据科学家称，有城市般大小、宽度可能达到数十公里的冰山曾漂浮在英国近海。研究人员发现了这些漂流的冰山留下的独特刮痕。

Scientists found the deep tracks left by these icebergs by looking at energy companies' seismic surveys of the North Sea. It showed icebergs the size of Norwich were once found off the eastern coast of Scotland. This is the first hard evidence that the ice sheet that covered Britain and Ireland 18,000 years ago produced such large icebergs.

科学家们通过分析能源公司对北海的地震勘测资料发现了冰山留下的深深的轨迹。资料表明与诺里奇市大小相当的冰山曾出现在苏格兰的东海岸。这是首个确凿证据证明 1.8 万年前覆盖着不列颠和爱尔兰的冰盖曾行成过如此巨大的冰山。

The findings may help scientists answer fundamental questions about how the Antarctic ice sheet may be affected as the ice shelves around its edge become unstable in a warming world.

这些发现或许能帮助科学家们解答关于南极冰盖的一些关键问题：随着全球变暖，南极冰盖边缘的冰架变得愈发不稳定，南极冰盖将受到怎样的影响。

词汇表

tracks 轨迹，痕迹
seismic 地震的
hard evidence 确凿的证据
fundamental 关键性的，根本的
ice sheet 冰盖，陆地上的大面积冰层
ice shelves 冰架，从陆地延伸出的海上冰层
edge 边缘
unstable 不稳定的

听力练习

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. What is the main topic of this report?

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. How did scientists find out about the icebergs?
a. by looking at seismic surveys
b. by exploring physical tracks on the ocean floor
c. by visiting Norwich

2. How large were the icebergs?
a. the size of Scotland
b. 18,000 metres wide
c. the size of Norwich

3. Scientists hoped the findings of this study would prove there were ice sheets covering Britain and Ireland 18,000 years ago.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

4. The results could help scientists understand more about the future of other ice sheets.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. Scientists found the deep tracks ________________ these icebergs by looking at energy company's seismic surveys.

2. … as the ice shelves ________________ become unstable in a warming world.

答案

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. What is the main topic of this report?

The report is about new evidence that icebergs the size of Norwich were once found off the eastern coast of Scotland.

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. a. Scientists found the deep tracks left by these icebergs by looking at energy company's seismic surveys of the North Sea.

2. c. It showed icebergs the size of Norwich were once found off the eastern coast of Scotland.

3. b. False. This is the first hard evidence that the ice sheet that covered Britain and Ireland 18,000 years ago produced such large icebergs. Here, 'the' means scientists already knew there was an ice sheet that covered Britain and Ireland 18,000 years ago.

4. a. True. The findings may help scientists answer fundamental questions about how the Antarctic ice sheet may be affected…

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. Scientists found the deep tracks left by these icebergs by looking at energy company's seismic surveys.

2. … as the ice shelves around its edge become unstable in a warming world.