广阔的冰原

Twenty thousand years ago,

两万年前

this part of America was at the edge of a vast ice sheet.

美国的这部分地区正处于广阔的冰原。

It covered much of the Northern Hemisphere.

它覆盖了北半球大部分地区

In some places, the ice would have towered over any modern skyscraper.

在一些地方，冰层比摩天大楼还高

When it retreated, just as in Yosemite,

当它退去，就像约塞米蒂

the ice left behind these boulders and rock smoothed and polished by ice.

冰带走这些岩石和留下一片平滑光亮的土地

The ice exposed a hard bedrock called schist

冰使一种叫片岩的硬岩床暴露出来

solid enough for sinking deep foundations to support tall buildings.

能挖出足够坚固的地基 来支撑高楼大厦

Without this bedrock, New York could not have been built so high.

没有这些岩床，纽约不可能建这么高的楼

The one part of the skyline that dips

大冰原堆积起散沙和沙砾

is the one place where the ice sheet deposited loose sand and gravel,

使一部分地平面倾斜

no good for building towering skyscrapers.

对于建造摩天大楼很不利

重点讲解

1、retreat

退避;后退;离开

'I've already got a job,' I said quickly, and retreated from the room.

“我已经有了一份工作。”我马上说道，并从房间里退了出来。

The young nurse pulled a face at the Matron's retreating figure.

看着护士长离去的身影，这个年轻的护士做了个鬼脸。

(军队)撤退，退却

The French, suddenly outnumbered, were forced to retreat.

人数突然处于劣势的法军被迫撤退。

Retreating soldiers were dousing homes and shops with petrol and setting them on fire.

撤退的士兵把汽油浇到住宅和商店上，并放火焚烧。

放弃，远离（计划、生活方式等）；从…中隐退

I believe people should live in houses that allow them to retreat from the harsh realities of life.

我认为人们所居住的房子应该能让他们远离残酷的现实生活。

From bouncing confidence she had retreated into self-pity.

她从信心百倍变得自怜自哀。

2、support

支持;赞同;拥护

The vice president insisted that he supported the hard-working people of New York.

副总统坚称他支持辛勤工作的纽约人。

The National Union of Mineworkers pressed the party to support a total ban on imported coal.

全国矿工工会向该政党施压，要求其同意全面禁止煤炭进口。

帮助;支持;支援;援助

It was hard to come to terms with her death after all the support she gave to me and the family.

她曾经给予我和家人莫大的帮助，她的死讯令人难以接受。

We hope to continue to have her close support and friendship.

我们希望她能继续大力支持，并能与她维持亲密友谊。

资助;供养;赡养

I have children to support, money to be earned, and a home to be maintained.

我要抚养孩子，挣钱养家。

She sold everything she'd ever bought in order to support herself through art school.

为了供自己读完艺术学校，她把过去购置的所有东西都卖掉了。