难以预计的巨变

Throughout Earth's history

翻开地球的历史

as carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have changed,

大气层二氧化碳浓度有所变化

so has the temperature of the whole planet.

使得整个地球的温度

In fact, it's now becoming clear

事实上，现在逐渐了解

that even relatively small changes in carbon dioxide

甚至是细微的二氧化碳浓度变化

could begin a chain reaction.

也会导致连锁反应

And this would lead to unexpectedly large changes in our climate.

这会使得我们的气候产生难以预计的巨变

To find out what this might mean for our future, I'm off to Siberia.

为了这对于我们的未来意味着什么，我前往西伯利亚

This is one of the remotest and coldest regions on the planet,

这是地球上最遥远和寒冷的地方

and yet hidden in this frozen ground is the potential for a climate disaster.

目前有一个潜在的气候灾祸在这片冰原下

It's called methane,

被称为甲烷

and it's a far more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

这是比二氧化碳要强得多的温室气体

And that's what I'm looking for.

那正是我找寻的

重点讲解

1、relatively

相对而言;比较起来;某种程度上

The sums needed are relatively small.

需要的金额相对较小。

I like to think I'm relatively easy to get along with.

我愿意认为自己相对比较容易相处。

2、potential

潜在的；可能的

The firm has identified 60 potential customers at home and abroad.

该公司已在国内外找到60个潜在客户。

potential party members.

有可能发展成党员的人

潜力；潜质

The boy has great potential.

这个男孩非常有潜质。

The school strives to treat pupils as individuals and to help each one to achieve their full potential.

学校力求对每一个学生因材施教，帮助他们充分发挥其潜力。

可能性；潜在性

John seemed as horrified as I about his potential for violence.

约翰似乎和我一样害怕他自己会使用暴力。

The meeting has the potential to be a watershed event.

这次会议有可能成为具有转折性的事件。

3、throughout

自始至终;从头到尾;贯穿

The national tragedy of rival groups killing each other continued throughout 1990.

敌对派别相互残杀的国家悲剧 1990 年全年都在上演。

Movie music can be made memorable because its themes are repeated throughout the film.

电影音乐要想让人记住不难，因为它的主旋律贯穿影片始终。

遍及;遍布

'Sight Savers', founded in 1950, now runs projects throughout Africa, the Caribbean and South East Asia.

创始于 1950 年的国际防盲及救盲组织如今在非洲、加勒比海地区和东南亚各地都开展项目。

As we have tried to show throughout this book, companies that provide outstanding service don't do it by luck.

正如我们一直想在本书中努力表明的那样，提供优质服务的公司靠的不是运气。