南极洲的外来植物 Antarctic Aliens

Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English. I’m Rosie and here with me today is Chris. Hello Chris!
大家好，欢迎来到6分钟英语。我是罗西，今天和我一起的是克里斯。你好克里斯！
Hi Rosie!
你好，罗西！
Today we’re going to talk about alien invaders in the Antarctic.
今天我们将要谈论的是在南极洲的外来入侵。
Alien invaders? Have aliens landed on Antarctica then? They should have chosen a more exciting place to land… like London
外星入侵？有外星人降落在南极洲吗？他们为什么不选一个更有趣的地方来降落呢？比如说伦敦。
No, they’re not aliens from outer space – or from another planet. We’re talking about alien plants in Antarctica.
不，他们不是来自外太空或是另一个星球的外星人。我们讨论的是在南极洲的外来植物。
You mean plants growing in a place they shouldn’t grow – outside theirnatural habitat?
你的意思是这些植物在不应该生长的地方生长，是在它们的自然栖息地之外？
That’s right. We’re going to find out more in a minute, but first it’s time fortoday’s question, Chris. So are you ready?
是的。一会儿我们将发现更多，但是首先开始今天的问题，克里斯。你准备好了吗？
I am.
是的。
Right, OK. The word ’Antarctica’ comes from Ancient Greek.Does it mean: a) white Arctic landb) southernmost continentc) opposite to the arctic
好的。单词‘Antarctica‘来源于古希腊语。那它意味着a）白色的极寒之地。b）最南端的大陆c）北极的对面
Well, I think I might go for a) white arctic land.
我想我选择a）白色极寒之地。
We’ll find out whether you’re right or wrong at the end of the programme. But first let’s talk about these alien plants. It’s strange to think about Antarctica as a green continent, isn’t it?
我们将在节目的结尾看看你是对是错。但首先让我们说说这些外来植物吧。把南极想象成一个绿色的大陆真的很奇怪，不是吗？
Yes, I thought it was mostly covered in ice. So are you saying plants are flourishing there? Do you think there might be forests there soon?
是的，我想它大部分被冰所覆盖。所以你是说植物在那里很繁盛？你认为那里很快就变成森林了？
I doubt it! But let’s listen to a report by the BBC’s environment correspondentRichard Black, who talks about what’s happening.What phrase does he use to mean plants have started to grow?
我很怀疑！让我们听听来自BBC的环境记者理查德·布莱克的报告，看他说发生了什么。他用什么短语来描述植物是怎么开始生长的？
The vast majority of Antarctica is covered by ice, but the bits that aren’t are beginning to be covered in plants, particularly the Antarctic peninsula, the piece that runs up towards the southern tip of South America. It’s seen rapid temperature rise in recent years which is why the plants are taking hold.
南极洲的绝大部分都被冰所覆盖，但不止一个的地方开始有植物生长，尤其是距离南美洲很近的南极半岛。最近几年的迅速升高的温度是植物生长的原因。
So the reporter says that most of Antarctica is covered by ice, but there areparts which aren’t.
那么记者说南极洲的大部分地区都被冰所覆盖，但是也有一小部分没有。
Yes, and in the bits that don’t have ice there are plants starting to grow – ortaking hold. This is happening mostly in the Antarctica peninsula, which isclose to the tip –or the very end- of South America.
是的，在这些没有冰覆盖的地方植物开始生长或是生根。这发生在南极半岛的大部分地区，那里距离南美洲非常近。
And did you hear the reason he gave for these plants growing?
你听到他给出的这些植物生长的原因了吗？
Yes, the rise in temperature – so the continent is getting hotter, ice is melting,and the plants are growing. But where did the plants come from?
是的，是温度的升高-所以大陆变暖，冰开始融化，植物开始生长。但是这些植物是从哪里来的呢？
Well, the seeds are being brought into Antarctica, but not by the wind.They’re brought in by people.
种子是被带进南极洲的，但不是因为风。它们是被人类带进去的。
So you mean people bring seeds with them and plant them in Antarctica?
你的意思是人们把种子带来，并把它们种在南极洲？
No, they don’t plant them. They carry them on their clothes without realisingit. Let’s listen to the report which explains how scientists found out this is happening. How does the reporter describe searching scientists and tourists?
不，人们并没有播种它们。他们没有发觉用自己的衣服把种子带来了。让我们来听听专家是如何解释这是怎么发生的吧。记者是怎么描述探索的科学家和游客的呢？
Now an international research team has discovered how many of the seeds are getting there.As they describe in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences they frisked scientists and tourists visiting the white continent and found that on average each is carrying nearly ten seeds tucked away in boots and folds of clothing.
