| geological term |
A term used in the study of the Earth’s physical structure and substance. |
地质学术语 |
“Mass wasting is our geological term for movements of land.” |
| well acquainted with |
Familiar or knowledgeable about something. |
熟悉 |
“You’re probably well acquainted with mass wasting associated with steep hills.” |
| associated |
Connected with something else. |
与…有关 |
“Creep is another type of mass wasting, associated with gentle hills or slopes.” |
| steep hills |
Hills with a sharp incline. |
陡峭的山丘 |
“Mass wasting is often associated with steep hills and mountains.” |
| by a long shot |
By far; clearly. |
表示强调 |
“Creep is, by a long shot, the more common process of mass wasting.” |
| slopes |
Surfaces of land that incline. |
斜坡 |
“There are a lot more gentle slopes where creep happens.” |
| ultimately |
In the end; finally. |
最终 |
“Gravity is ultimately responsible for mass wasting.” |
| affects |
Has an effect on; makes a difference to. |
影响 |
“Water affects the movement in mass wasting processes.” |
| downhill |
Towards the bottom of a slope. |
下坡 |
“The soil moves slowly, only a few centimeters to a meter downhill in a year.” |
| bedrock |
The solid rock underlying loose deposits such as soil. |
基岩 |
“When the top layer of soil freezes, it expands away from the bedrock layer beneath it.” |
| thaw |
To melt or cause to melt. |
解冻 |
“Then, when the ground thaws in the spring, everything contracts.” |
| contract |
To become smaller or shorter. |
收缩 |
“The soil contracts after it thaws, but doesn’t return to its original position.” |
| Thanks to |
Because of; due to. |
多亏了 |
“Thanks to gravity, this movement is almost imperceptible.” |
| imperceptible |
Not noticeable or visible. |
难以察觉的 |
“This movement is almost imperceptible and not exciting.” |
| forces |
Physical power or strength. |
力量 |
“You’ll never see creep on a TV show about the dangerous forces of nature.” |
| curve |
To form or cause to form a curve. |
弯曲 |
“Over the years, you may see curve trees as evidence of creep.” |
| tilted fences |
Fences that have become inclined or slanted. |
倾斜的栅栏 |
“Tilted fences are another sign of the slow process of creep.” |
| colder regions |
Areas with low temperatures. |
寒冷地区 |
“Creep can happen in colder regions, especially regions with permafrost.” |
| uniformly |
In a way that is the same in all cases and at all times. |
均匀地 |
“In solifluction, the soil moves uniformly down the slope.” |
| mass |
A large body or quantity of something. |
团；块；堆 |
“The soil moves as one large mass, not as individual particles.” |
| individual particles |
Separate or distinct small units. |
单独的颗粒 |
“Not as individual particles, but as a unified mass.” |
| melt |
To change from a solid to a liquid state usually by heat. |
融化 |
“In summer, the top layer of soil above the permafrost will melt.” |
| saturated |
Completely wet. |
饱和的 |
“The active layer is saturated with water and heavier, allowing gravity to do its thing.” |
| allowing gravity to do its thing |
Letting gravity cause movement or action. |
让重力起作用 |
“The saturated soil allows gravity to do its thing, causing solifluction.” |
| slide |
To move smoothly along a surface. |
滑行 |
“Below the active layer, the ground is still frozen, providing a perfect slide.” |
| the Arctic |
The area around the North Pole, characterized by extreme cold. |
北极 |
“In the Arctic, like in Spitsbergen, Norway, solifluction is a common process.” |
| era |
A long and distinct period of history. |
时代 |
“These are stumps left over from a 1940s era structure.” |
| stumps |
The bottom parts of trees left projecting from the ground after the rest has been cut down. |
树桩 |
“The stumps have been pushed over this far due to solifluction.” |
| varying rates |
Different speeds or frequencies. |
不同的速率 |
“In the Spitsbergen area, there are varying rates of solifluction.” |
| primarily |
Mainly; for the most part. |
主要地 |
“Mass wasting is primarily a function of slope and gravity.” |
| aided by |
Helped by. |
由…帮助 |
“The process is aided by water.” |
| precipitation |
Rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. |
降水 |
“Strong winds blow snow off the slopes, affecting the rate of precipitation.” |
| rate |
The speed with which something happens or is done. |
速度 |
“This affects the rate of solifluction.” |
| partly |
To some degree; in some way or other. |
部分地 |
“Building on hills is done partly because slopes can be stabilized.” |
| stabilized |
Made or become unlikely to give way or overturn. |
稳定的 |
“Slopes can be stabilized in various ways.” |
| is a different story |
Is a separate issue or situation. |
另当别论 |
“Building on permafrost is a different story.” |
| elevate |
To raise or lift up. |
抬高 |
“You want to use posts to elevate the building.” |
| intact |
Not damaged or impaired in any way; complete. |
完好无损 |
“This keeps the permafrost intact.” |
| destabilize |
To make something unstable. |
使不稳定 |
“Heating it up risks destabilizing the ground.” |