英语听力：自然百科 探索世界奥秘之Wild Europe-Genesis (欧洲自然写真) Unit14（在线收听）

Wild Europe - Genesis 肇始之初- 14

Despite this enormous flood, the Mediterranean took more than a century to refill. But what is more amazing is that this process of drying and flooding has happened not just once, but possibly ten times. With this flooding 5. 5 million years ago, Europe's southern borders had now taken shape--the final act in the genesis of the continent. A chain of incredible events has shaped Europe during its long and dynamic history.

It's a history that's written across the face of this unique continent; a story that began billions of years ago south of the equator and which charts an incredible journey across the face of the globe. The diversity of Europe's landscapes today reflects the changing conditions encountered along the way. Each has left a unique fingerprint on the small but incredibly complex continent. For aeons, the birth of Europe had been driven by geological events, but now a new and different force was destined to shape the land.

Two million years ago, Europe's climate spiraled out of control. Temperatures plummeted. Consumed by glaciers, the continent would now be plunged into one of the most extreme eras in its history. The great Ice Ages were on their way.

words and expressions

aeon:An indefinitely long period of time; an age.

极长的时期；永世

ａｌｓｏ：ｅｏｎ

spiral: To take a spiral form or course.

用螺旋形形式或路径

plummet: To decline suddenly and steeply:

骤降，爆跌：突然和大幅度地降低：