纪录片《我们的地球》 第112期 冰封世界(08)

At the northern extreme of our planet, the sun rises for the first time in months,

而在地球的北极，太阳在数个月的沉寂后第一次升起，

illuminating¹ a very different ice world.

阳光照亮了一个截然不同的冰的世界

Unlike Antarctica, the Arctic is a vast frozen sea surrounded by land.

与南极不同，北极是广阔的冰封海洋，被陆地包围。

Here winter is coming to an end, but this bleak² wilderness³ remains⁴ locked in ice.

这里的冬天已经临近尾声，但这片荒凉的无人区仍然是冰封的天地。

Eider ducks break the silence.

绒鸭的到来打破了这里的平静

They have stayed here, braving the northern winter, instead of flying south to warmer climes.

绒鸭没有迁徙到温暖的南方，而一直坚守在这里经受着北方寒冬的考验。

Flocks 40,000 strong sweep across the frozen wastes.

4万只绒鸭飞越这一片冰天雪地的荒野

They all have the same goal, a polynya,

它们都有相同的目标--冰间湖（冰穴）

a permanent hole in the sea ice, kept open throughout the winter by strong ocean currents.

冰间湖是结冰的海洋上永久性的洞孔，因为有强大的洋流使它们冬天也不会冰封。

This unusual duck pond provides an overnight sanctuary⁵ and, when day breaks, a rare chance to feed.

这个不同寻常的水池是过夜的庇护所，而且到了白天还有难得的进食机会。

Just 10 metres beneath the ice, the sea floor is carpeted with dense⁶ mussel beds.

就在离冰面10米以下的海底上，布满了密密麻麻的贻贝。

These can only be reached during a brief lull⁷ in the currents.

这个地方只有在洋流暂时停歇时才能吃到

The ducks must quickly prise the mussels free before the tide starts to turn.

绒鸭必须赶在潮流转向之前迅速采食

The window of opportunity is short.

机会之窗随时可能关闭

As the current begins to build, it's up, up and away.

洋流开始转强时它们就只好远走高飞了。

1 illuminating   

a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的

参考例句：

• We didn't find the examples he used particularly illuminating. 我们觉得他采用的那些例证启发性不是特别大。
• I found his talk most illuminating. 我觉得他的话很有启发性。

2 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

3 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 remains   

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。

5 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

6 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

7 lull   

v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇

参考例句：

• The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。
• Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。