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SSS 2009-11-13

时间:2010-05-19 03:03:24

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(单词翻译)

Algae1 seem harmless enough. These precursors2 to plants thrive throughout the world's waters. But these single-celled plants have global consequences. We can thank them for oxygen in the atmosphere, oil in the lithosphere3 as well as dead zones in the oceans and now even a dead horse in France. 

 

That's right. The fumes4 from decomposing5 algae on a French beach killed a horse and rendered its rider unconscious this past summer. And poisonous tides caused by algal blooms make eating shellfish dicey at times as well as causing mass die-offs of fish, birds and even sea-going mammals. Plus, according to a new theory, that might just be a small taste of the plants' killing6 ability.

 

James Castle and John Rodgers of Clemson University think that such algal blooms—triggered by warming water or an increase in nutrients—might be behind the five largest mass extinctions in Earth's history. 

 

Usually asteroid7 impacts or massive volcanism get the blame, paired with climate change, but it may be the subsequent bloom in toxic8 algae that really drove death. There's plenty of evidence for such blooms in the geologic9 record. 

 

Of course, it remains10 unclear whether algal blooms caused die-offs or merely coincided with them. And it's most likely that some combination of factors, including poisonous algae perhaps, helped wipe out 90 percent of all marine11 life some 250 million years ago, for example.

 

The bad news? Such murderous algae is on the march again thanks to a changing climate, creeping northward12 into newly warmer U.S. waters. Beware the killer13 algae!

 


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1 algae tK6yW     
n.水藻,海藻
参考例句:
  • Most algae live in water.多数藻类生长在水中。
  • Algae grow and spread quickly in the lake.湖中水藻滋蔓。
2 precursors 5e19fce64ab14f5a4b5c8687640c2593     
n.先驱( precursor的名词复数 );先行者;先兆;初期形式
参考例句:
  • Phenyl (or polyphenyl) substituted epoxides serve as excellent precursors to phenyl (or diphenyl) carbenes. 某些苯代(或多苯)环氧乙烷是制取带苯环(或二苯)碳烯的极好原料。 来自辞典例句
  • Note the presence of megakaryocytes, erythroid islands, and granulocytic precursors. 可见巨核细胞,红细胞岛和粒细胞前体细胞。 来自互联网
3 lithosphere P02x8     
n.陆界,岩石圈
参考例句:
  • The hydrosphere and the lithosphere together form the Earth's surface.水圈与岩石圈一起形成地球的表面。
  • They slide on a more yielding layer at the base of lithosphere.它们在岩石圈底部更柔软的一层滑动。
4 fumes lsYz3Q     
n.(强烈而刺激的)气味,气体
参考例句:
  • The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。
  • Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。
5 decomposing f5b8fd5c51324ed24e58a14c223dc3da     
腐烂( decompose的现在分词 ); (使)分解; 分解(某物质、光线等)
参考例句:
  • The air was filled with the overpowering stench of decomposing vegetation. 空气中充满了令人难以忍受的腐烂植物的恶臭。
  • Heat was obtained from decomposing manures and hot air flues. 靠肥料分解和烟道为植物提供热量。
6 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
7 asteroid uo1yD     
n.小行星;海盘车(动物)
参考例句:
  • Astronomers have yet to witness an asteroid impact with another planet.天文学家还没有目击过小行星撞击其它行星。
  • It's very unlikely that an asteroid will crash into Earth but the danger exists.小行星撞地球的可能性很小,但这样的危险还是存在的。
8 toxic inSwc     
adj.有毒的,因中毒引起的
参考例句:
  • The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
  • There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。
9 geologic dg3x9     
adj.地质的
参考例句:
  • The Red Sea is a geologic continuation of the valley.红海就是一个峡谷在地质上的继续发展。
  • Delineation of channels is the first step of geologic evaluation.勾划河道的轮廓是地质解译的第一步。
10 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
11 marine 77Izo     
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。
12 northward YHexe     
adv.向北;n.北方的地区
参考例句:
  • He pointed his boat northward.他将船驶向北方。
  • I would have a chance to head northward quickly.我就很快有机会去北方了。
13 killer rpLziK     
n.杀人者,杀人犯,杀手,屠杀者
参考例句:
  • Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
  • The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

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