环球英语 — 115：Sign One: Disappearing Glacial Ice

　　Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight¹ program. I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Rebekah Schipper. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
In September 2006 scientists pulled a large column², or core³, up from the ground in Antarctica . It was over three [3] kilometres long. It is the longest, largest piece of ice that scientists have ever pulled from the icy Earth.
Voice 2
The scientists have been studying the ice. They are looking for evidence of climate change. And the evidence they have already found concerns them. One scientist, Dr. Eric Wolff, had this to say.
Voice 3
“My point would be that there is nothing in the ice core that gives us any cause for feeling at ease⁴.”
Voice 1
The scientists believe that the ice core lets them look at eight thousand [8,000] years of climate history. You see, in the ice there are small spaces of air. The air is oldest in the ice that was closest to the Earth’s centre. Each level of the ice records a different period of Earth history. So, the scientists can measure past environmental conditions.
Voice 2
The scientists have found that levels of harmful gas, like carbon dioxide, are higher now than at any other time in history. They have also found that the rise in carbon dioxide levels affects the Earth’s temperature. The problem is that human activity has increased the rate of gas being sent into the atmosphere. People are putting more carbon dioxide into the air than ever before.
Voice 3
“Over the last two hundred [200] years human activity has increased carbon dioxide to well outside the natural range. …There is nothing that suggests that the Earth will take care of the increase in carbon dioxide. The ice core suggests that the increase in gas will surely give us a climate change that will be dangerous.”
Voice 1
People all over the world are already seeing evidence of this ‘dangerous’ climate change. Today’s Spotlight will start a new series on early signs of climate change. These are physical affects of Global Warming. Take a look around. Do you see any of these signs where you live?
Voice 2
Today’s sign: Disappearing Glacial Ice.
Voice 1
In general, global warming works⁵ like this. The sun shines on the Earth. Most of the sun’s rays pass through the Earth’s atmosphere. The surface of the Earth takes in the heat energy. Some of that energy goes back up into the air. It travels back up into the atmosphere. There, gases trap the heat. Some of the gases are natural gases. These gases are needed to keep the Earth warm. Without natural gas the Earth’s temperature would be about thirty-three [33] degrees colder than it is now.
Voice 2
But people can create gases too. Burning oil creates this kind of gas. Burning oil, as well as natural events like volcano⁶ eruptions⁷, send carbon dioxide into the air. Many scientists say that increasing temperatures is linked to the increase of carbon dioxide.
Voice 1
It is true that global warming can cause an increase of temperatures in some areas. However, in other areas global warming can cause a decrease in temperature. The important thing to remember is that global warming causes changes in climate.
Voice 2
For example, Mount⁸ Kilimanjaro rises over six thousand [6,000] metres above the valleys of Tanzania, Africa. It is the tallest mountain in Africa. And, it is one of the only places where people in Africa can see snow! Writer Ernest Hemingway made this snow famous in his book “The Snows of Kilimanjaro.” But the snow and ice of Mount Kilimanjaro are quickly disappearing.
Voice 1
Glaciers¹⁰ exist on every continent. They are like rivers of flowing ice. They cut their way through mountain valleys. Usually, during warmer seasons, glaciers will melt just a small amount. People living below the mountains use this water. It fills their rivers. It helps their crops grow. They drink it. But, in colder seasons the glaciers will build up again. Snow and rain on the mountains help glacier⁹ growth stay constant. But, mountain glaciers are shrinking¹¹ at too fast a rate. People all over the world are watching it happen.
Voice 2
Professor Lonnie Thompson lives and works in Tanzania. He says that eighty-two percent [82%] of the glacial ice on Mount Kilimanjaro is gone. At the current rate, the glacier will be gone before the year 2020.
Voice 4
“Ice is very much a threshold¹² system. If the temperature is minus one [-1] degree Celsius¹³, it is perfectly¹⁴ happy. But, once you reach zero [0] and it starts to melt, the ice will disappear much more rapidly. And there is evidence since 2000 that there have been lakes that have burst out the sides of the glaciers. So melting has taken place.”
Voice 1
But Tanzania is not the only place experiencing the loss of glaciers. Glacial ice is melting all over the world. Scientists believe that this could be dangerous in the future. First, melting glaciers could lead to floods. For example, in the Himalayan Mountains the flood risk is severe. There are many glaciers here. If they melted the rivers would fill. And they would flood the small villages surrounding the mountains.
Voice 2
Second, glacial melt may cause water shortages¹⁵ for millions of people. Glaciers often provide the only supply of water for people during dry seasons. Many people in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia use water from glaciers all year. What will they do if this supply disappears? Glaciers provide water to one-third [1/3] of the world’s population.
Voice 1
Third, melting glaciers will cause sea levels to rise. This will threaten the people who live near the sea. It could also destroy sea animals’ homes. This danger especially threatens small island nations. For example Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands are already starting to lose land. Water covers their low-lands. And salt from the sea is starting to sink into their fresh water supplies. Their fresh water supply is low.
Voice 2
Climate change is affecting many parts of our world. We can find signs in the mountains, deep in the waters, in the behaviour of animals, and in the lives of people. In the next few weeks please listen for more programs about the early signs of climate change. Let them remind you that the earth is ours to care for.
Voice 5
“Let the sea resound¹⁶, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.” [Psalm 98]

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 column   

n.列，柱形图；专栏；圆柱；纵队

参考例句：

• I often read his column in the local paper.我经常在当地的报纸上看到他的专栏文章。
• A column of soldiers marched down the highway.一个士兵纵队沿着公路行进。

3 core   

n.中心；核心；(苹果、梨等果实的)果心

参考例句：

• We didn't get to the core of the subject.我们没触及问题的核心。
• The pear is rotten to the core.这梨全烂了。

4 ease   

n. 安乐,安逸,悠闲; v. 使...安乐,使...安心,减轻,放松

参考例句：

• His mind was at ease and he felt confident in the future. 他心情舒畅,对前途很有信心。
• You should ease up on the child and stop scolding her. 你应该对那个孩子宽松些,不要再骂她了。

5 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

6 volcano   

n.火山

参考例句：

• The volcano unexpectedly blew up early in the morning.火山一早突然爆发了。
• It is most risky to go and examine an active volcano.去探察活火山是非常危险的。

7 eruptions   

n.喷发，爆发( eruption的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year. 今年火山爆发了好几次。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Over 200 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions. 火山喷发已导致200多人丧生。 来自辞典例句

8 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。

9 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。

10 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）

11 shrinking   

a.畏缩的，犹豫不决的

参考例句：

• She purposely made the dress larger to allow for shrinking when it was washed. 她故意把衣服做大一些，以防洗时缩水。
• I can't imagine why a dynamic young woman like her is marrying a shrinking violet like him. 我不能想像，像她这样一个充满活力的年轻女子为什么会嫁给他这样一个胆怯害羞的人。

12 threshold   

n.界限，门槛，入口，开端

参考例句：

• I'll never cross the threshold of your house again.我再也不进你的家门了。
• He stopped at the threshold of the bedroom.他在卧室门口停住了。

13 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

14 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

15 shortages   

n.不足( shortage的名词复数 )；缺少；缺少量；不足额

参考例句：

• Food shortages often occur in time of war. 在战争期间常常发生粮食短缺的情形。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• At the same time, worldwide food and fuel shortages eased. 同时，世界性粮食和石油短缺的现象终止了。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

16 resound   

v.回响

参考例句：

• A roar of approval resounded through the Ukrainian parliament.一片赞成声在乌克兰议会中回响。
• The soldiers' boots resounded in the street.士兵的军靴踏在地面上的声音在大街上回响。