研究人員在蘇格蘭西海岸附近的加韋勒赫群島上發現瞭有關地球有史以來最大冰川期的最佳地質記錄，這次冰川期發生在 7.2 億年前。這場幾乎覆蓋瞭整個地球的大冰凍被稱為 “雪球地球”，它分為兩個階段，共持續瞭 8000 萬年。在此之後，地球上的第一個動物生命出現瞭。
Layers of rock can be thought of as pages of a history book – with each layer containing details of the Earth’s condition in the distant past. But the critical period leading up to Snowball Earth was thought to be missing because the rock layers were eroded in the big freeze.
不同的巖石層可以被認為是一本歷史書的不同頁，每一層都包含瞭在遙遠的過去地球狀況的細節。但是 “雪球地球” 形成的關鍵時期的記錄曾被認為是缺失的，因為巖石層曾在冰川期中受到侵蝕。
Now, a new study by researchers at University College London, has revealed that the Garvellachs somehow escaped unscathed and may be the only place on Earth to have a detailed record of how the Earth entered one of the most catastrophic periods in its history, as well as what happened when the first animal life emerged when the snowball thawed.
現在，由倫敦大學學院的研究人員進行的一項新研究表明，加韋勒赫群島不知為何毫發無損地度過瞭冰川期，成為瞭可能是地球上唯一一個詳細記錄瞭地球是如何進入其歷史上最具災難性的時期之一的地方，它也記錄瞭當 “雪球地球” 融化、第一個動物生命出現時地球上發生瞭什麼。
The discovery could mean that the islands may be awarded one of the biggest accolades in science: a golden spike, which is an actual spike hammered into a location that catalogues big transitions in the planet’s geological history.
這一發現意味著加韋勒赫群島有可能被授予科學界的最高榮譽之一——“金釘子”，這是一個真正的釘子，它將會被釘在加韋勒赫群島上記載著地球的地質歷史發生重大轉變的位置。
詞匯表
layers 層
critical period 關鍵時期
eroded 被侵蝕
unscathed 毫發無損地
emerged 出現
thawed 融化，解凍
accolades 榮譽，嘉獎
catalogues 記載，編入目錄
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。
1. What contains details of the Earth’s condition in the distant past?
2. True or False? New evidence shows that not all rock layers showing the critical period leading up to Snowball Earth are missing.
3. What two things can the rock layers in the Garvellachs tell us?
4. What is a golden spike?
答案
1. What contains details of the Earth’s condition in the distant past?
Rock layers contain details of the Earth’s condition in the distant past.
2. True or False? New evidence shows that not all rock layers showing the critical period leading up to Snowball Earth are missing.
True. A new study by researchers at University College London has revealed that the Garvellachs somehow escaped erosion.
3. What two things can the rock layers in the Garvellachs tell us?
The rock layers give us a detailed record of how the Earth became the Snowball Earth, and what happened when the first animal life emerged when the snowball thawed.
4. What is a golden spike?
A golden spike, as a science accolade, is an actual spike hammered into a location that catalogues big transitions in the planet’s geological history.
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