纪录片《我们的地球》 第65期 洞穴迷宫(04)

The limestone¹ towers of Vietnam's Halong Bay are a reminder² of this link with the sea.

越南下龙湾的石林能说明石灰岩与海洋的关系

Originally this whole area would have been one solid block of limestone, the base of a coral reef.

起初，这整个地方都是一整块坚固的石灰岩床，珊瑚礁的基座

In Borneo, rain has sculpted³ the limestone into extremely sharp-sided pinnacles⁴.

在婆罗洲，雨水已将石灰岩雕凿成无比尖削的石塔

But the dissolving power of rainwater has other, much more dramatic, effects underground.

不过在地下，雨水的溶解作用还能产生其它更壮观的效果

Rivers that flow over limestone often seem to completely disappear.

流经石灰岩的河川到最后似乎总是无影无踪

When the water reaches a more resistant⁵ bed of limestone, its course is altered.

当水流遇到更坚硬的石灰岩床时，就会改变路线。

Once underground, the water takes on a new, more erosive power.

一旦进入地下，水便有了一股新的、更强的侵蚀力。

During its journey from the surface, the water absorbed carbon dioxide from the soil, making it mildly acidic.

在地面上流淌时，水从土壤中吸收了二氧化碳，成为弱酸性。

And over millions of years, this acid eats away the limestone,

石灰岩经过几百万年的酸蚀作用

creating a maze⁶ of caverns⁷ and passages that sometimes go on for miles.

形成了迷宫般的溶洞和通道，有的甚至深达数英里。

1 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。

2 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

3 sculpted   

adj.经雕塑的

参考例句：

• a display of animals sculpted in ice 冰雕动物展
• The ladies had their hair sculpted by the leading coiffeur of the day. 女士们的发型都是当代有名的理发师做的。

4 pinnacles   

顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 )； 顶点； 尖顶； 小尖塔

参考例句：

• What would be the pinnacles of your acting and music? 对你而言什麽代表你的演技和音乐的巅峰？
• On Skye's Trotternish Peninsula, basalt pinnacles loom over the Sound of Raasay. 在斯开岛的特洛登尼许半岛，玄武岩尖塔俯瞰着拉塞海峡。

5 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

6 maze   

n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑

参考例句：

• He found his way through the complex maze of corridors.他穿过了迷宮一样的走廊。
• She was lost in the maze for several hours.一连几小时，她的头脑处于一片糊涂状态。

7 caverns   

大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Within were dark caverns; what was inside them, no one could see. 里面是一个黑洞，这里面有什么东西，谁也望不见。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• UNDERGROUND Under water grottos, caverns Filled with apes That eat figs. 在水帘洞里，挤满了猿争吃无花果。