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The tectonic plates that make up the world's crust
构成地壳的各个构造板块
grind against each other,
相互挤压
building up huge amounts of stress.
逐渐累积起巨大的压力
The stress produces cracks known as faults.
压力造成了被称之为断层的裂缝
Wherever there's a fault,
有断层的地方
there might one day be an earthquake.
总有一天会有地震发生
We know that earthquakes happen
我们知道地震的发生
because stress builds up in the crust
是因为地壳中逐渐累积的压力
and finally you overcome the friction and you slip suddenly.
最终克服了摩擦力 突然释放
Actually, an analogy is snapping your fingers.
其实 就好比打响指
When you snap your fingers
当你打响指时
you have two surfaces in frictional contact.
两个面接触摩擦
But, all right, now I'm trying to say
而现在我想说明的是
what micro-second they're going to move on
在某一微秒时手指将会动起来
and that's going to be exactly
而这恰恰就是
what point the friction is overcome.
摩擦力被克服的那一时间点
That's,There's a lot of processes going on there.
这其中经历了很多的过程
But even though scientists know
但即便是科学家知道
how and where earthquakes happen,
地震形成的原因和发生地点
the question they can't answer is the one that matters most.
对最关键的一个问题 却仍无法作答
So on May the 11th did you think
5月11日那天 你有没想到
there was going to be a big earthquake in China?
中国会发生一场大地震
No. There's nobody who on May 11th said
不 在5月11日 没人说过
there's gonna be an earthquake.
马上就会发生大地震
There are plenty of people on May 13th said
倒是有不少人在5月13日说
"I really did know this two days earlier. "
我两天前就知道 会有这场地震
It's a far cry from the picture of just couple of decades ago.
这跟几十年预测帕克菲尔德地震那次 是两回事

重点解释

The tectonic plates that make up the world's crust grind against each other,building up huge amounts of stress.构成地壳的各个构造板块相互挤压，逐渐累积起巨大的压力

build up:逐步增长；增进；加强；积累

She was studying to build up her algebra.

她在学习以提高自己的代数水平。

He tried to build up his strength.

他试图增进体质。

huge amounts of:大量的

She spent a huge amount of money on that coat.

她花了大笔的钱买那件衣服。

They spent huge amounts of money on the bridge.

他们造这座桥花了大量的钱。

It's a far cry from the picture of just couple of decades ago.这跟几十年预测帕克菲尔德地震那次，是两回事

far cry from:与 ... 有天壤之别

The climate in Alaska is a far cry from that of Florida.

阿拉斯加与佛罗里达的气候相差甚远

Life on a farm is a far cry from what I've been used to.

农场生活与我已过惯的日子迥然不同。