播客

描述

词汇提示

1.dip 下沉

2.slopes 斜坡

3.deposits 沉积

4.borax 硼砂

5.hitched 拉

6.salt flats 盐碱地

7.continental 大陆的

8.coastal 海岸的

原文

Death Valley - California

The steep mountains of southeastern California dip suddenly into a deep valley.

Rain is kept out of the valley by the high mountains, which form its western slopes.

Although mountains surround the valley, Death Valley itself is very low.

In fact, its lowest point is 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point of land in North or South America

Death Valley is about 140 miles long, but only a few miles wide.

It got its name in 1849 during the California Gold Rush.

Gold seekers attempted to cross Death Valley on the way to California's goldfields, and some died of thirst there.

There is hardly any water in the Valley.

The average rainfall is only a couple of inches a year.

It is also one of the hottest places in North America in the summer.

Temperatures of 134 have been recorded.

As a result of this heat and dryness, Death Valley is a desert.

These conditions give rise to the Valley's most important products - mineral salts and salt deposits.

One of these products is borax, which has many industrial uses.

Borax was removed from the desert using 20 mule teams hitched in a long string.

Later, a railway was built to help carry out these minerals.

In spite of its desert conditions, Death Valley has considerable animal and plant life.

Of course, its animals and plants are those typical in desert conditions.

Only on the salt flats do plants refuse to grow.

With even a small rainfall in the spring, the desert will come alive with wild flowers.

Very few places in the world have such a contrast in heights and depths.

The mountains near the Valley are among the highest in Continental U.S.A.

Mount Whitney at 14,495 feet is less than 100 miles from Death Valley.

The climate in the Valley from October to May is generally pleasant.

Since Death Valley is now a national park, many tourists visit during this season.

Now roads and hotels provide comfortable access.

Death Valley is located close to the Nevada border.

Its desert conditions are common throughout the area of the American west just east of coastal mountains

In most cases, heavy rain falls along the coast, but very little in the interior.

Because there is no farming and water is hard to obtain，Death Valley and similar desert areas have very few permanent residents.

翻译

加利福尼亚州死亡谷

加利福尼亚州东南部陡峭的山脉突然陷入深谷。
雨水被高山挡在山谷之外，高山形成了山谷的西坡。
虽然山谷周围群山环绕，但死亡谷本身很低。
事实上，它的最低点是海平面以下282英尺，是北美或南美陆地的最低点
死亡谷长约140英里，但只有几英里宽。
它于1849年加利福尼亚淘金热期间得名。
淘金者试图在前往加州金矿的途中穿越死亡谷，一些人在那里渴死了。
山谷里几乎没有水。
每年的平均降雨量只有几英寸。
它也是北美夏季最热的地方之一。
记录的温度为134华氏度。
由于炎热和干燥，死亡谷变成了沙漠。
这些条件产生了山谷最重要的产品——矿物盐和盐矿床。
其中一种产品是硼砂，它有许多工业用途。
硼砂是用20个拴在长绳上的骡子队从沙漠中运走的。
后来，修建了一条铁路来运送这些矿物。
尽管沙漠条件恶劣，死亡谷仍有大量的动植物。
当然，它的动物和植物是沙漠环境中的典型。
只有在盐碱地上，植物才会拒绝生长。
即使春季降雨量很小，沙漠里也会开满野花。
世界上很少有地方在高度和深度上有这样的对比。
山谷附近的山脉是美国大陆最高的山脉之一。
位于14495英尺的惠特尼山距离死亡谷不到100英里。
10月至5月，山谷的气候总体上是宜人的。
由于死亡谷现在是国家公园，许多游客在这个季节游览。
现在，道路和酒店提供了舒适的通道。
死亡谷位于内华达州边界附近。
它的沙漠条件在美国西部沿海山脉以东的整个地区都很常见
在大多数情况下，沿海地区会下大雨，但内陆地区很少。
由于没有农业，水很难获得，死亡谷和类似的沙漠地区几乎没有永久居民。

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