2016年全国研究生考试英语一阅读第一篇解析：地球起源与发展

{"title":"提供原题然后翻译并且剖析2016年全国研究生考试英语一阅读第一篇内容：原题：\n\nPassage 1\nQuestions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.\n\nThe word "geology" means "the study of the earth." It is derived from the Greek words "geo," meaning "earth," and "logos," meaning "a word" or "reason." Geologists are concerned primarily with two subjects： the earth's origin and its development through time. They are also interested in the changes that have taken place on and within the earth's surface since its origin, including the changes in the positions and shapes of the continents, the movements of the earth's crust, and the development of new kinds of rocks and minerals. In order to understand these changes, geologists have learned to read the evidence provided by the rocks themselves, as well as the evidence preserved in other rocks. They have also learned to read the evidence preserved in the sediments that have accumulated on the earth's surface since its origin.\n\nThe earth is about 4.6 billion years old. Geologists divide this vast expanse of time into smaller units, each of which is characterized by particular kinds of rocks and particular kinds of events. The longer units are called "eras," and the shorter units are called "periods." These divisions of time are based primarily on the kinds of fossils that are found in the rocks. The kinds of fossils found in the rocks are determined by the kinds of plants and animals that lived during each interval of time. The kinds of plants and animals that lived during each interval of time are determined by the kinds of plants and animals that lived before them, and so on. Geologists have learned to read this record of life, called the "fossil record," in much the same way that they read the record of rocks. However, the fossil record is not as complete as the rock record. Only a small percentage of the plants and animals that have lived on the earth have been preserved as fossils.\n\nGeologists have also learned to read the record of rocks and fossils in such a way that they can reconstruct the events that have taken place on the earth since its origin. They know, for example, that some events have occurred in the past that are not occurring today. They know, for example, that dinosaurs lived on the earth for about 100 million years, but became extinct about 65 million years ago. They know, for example, that the first human beings appeared on the earth only a few million years ago. They know, for example, that the earth's climate has changed many times, and that some of these changes have been so extensive that they caused the extinction of many kinds of plants and animals. They know, for example, that the earth's surface is made up of a number of large and small plates that move in relation to one another. They know, for example, that the continents are located on these plates, and that the positions and shapes of the continents have changed many times. \n\n翻译：\n\n第一篇\n问题1至问题5基于以下文章。\n\n"地质学"这个词的意思是"对地球的研究"。它源自希腊词"geo"，意思是"地球"，和"logos"，意思是"一个词"或"原因"。地质学家主要关注两个主题：地球的起源以及它的发展。他们还对自地球起源以来地表发生的变化感兴趣，包括大陆的位置和形状的变化，地壳的运动以及新类型的岩石和矿物质的形成。为了理解这些变化，地质学家学会了阅读岩石本身所提供的证据，以及保存在其他岩石中的证据。他们还学会了阅读自地球起源以来在地表积累的沉积物中保存的证据。\n\n地球大约有46亿年的历史。地质学家将这段广阔的时间分为小单位，每个单位都以特定的岩石类型和特定的事件为特征。较长的单位被称为"纪"，较短的单位被称为"期"。这些时间的划分主要基于岩石中发现的化石的种类。岩石中发现的化石种类取决于每个时间间隔内生活的植物和动物的种类。生活在每个时间间隔内的植物和动物的种类又取决于生活在它们之前的植物和动物的种类，以此类推。地质学家已经学会了阅读这个被称为"化石记录"的生命记录，就像他们阅读岩石记录一样。然而，化石记录并不像岩石记录那样完整。只有地球上生活过的植物和动物的很小一部分被保存为化石。\n\n地质学家还学会了以一种能够重建自地球起源以来发生的事件的方式来阅读岩石和化石的记录。例如，他们知道过去发生过一些现在不再发生的事件。例如，他们知道恐龙在地球上生活了大约1亿年，但在约6500万年前灭绝了。例如，他们知道人类只在几百万年前出现在地球上。例如，他们知道地球的气候已经多次发生变化，其中一些变化是如此广泛以至于导致了许多植物和动物的灭绝。例如，他们知道地球表面由许多大大小小的板块组成，这些板块相对运动。例如，他们知道大陆位于这些板块上，而且大陆的位置和形状已经多次发生变化。\n\n剖析：\n\n这篇文章主要介绍了地质学的研究范围和方法，包括对地球起源和发展的研究，对地球表面变化的关注，以及地质学家通过阅读岩石和化石记录来重建地球历史上发生的事件。文章指出，地质学家通过研究岩石和化石记录，可以了解到地球上过去发生的各种事件，如恐龙的灭绝、人类的出现、气候变化以及大陆位置和形状的变化。地质学家通过研究这些证据，努力揭示地球自其起源以来的发展和变化过程。