高中外研版英语教材选修8课文.docx
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高中外研版英语教材选修8课文
Module1
Antarctica:
thelastcontinent
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AntarcticaisthecoldestplaceonEarth.It’salsothedriest.Withannualrainfallclosetozero,Antarcticaistechnicallyadesert.Coveringabout14millionsquarekilometresaroundtheSouthPole,itisthefifthlargestcontinentintheworld.Ahighmountainrange,theTrans-Antarcticrange,runsfromeasttowest,cuttingthecontinentintwo.Therearevolcanoestoo,buttheyarenotveryactive.Antarcticaholds90%oftheworld’sice,andmostofitsfreshwater(70%)isinafrozenstate,ofcourse.98%ofthesurfaceiscoveredpermanentlyintheicecap.Onaverageitistwokilometresthick,butinsomeplacesitreachesadepthoffivekilometres.Strongwindsdrivenbygravityblowfromthepoletothecoastline,whileotherwindsblowroundthecoast.Itisdifficulttoimagineamoreinhospitableplace.
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YetAntarcticaisfullofwildlife,whichhasadaptedtoitsextremeconditions.Therearedifferenttypesofpenguins,flyingbirds,seals,andwhales.ButthelongAntarcticwinternight,whichlastsfor182days(thelongestperiodofcontinuousdarknessonearth),aswellastheextremecoldandlackofrainfall,meansthatfewtypesofplantscansurvivethere.Onlytwotypesoffloweringplantsarefound,whiletherearenotreesonthelargecontinent.Therestoftheplantsaremadeupofmosses,algaeandlichen.Someformsofalgaehaveadaptedtogrowonice.
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Mostoftheicehasbeenthereforthousandsofyears.Asaresult,ithasbecomeawindowonthepast,andcangiveresearcherslotsofusefulinformation.Gasesandminerals,intheformofvolcanicdusttrappedintheice,cantellusalotaboutwhattheworldsclimatewaslikeinpastages.Antarcticrocksarealsoveryimportantforresearch.Mostofthemaremeteoritesfromouterspace.Onerock,knownusthe“Alien”rock,maycontainevidenceofextra-terrestriallife.SincemostAntarcticrocksarcdarkincolour,theystandoutagainstthewhilebackgroundandareeasytoidentifyandcollect.
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Antarcticawasthelastcontinenttobediscovered.ButmorethantwothousandyearsagoGreekgeographersbelievedthattherewasalargelandmassinthesouthwhichbalancedthelandinthenorth.TheycalleditAnti-Arktikos,orAntarctica:
theoppositeofArctic.WhenEuropeansdiscoveredthecontinentofAmericainthe15thcentury,thegreatageofexplorationbegan.However,progresstotheSouthPolewasslow.Notuntilthelate18thcenturydidtheBritishexplorerJamesCookcrosstheAntarcticCircle,butheneversawland.Thenin1895,aNorwegiancalledCarstensBorchgrevinkbecamethefirstmantosetfootontheAntarcticmainland.Theracetothepolehadbegun.Itwasfinallyreachedon11thDecember,1911bytheNorwegianRoaldAmundsen.
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TodayscientistsfrommanycountriestraveltoAntarcticatostudyitsresources.Aspiritofinternationalfriendshiphasreplacedtherivalrythatexistedbetweenmanyoftheearlierexplorers.In1961,atreatysignedby12countries,includingBritain,France,andtheUSA,madeAntarcticatheworld'sbiggestnaturereserve.Theaimofthetreatyistopreventthecommercialandmilitaryuseofthecontinent.Inparticular,itaimstokeepAntarcticafreefromnucleartestsandradioactivewaste;topromoteinternationalscientificprojects;andtoendargumentsaboutwhoownstheland.Todaycountriesrepresenting80%oftheworld’spopulationhavesignedthetreaty.Antarcticahasbecomeperhapsthemostsuccessfulsymbolofman’seffortstoworktogetherforprogressandpeace.
HowFailureBecameSuccess
On8thAugust,1914,27menwhohadrepliedtoanadvertisementinTheTimesboardedashipleavingfortheAntarctic.ThenameoftheshipwastheEnduranceandthecaptainwasanIrishmancalledErnestShackleton.
TheaimofthejourneywastocrossthefrozencontinentviatheSouthPole-ajourneyof1,800miles.Shackletonthoughtthejourneywouldlastsixmonths.
Butwhenlandcameintosight,theEndurancebecametrappedintheiceandbegantobreakup.ShackletonandhismenwatchedtheEndurancesinkintotheicysea.Theythenheadednorth,pullingthreelifeboatsbehindthem.
Aftersixdays,badweatherforcedthemtogiveupandthemensetupcamponasheetoficewhichbeganslowlymovingacrosstheAntarcticCircle.
Theysurvivedontheiceforfivemonths.Then,on16thApril,1915,Shackletonsawland.ItwasElephantIsland-alargerockwithnothinggrowingonit,butmuchbetterthanafloatingpieceofice.Whentheyreachedtheisland,Shackletoncameupwithanidea-itwasariskbuthewouldhavetotakeit.Heandfivemenwouldtakeoneofthelifeboats,andsail800milestoSou