VOA常速英语2008年-Sea Unicorns Involved in Arctic Sea Study

By Paul Sisco
Washington, DC
01 February 2008
 

Scientists know that the waters north of Greenland, around the Arctic Circle, significantly influence global weather patterns. But until recently, they only have been able to measure the region's deep ocean temperatures during its two warmest months, leaving a large gap in data needed to better understand climate patterns. VOA's Paul Sisco reports on a fascinating new approach to closing the gap.

Biologist Kristin Laidre from the University of Washington is collecting data on ocean temperatures and currents in the Arctic Sea, with help from strange marine¹ mammals called narwhals.

They are tagged and equipped with thermometers that record and transmit data to satellites when the animals surface.

"Narwhals, in a way, are perhaps one of the most reliable platforms we can use up here," she said. "They live in ice-covered waters that are 98 percent covered with sea ice for six months of the year in complete darkness. They are cheap. They predictably go to the bottom of the ocean, and they always find the surface because they need to breath," Laidre added. 

Narwhals are commonly called sea unicorns² because of the males' long single tusk³, almost half the length of their body.

Laidre is spending six months at a polar camp in western Greenland living with colleagues and Inuit hunters. She says, "The hunters that live here are the last kayak hunters, essentially⁴ in the Arctic. These people are extraordinarily⁵ skilled at making kayaks, at paddling kayaks, and at hunting whales from their kayaks."

What is daily life like at camp? "I wouldn't recommend it to anybody that likes to lounge around in their bathrobe and house slippers⁶ with a cafe latte every morning. We have one main tent that we all share where we cook. Occasionally, some of the guys will catch something. We've eaten all kinds of things from whales to caribou⁷ to birds."

She says it is beautiful here, but the work can be tough. "Attaching a satellite tag to a narwhal isn't necessarily the easiest thing to do."

But already these unicorns of the Arctic are helping⁸ Kristin Laidre and other scientists better understand, study and document changes in their icy world -- and ours.

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

2 unicorns   

n.（传说中身体似马的）独角兽( unicorn的名词复数 )；一角鲸；独角兽标记

参考例句：

• Unicorns are legendary beasts. 独角兽是传说里的野兽。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Assemble50 Elder Druids, 30 Silver Unicorns and10 Green Dragons do defend it. 募集50个德鲁伊长老，30只银色独角兽和10条绿龙用于防御。 来自互联网

3 tusk   

n.獠牙，长牙，象牙

参考例句：

• The wild boar had its tusk sunk deeply into a tree and howled desperately.野猪的獠牙陷在了树里，绝望地嗥叫着。
• A huge tusk decorated the wall of his study.他书房的墙上装饰着一支巨大的象牙。

4 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

5 extraordinarily   

adv.格外地；极端地

参考例句：

• She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
• The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。

6 slippers   

n. 拖鞋

参考例句：

• a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋
• He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋，倒在床上。

7 caribou   

n.北美驯鹿

参考例句：

• Afar off he heard the squawking of caribou calves.他听到远处有一群小驯鹿尖叫的声音。
• The Eskimos played soccer on ice and used balls filled with caribou hair and grass.爱斯基摩人在冰上踢球，他们用的是驯鹿的毛发和草填充成的球。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。