地球内部热能在地表的一种最强烈的显示。是岩浆等喷出物在短时间内从火山口向地表的释放。由于岩浆中含大量挥发分，加之上覆岩层的围压，使这些挥发分溶解在岩浆中无法溢出，当岩浆上升靠近地表时，压力减小，挥发分急剧被释放出来，于是形成火山喷发。

　　On this Moment of Science, learn about the town that fought a volcano, and won!
Like Hawaii, Iceland and its accompanying islands are volcanic. In 1973, a new volcano erupted on the small island of Heimaey, just off Iceland. This eruption was to last six months, spewinglava over Vestmannaeyjar(韦斯特曼纳群岛), the island’s main town and harbor, at a rate of up to one hundred and thirty cubic yards(立方码) of moltenlava per second.
The island’s inhabitants knew they could rebuild their town, but it soon became clear that flowing lava³ would completely (1)seal off the mouth of the only natural harbor on the island. Without a harbor, the livelihood⁴ of this fishing community would be ruined. What did they do? They called in the fire department.
While water can’t “put out” a volcano, the Icelanders acted on the theory that enough cold ocean water might cool the lava enough to prematurely⁵ solidify⁶ a wall, or crust, of lava. This wall of solidified⁷ lava could be used to change the direction of the rest of the lava’s flow, and direct it away from the harbor.
The fire department began pumping with the town’s pumps and hoses, and within two months there were enough water pumps(抽水机) and pumping ships in place to deliver over two hundred and fifty gallons of water per second to the advancing lava. It was a dangerous plan, as miles of pipe needed to be (2)laid up the side of the partially⁸ solidified lava wall to deliver water higher and higher.
Although half the town was destroyed, the plan to save the harbor was a success. Remarkably⁹, when these firefighters battled a volcano, the firefighters won.
Notes:
(1)seal off 封闭；把…封锁起来
With this you can temporarily seal off any kind of evil.
用这个您可以暂时封住任何妖魔。
(2)lay up v.贮存；搁置；卧床不起
The bandits that lay up in those hills have all been rounded up.
潜伏在那些山里的土匪都已经被包围了。

1 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

2 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。

3 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。

4 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

5 prematurely   

adv.过早地，贸然地

参考例句：

• She was born prematurely with poorly developed lungs. 她早产，肺部未发育健全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His hair was prematurely white, but his busy eyebrows were still jet-black. 他的头发已经白了，不过两道浓眉还是乌黑乌黑的。 来自辞典例句

6 solidify   

v.(使)凝固，(使)固化，(使)团结

参考例句：

• Opinion on this question began to solidify.对这个问题的意见开始具体化了。
• Water will solidify into ice if you freeze it.水冷冻会结冰。

7 solidified   

（使）成为固体，（使）变硬，（使）变得坚固( solidify的过去式和过去分词 )； 使团结一致； 充实，巩固； 具体化

参考例句：

• Her attitudes solidified through privilege and habit. 由于特权和习惯使然，她的看法变得越来越难以改变。
• When threatened, he fires spheres of solidified air from his launcher! 当危险来临，他就会发射它的弹药！

8 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。

9 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。