纽约时报 南加州发生20年来最强地震 (3)

For now the earthquakes appear to be localized.

就目前来看，近期发生的都是局部地震。

But for California, one big question is whether these earthquakes occurring in the Mojave Desert

但就整个加州而言，一个很重要的问题是，莫哈韦沙漠发生的这几次地震

will have any consequences for a potentially more catastrophic rupture¹ of the San Andreas fault,

是否会对圣安地烈斯断层造成任何影响，因为这一巨大的裂缝几乎从人口密集的地区旁边贯穿了整个加州，

the giant crack in the earth that runs along almost the entire length of the state near heavily populated areas.

要是这次的地震波及到了这一断层造成其断裂，后果会更加不堪设想。

Seismologists say there is a remote connection between the system of faults that caused this week’s earthquakes and the San Andreas.

地震学家表示，引发本周地震的断层带与圣安地列斯断层之间只存在微弱的联系。

The faults near Ridgecrest come close to a fault known as the Garlock, which ultimately intersects the San Andreas.

里奇克雷斯特附近的那些断层紧挨着卡洛克断层，后者最后才与圣安地列斯断层相交。

Dr. Heaton said it would be “pretty far-fetched” that an earthquake on the San Andreas would be triggered along this route.

希顿博士说，里奇克雷斯特的地震沿着这条关系线引发圣安地列斯地震这种猜测“颇为牵强。”

But, he noted², seismologists are constantly surprised.

但他也指出，让地震学家大感意外的事情时有发生。

The current sequence of earthquakes could potentially last for years.

当前的地震序列也具有持续数年的潜在可能性。

In the 1970s, seismologists were surprised that an earthquake near Bishop³, Calif.,

上世纪70年代就发生过令地震学家们大吃一惊的情况：加州毕夏普附近发生的一起地震

began a sequence of temblors around Mammoth⁴ Lakes that eventually spread over a diameter of more than 50 miles

诱使猛犸象湖周围也跟着发生了一系列地震，方圆50英里以外的地区都受到了波及，

and included a half-dozen earthquakes of more than 6.0 magnitude.

震级6.0及以上的余震就发生了6次。

That sequence lasted around a decade.

这一序列持续了将近十年之久。

When a significant earthquake is followed by a related and larger one —as has happened in California in recent days —

当一场剧烈的地震之后又发生了与之相关，来得也更加猛烈的地震时——就像加州最近发生的几次地震一样——

seismologists refer to the first event as a foreshock.

地震学家便将第一次地震称之为“前震”

A foreshock and a main quake usually occur within days or weeks of each other,

前震和主震往往相隔不过数日或数周，

but occasionally in analyzing⁵ seismic⁶ activity in a region,

但通过分析一个地区的地震活动情况，

scientists will identify foreshocks that occurred months or even years before a major quake.

科学家们发现，有时，两者间隔的时间长达数月，甚至数年。

Some notable earthquakes have been preceded by foreshocks,

几次典型的大地震，

including the largest quake ever recorded, a 9.5-magnitude event that struck Chile in 1960.

包括有史以来最强地震——1960年袭击智利的9.5级大地震，之前都发生了前震。

A 7.9-magnitude quake had occurred in the same area the day before.

那次地震的前一天，同一地区就曾发生过7.9级的大地震。

The 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan, which led to the Fukushima nuclear disaster, was preceded by a foreshock as well.

2011年引发福岛核灾难的东日本大地震之前也发生过一次前震。

The 6.4 Ridgecrest foreshock on Thursday was followed by seven quakes of magnitude 4.5 or higher until the 7.1-magnitude one on Friday.

周四里奇克雷斯特发生6.4级前震后到周五发生7.1级地震前，该地区还发生了7次4.5级以上的余震。

And the Friday quake so far has been followed by 15 of 4.5 magnitude or higher.

到目前为止，周五的地震之后又发生了15次4.5级以上的余震。

The largest known earthquake in the area occurred in 1872 and was a magnitude 8, one of the largest in California.

该地区已知的最大地震发生于1872年，震级为8级，是加州史上发生的最强地震之一。

1 rupture   

n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂

参考例句：

• I can rupture a rule for a friend.我可以为朋友破一次例。
• The rupture of a blood vessel usually cause the mark of a bruise.血管的突然破裂往往会造成外伤的痕迹。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

4 mammoth   

n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的

参考例句：

• You can only undertake mammoth changes if the finances are there.资金到位的情况下方可进行重大变革。
• Building the new railroad will be a mammoth job.修建那条新铁路将是一项巨大工程。

5 analyzing   

v.分析；分析( analyze的现在分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析n.分析

参考例句：

• Analyzing the date of some socialist countries presents even greater problem s. 分析某些社会主义国家的统计数据，暴露出的问题甚至更大。 来自辞典例句
• He undoubtedly was not far off the mark in analyzing its predictions. 当然，他对其预测所作的分析倒也八九不离十。 来自辞典例句

6 seismic   

a.地震的，地震强度的

参考例句：

• Earthquakes produce two types of seismic waves.地震产生两种地震波。
• The latest seismic activity was also felt in northern Kenya.肯尼亚北部也感觉到了最近的地震活动。