叠层石

But it was nothing like the atmosphere we know today.

不过这一点不像我们今天熟知的大气层

This was a witches' brew of carbon dioxide, methane and steam

这是二氧化碳，甲烷和有毒的硫化氢蒸汽

laced with poisonous hydrogen sulphide.

聚合在一起

There was no sign of the gas we humans depend upon, oxygen.

这里面没有人类赖以生存的氧气

This lethal mix was to endure for something like two billion years

这些致命的混合物孕育某些东西长达二十亿年

until primitive life began to transform the atmosphere.

直到某些意料之外的事物开始改变大气层

The sea here is full of life,

这里的大海里全是生物

but these creatures aren't what I've come for.

但这些生物不是我来此的目的

It's these curious lumps I'm interested in.

这些奇怪的块状物才是我感兴趣的

They're important because every single plant and animal,

他们很重要，因为每一个单独的动植物

in fact, every single person on the planet,

实际上，地球上每个人

owes their existence to them.

和它们都有联系

These bizarre blobs

这些奇异的小圆块

Look Like boulders washed up on the foreshore but they're not.

就像海滩上被冲刷的大圆石实际上并非如此

They're actually alive.

它们是活着的

These lumps are one of the earliest forms of life on Earth.

这些块状物是地球上最早的物种之一

They're called stromatolites.

叫做叠层石

重点讲解

1、poisonous

有毒的；引起中毒的

All parts of the yew tree are poisonous, including the berries.

紫杉的各个部分都有毒，包括浆果。

a large cloud of poisonous gas.

一大团有毒气体

极令人厌恶的；会造成危害的；恶毒的

poisonous comments.

恶毒的评论

lying awake half the night tormented by poisonous suspicions.

醒着躺了半宿，为卑劣的猜疑所折磨

2、primitive

原始的；远古的；未开化的

studies of primitive societies.

对原始社会的研究

primitive tribes.

原始部落

古老的；简陋的

The conditions are primitive by any standards.

无论用什么标准来衡量，其条件都很简陋。

The primitive surgery of those days left him virtually deaf in one ear.

那时候简陋的外科手术让他一只耳朵几乎失聪。

3、transform

转换;改变;改造

Your metabolic rate is the speed at which your body transforms food into energy.

新陈代谢率是身体把食物转换为能量的速度。

Delegates also discussed transforming them from a guerrilla force into a regular army.

代表们还讨论了把他们从游击队武装改造为正规军的问题。

改善;使改观;使改头换面

The Minister said the Urban Development Corporation was now transforming the area.

部长声称城市开发公司如今正使该地区改头换面。

A cheap table can be transformed by an interesting cover

一块趣味盎然的桌布就能使一张廉价桌子面目一新。