一組科學傢被派往南大西洋考察巨型冰山 “A68a”。這座面積為3900平方公裡的龐然大物目前正在漂離英國海外領地南喬治亞的近海地區，冰山有可能在這裡擱淺。
Icebergs like A68a break away from Antarctica only every few decades. And wherever they drift, they can have a major influence on their immediate environment, changing the temperature of the sea and introducing billions of tonnes of fresh water.
每隔幾十年，就會有像 “A68a” 這樣的冰山從南極洲脫落。不論冰山漂到哪裡，都會對周圍環境產生巨大的影響，改變海水溫度，並引入數十億噸淡水。
A team led by the British Antarctic Survey is going to dispatch robot vehicles under and around A68a to see how it’s altering conditions in the marine food chain at South Georgia – from the plankton at the bottom, to the penguins, seals and whales at the top.
由英國南極調查局（British Antarctic Survey）帶領的一支考察隊將向 “A68a” 冰山的底部及其周圍派出機器人車輛，觀測它如何改變南喬治亞海洋食物鏈的狀況——從食物鏈底端的浮遊生物到頂端的企鵝、海豹和鯨魚，都屬於研究對象。
The worry is the berg could get stuck in shallows, unsettling the ecosystem for years. But scientists have also noticed that the berg is crumbling. There’s every possibility it could break apart in spectacular style very soon.
令人擔憂的是，這座冰山可能會陷入淺水處，一連數年擾亂生態系統。但科學傢們也已經註意到，這座冰山正在冰消瓦解。它很有可能在不久後解體，景象將頗為壯觀。
詞匯表
icebergs 冰山
break away from 脫離，從…脫落
drift 漂流，漂移
immediate 附近的，鄰近的
fresh water 淡水
dispatch 派出
food chain 食物鏈
plankton 浮遊生物
berg 冰山，同 “iceberg”
shallows 淺水處，淺灘
unsettling 擾亂
ecosystem 生態系統
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。
1. True or false? Icebergs drifting away from Antarctica have little impact on their immediate environment.
2. How often do icebergs like A68a break away from Antarctica?
3. Where is the team going to dispatch their robot vehicles?
4. What is the worry about the giant iceberg?
答案
1. True or false? Icebergs drifting away from Antarctica have little impact on their immediate environment.
False. Wherever they drift, they can have a major influence on their immediate environment.
2. How often do icebergs like A68a break away from Antarctica?
Icebergs like A68a break away from Antarctica only every few decades.
3. Where is the team going to dispatch their robot vehicles?
The team is going to dispatch their robot vehicles under and around A68a.
4. What is the worry about the giant iceberg?
The worry is the berg could get stuck in shallows, unsettling the ecosystem for years.
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