英语听书《海底两万里》第232期 第18章 太平洋下四千里(4)

 　　What's more, I've detected those falling and rising currents that make up the ocean's true breathing.  此外，我又注意过那些由上而下和由下而上的水流，形成真正的海洋呼吸作用。

　　I've seen a molecule¹ of salt water heat up at the surface, sink into the depths,  我看见了海水的分子，在水面上受到热力，沉人根深的地方，

　　reach maximum density² at -2 degrees centigrade, then cool off, grow lighter³, and rise again.  至零下二度的时候，密度到了最大，然后，温度再降低，它的重量减轻，又浮上来了。

　　At the poles you'll see the consequences of this phenomenon, and through this law of farseeing nature,  您将在极圈地方看到这种现象所产生的结果，您将了解到，冰冻作用之所以只在水面上才发生，

　　you'll understand why water can freeze only at the surface! 就是由于有远见的大自然的这个规律。”

　　As the captain was finishing his sentence, I said to myself:  当尼摩船长说完了他这句话的时候，我自己心中说：

　　The pole! Is this brazen⁴ individual claiming he'll take us even to that location? 极圈吗！这个大胆的人一直要把我们带到极圈中去吗！

　　Meanwhile the captain fell silent and stared at the element he had studied so thoroughly⁵ and unceasingly.  不过船长这时不作声，他全神注视他时刻不停地细心研究的海洋。

　　Then, going on: 一会儿他又说起话来：

　　Salts, he said, fill the sea in considerable quantities, professor,  教授，海水中盐的分量是多到了不得的，

　　and if you removed all its dissolved saline content, you'd create a mass measuring 4,500,000 cubic leagues,  如果您把溶解在海中的盐提出来，您可以造成一个四百五十万立方里的体积的盐堆，

　　which if it were spread all over the globe, would form a layer more than ten meters high.  在地球上全面滩开来；可以铺成十来高的一层表皮。

　　And don't think that the presence of these salts is due merely to some whim⁶ of nature. No.  您不要以为海中有这些盐是大自然无意识的任性行为！不是的。

　　They make ocean water less open to evaporation⁷ and prevent winds from carrying off excessive amounts of steam, 盐质使海永不容易蒸发，使海风不能将分量过多的水汽带走，不然的话，水汽重化为水，

　　which, when condensing, would submerge the temperate⁸ zones. 简直就要把温带地方完全淹没了。

　　Salts play a leading role, the role of stabilizer for the general ecology of the globe! 这真是巨大得了不得的作用，是调节全地球的力量，使其保持平衡的伟大作用！”

　　Captain Nemo stopped, straightened up, took a few steps along the platform, and returned to me: 尼摩船长不作声了，站起来，在乎台上走了几步，又向我走回来。他说：

　　As for those billions of tiny animals, he went on,  至于那些原生秒水虫，

　　those infusoria that live by the millions in one droplet⁹ of water,  那些一滴水中便有亿千万的不可计数的微生动物，

　　800,000 of which are needed to weigh one milligram, their role is no less important. 它们在一毫克的水量中便有八十万个，它们的作用也是一样重要。

1 molecule   

n.分子，克分子

参考例句：

• A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
• This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。

2 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

3 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

4 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

5 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

6 whim   

n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想

参考例句：

• I bought the encyclopedia on a whim.我凭一时的兴致买了这本百科全书。
• He had a sudden whim to go sailing today.今天他突然想要去航海。

7 evaporation   

n.蒸发，消失

参考例句：

• Be careful not to lose too much liquid by evaporation.小心不要因蒸发失去太多水分。
• Our bodies can sweat,thereby losing heat by evaporation.我们的身体能出汗，由此可以蒸发散热。

8 temperate   

adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的

参考例句：

• Asia extends across the frigid,temperate and tropical zones.亚洲地跨寒、温、热三带。
• Great Britain has a temperate climate.英国气候温和。

9 droplet   

n.小滴，飞沫

参考例句：

• The rate of droplet growth under different conditions can be evaluated.可以计算在不同条件下的云滴增长率。
• The test results showed that increasing droplet size was associated with better stability.试验结果表明，增加液滴尺寸将使稳定性提高。