英语听力：自然百科 大堡礁 珊瑚礁至雨林(27)

These huge tracts¹ of rainforest close to the Queensland coast are essential because they regulate the flow of water and the sediment² it contains.

位于昆士兰海岸附近的大片树林是不可或缺的，因为它们调节了水流量和其中的沉积物。

That's important, because there's an awful lot of water here.

这一点至关重要，因为这里的水量很大。

Hot,humid tropical air gives rise to vast amounts of rainfall.

炎热，潮湿的热带空气产生了大量降雨。

It pours for at least 120 days a year.

一年至少120天下雨。

And as much as 60 centimeters can fall in a single day.

一天的降雨量，可高达60厘米。

It's one of the wettest places on earth.

这里是地球上最潮湿的地方之一。

Left unchecked by the forest, the water would wash out sediments³ and smother⁴ marine⁵ life.

如果没有雨林的截留，雨水将刷走所有沉积物，使海洋生物窒息。

But waterways flowing off the rainforest are relatively⁶ clear, and many are spectacular.

但经过热带雨林的缓冲和过滤，雨水就变得清澈，甚至壮观了。

1 tracts   

大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文

参考例句：

• vast tracts of forest 大片大片的森林
• There are tracts of desert in Australia. 澳大利亚有大片沙漠。

2 sediment   

n.沉淀，沉渣，沉积(物)

参考例句：

• The sediment settled and the water was clear.杂质沉淀后，水变清了。
• Sediment begins to choke the channel's opening.沉积物开始淤塞河道口。

3 sediments   

沉淀物( sediment的名词复数 )； 沉积物

参考例句：

• When deposited, 70-80% of the volume of muddy sediments may be water. 泥质沉积物沉积后，体积的70-80％是水。
• Oligocene erosion had truncated the sediments draped over the dome. 覆盖于穹丘上的沉积岩为渐新世侵蚀所截削。

4 smother   

vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息

参考例句：

• They tried to smother the flames with a damp blanket.他们试图用一条湿毯子去灭火。
• We tried to smother our laughter.我们强忍住笑。

5 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

6 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。