如今一个国际研究队已经发现了有多少类种子被带入。据他们在《美国国家科学院院刊》上所讲他们对去南极的科学家和游客搜身检查，发现在靴子和衣服的褶皱里每个人平均带十个种子。
That’s incredible! Researchers frisked –or searched- scientists and tourists and found that on average each visitor was carrying nearly ten seeds tucked away –or hidden- in their boots and clothes.
真难以置信！研究人员搜身或搜查科学家和游客，在他们的靴子和衣服褶皱里发现了平均每人携带十颗种子。
Yes, I wonder how many seeds I’m carrying right now without realising it?
是的，我想知道现在没有意识到的情况下我携带了多少种子？
Yes, although perhaps London isn’t as green as some places the visitors travelto on their way to Antarctica.
尽管也许伦敦不比一些地方葱绿，但游客去南极旅行仍然带有种子。
That’s true… Did you hear that the producer called Antarctica the whitecontinent? Soon it might be called the green continent.
这是真的，你听到制片人把南极洲称作白色大陆了吗？很快就能把它称作绿色大陆了。
Well, the plants aren’t growing everywhere, but the continent is becoming abit greener. The plants must look beautiful amongst all that white ice.
植物不能生长在南极的任何地方，但是这个大陆已经变得更绿点了。在白冰之间的植物一定看起来很漂亮。
Yes, but it’s a huge problem and scientists aren’t very happy. Antarctica has a unique ecology which needs to be protected. Let’s listen to the last part of the report. See if you can hear how many seeds are brought into Antarcticaevery year.
是的，但是这是个大问题，科学家们很担心。南极洲是一个需要被保护的独一无二的生态环境。让我们听听最新的报道。看看你能否听到每年有多少种子被带到南极洲。
Altogether about seventy thousand seeds are being carried onto the continent each year.The researchers say that in time these species threaten to overwhelm Antarctica’s ecology just as they have on islands offshore. They’re advocating tighter checks on visitors. Even then, they say, increasing traffic to Antarctica, combined with climate change, means not all of the continent is going to stay white and pristine.
每年总共有七万个种子被带到大陆上。研究人员称这些物种只要登上海岛的近海，就会对南极洲的生态环境产生威胁。他们呼吁对游客实行更严格的检查。到那时，他们说，到南极洲不断增加的交通，加上气候的变化，意味着并不是所有的大陆将维持白色和原始的状态。
Wow! Seventy thousand seeds are carried into Antarctica each year. This could overwhelm Antarctica’s ecology, which means it could damage it.
哇！每年有七万个种子被带到南极洲。这将压倒南极州的生态环境，这意味着这将破坏它。
So now they’re advocating tighter checks on visitors. In most places visitors are searched for weapons or drugs, but in Antarctica they’ll be searched for seeds!
所以现在他们倡导对游客实行更严格的检查。在大多数地方游客被检查是否带有枪支和毒品，但是在南极洲他们将被搜查植物种子。
That’s right. Well Chris, earlier in the programme I asked you a question and it’s time to see if you answered correctly. I asked you where the word Antarctica’ comes from.Was it: a) white Arctic landb) southernmost continentc) opposite to the arctic
这是正确的。克里斯，先前在节目中我曾问你一个问题，现在是时候看看你是否答对了。我问你单词Antarctica起源于哪里。它是a）白色的极寒之地b）最南端的大陆c）北极的对面
And I said white Arctic land.
我说是白色的极寒之地。
And I’m afraid you were wrong! It was actually c) opposite to the Arctic. And did you know that the ice sheet that covers Antarctica contains 7 million cubic miles of ice – so that’s 29 million cubic kilometres? So 90% of the world’s total ice is in Antarctica!
我恐怕你说错了！确切的答案是c）北极的对面。你知道覆盖在南极的冰原有700万立方英里的冰-也就是2900万立方公里吗？因此世界上99%的冰在南极。
Wow, that’s a lot.
哇，那真多。
Yes, it is. Chris, could you remind us of the vocabulary we heard today?
是的。克里斯，你能帮助我们回忆今天听到的词汇吗？
invadernatural habitatsouthernmostflourishingtipfrisktucked awayunique ecologyoverwhelmadvocate
入侵者自然栖息地最南端的繁盛的尖端搜身藏起来独一无二的生态环境压倒倡导
Thank you Chris. That’s all for today, but do join us again soon for more 6 Minute English! Bye for now!
谢谢你，克里斯。今天节目即将结束，请继续关注6分钟英语！再见！