英语听书《海底两万里》第379期 第25章 地中海四十八小时(5)

 I showed Conseil the position of this long reef on our chart of the Mediterranean¹. 我在地中海地图上，指给康塞尔看那条很长的暗礁所占据的部位。

But with all due respect to master, Conseil ventured to observe, it's like an actual isthmus² connecting Europe to Africa. 不过，请先生原谅，康塞尔说，那就真正是连结欧洲和非洲的一条地峡了。

Yes, my boy, I replied, it cuts across the whole Strait of Sicily, and Smith's soundings prove that in the past, these two continents were genuinely connected between Cape³ Boeo and Cape Farina. 对，老实人，我回答，它完全堵住了利比亚海峡，史密斯的测量也证明了这两个大陆从前是在崩角和夫利那角、间连结起来的。

I can easily believe it, Conseil said. 我很相信是这样。康塞尔说。

I might add, I went on, that there's a similar barrier between Gibraltar and Ceuta, and in prehistoric⁴ times it closed off the Mediterranean completely. 要知道，我立即又说，类似的一道栅栏也存在于直布罗陀和叙达之间，在地质学的纪元时期把地中海完全封锁起来。

Gracious! Conseil put in. Suppose one day some volcanic⁵ upheaval⁶ raises these two barriers back above the waves! 康塞尔用心研究诺第留斯号缓慢地、挨近地面走过的那浅水海底。

1 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

2 isthmus   

n.地峡

参考例句：

• North America is connected with South America by the Isthmus of Panama.巴拿马海峡把北美同南美连接起来。
• The north and south of the island are linked by a narrow isthmus.岛的北部和南部由一条狭窄的地峡相连。

3 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

4 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。

5 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

6 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。