纪录片《恐龙灭绝真相》 第12期 石灰岩层

So this layer up here has nothing to do with the lower level,

所以这里的上层地层和下层地层丝毫不相干，

the two are separated by time, and by a considerable amount of time.

它们因为时间而分隔，而且肯定是很长一段时间。

The next awkward fact was the existence of layers of muddy sedimentary rock, interspersed¹ in the sandstone.

下一个反面事实则是泥沙沉积岩层的存在，它们散布在沙岩中。

These they thought would have taken a long time to form.

他们认为它需要很长一段时间才能形成。

They are made of fine grains which tend to build up slowly on the sea floor.

它们由在海底慢慢堆积的细小颗粒组成。

So these fine grains needed some time to settle, in fact an awful lot of time

这些泥沙需要一段时间沉淀，实际上是相当长的一段时间，

and in that case these sandstones would be separated by some time.

就这点而言，这些沙岩应该分为不同的时间段。

Then, near the bottom of the outcrop, they discovered their third awkward fact -- a layer of limestone².

接着，他们在裸露岩层的底部找到了第三个反面事实：石灰岩层。

Limestone is given away by its violent reaction to acid.

石灰岩很容易和酸反应并被溶解。

It can also take a very long time to form.

它的形成也需要长久的年份。

Finally, Keller and Stinnesbeck discovered their most awkward fact of all.

最后，Keller和Stinnesbeck找到了最有力的反面证据。

It lay eight metres below the outcrop. It was another layer of spherules.

它位于裸露岩层下方8米的地方。它是另一个小球体层。

Chemical analysis suggested, these remains³ of tiny meteorites⁴ like the layer higher up could only have come from the Chicxulub crater⁵.

化学分析显示，这些陨石残留体和上方的小球体层一样，只有可能来自希克苏鲁伯陨石坑。

For Keller and Stinnesbeck, this changed everything.

对于Keller和Stinnesbeck来说，这将改变整个局面。

1 interspersed   

adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The grass was interspersed with beds of flowers. 草地上点缀着许多花坛。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 limestone   

n.石灰石

参考例句：

• Limestone is often used in building construction.石灰岩常用于建筑。
• Cement is made from limestone.水泥是由石灰石制成的。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 meteorites   

n.陨星( meteorite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Small meteorites have left impact craters all over the planet's surface. 这个行星的表面布满了小块陨石留下的撞击坑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One theory about the existence of extraterrestrial life rests on the presence of carbon compounds in meteorites. 地球外存在生命的理论是基于陨星上存在碳化合物质这一事实的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 crater   

n.火山口，弹坑

参考例句：

• With a telescope you can see the huge crater of Ve-suvius.用望远镜你能看到巨大的维苏威火山口。
• They came to the lip of a dead crater.他们来到了一个死火山口。