Decades of satellite observations have now provided the most detailed view of how Antarctica continually sheds ice accumulated from snowfall into the ocean.
The new map is based on an ice-tracking technique that is 10 times as precise as methods used for previous Antarctic surveys, researchers reported online July 29 in Geophysical Research Letters. It offers the first comprehensive view of how ice moves across all of Antarctica, including slow-moving ice in the middle of the continent rather than just rapidly melting ice at the coasts.
A glaciologist at the University of California, Irvine, uncovered subtle movements of Antarctic ice with a kind of measurement called InSAR data. By using a satellite to bounce radar signals off a patch of ice, researchers can determine bow quickly that ice is moving toward or away from the satellite. Combining observations of the same spot from different angles reveals the speed and direction of the ice’s motion along the ground.
The new map based on satellite radar data reveals the velocity(速度) of ice flow across Antarctica from areas of high altitude to the coasts. Inland ice moves incredibly slowly-much of it moves along at fewer than 10 meters per year. Closer to the ocean, ice can travel hundreds to thousands of meters per year.
To get multiple vantage points(有利地点) of the same patches of ice, researchers had to cobble together(拼凑) data from about half a dozen satellites launched by Canada, Europe and Japan since the early 1990s. “Each brought a little piece of the puzzle,” says study coauthor Eric Rignot. “A drawback is that it requires a lot more data, namely multiple passes at different angles over the same point on the ground -a problem that was solved by a community of international space agencies,” added Eric.
The resulting map reveals how ice flows from points of high altitude, known as basin boundaries toward the coast. For 80 percent of Antarctica, the map shows average ice velocity down to about 20 centimeters per year. That’s a major upgrade from previous maps, which relied on ice-tracking techniques with uncertainties of a few meters per year.
1. What can be learned about the new ice flow map?| A．It is of the same preciseness as previous research |
| B．It provides better weather forecast in the Antarctic. |
| C．It is a groundbreaking research result in recent years. |
| D．It gives detailed description of melting ice at the coast. |
| A．The average ice flow speed reaches the highest level. |
| B．Inland ice travels much slower than ice in coastal area |
| C．Most of the ice moves from higher places to the ocean. |
| D．Rapid-melting ice in Antarctica travels in the same direction. |
| A．By testing and developing new scientific equipment. |
| B．By measuring and recording the velocity of ice flow. |
| C．By collecting and analyzing data from different satellites. |
| D．By comparing and classifying maps drawn by other researchers. |
| A．Better observation needs international cooperation. |
| B．Many puzzles remain to be solved about the satellites. |
| C．Data-processing technology is the key to the research |
| D．Western countries take the lead in current ice flow study. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Everywhere I look outside my home I see people busy on their high-tech devices, while driving, walking, shopping, even sitting in toilets. When connected electronically, they are away from physical reality.
People have been influenced to become technology addicted. One survey reported that "addicted" was the word most commonly used by people to describe their relationship to iPad and similar devices. One study found that people had a harder time resisting the allure of social media than they did for sleep, cigarettes and alcohol.
The main goal of technology companies is to get people to spend more money and time on their products, not to actually improve our quality of life. They have successfully created a cultural disease. Consumers willingly give up their freedom, money and time to catch up on the latest information, to keep pace with their peers or to appear modern.
I see people trapped in a pathological relationship with time-sucking technology, where they serve technology more than technology serves them. I call this technology servitude. I am referring to a loss of personal freedom and independence because of uncontrolled consumption of many kinds of devices that eat up time and money.
What is a healthy use of technology devices? That is the vital question. Who is really in charge of my life? That is what people need to ask themselves if we are to have any chance of breaking up false beliefs about their use of technology. When we can live happily without using so much technology for a day or a week, then we can regain control and personal freedom, become the master of technology and discover what there is to enjoy in life free of technology. Mae West is famous for the wisdom that "too much of a good thing is wonderful." But it's time to discover that it does not work for technology.
Richard Fernandez, an executive coach at Google acknowledged that "we can be swept away by our technologies." To break the grand digital connection people must consider how life long ago could be fantastic without today's overused technology.
1. The underlined word "allure" in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.| A．advantage | B．attraction | C．adaption | D．attempt |
| A．attract people to buy their products | B．provide the latest information |
| C．improve people's quality of life | D．deal with cultural diseases |
| A．consider too much technology wonderful | B．have realized the harm of high-tech devices |
| C．can regain freedom without high-tech devices | D．may enjoy life better without overused technology |
| A．Neutral. | B．Doubtful. | C．Disapproving. | D．Supportive. |
Our pick of the month’s smartest tech
Opal Tadpole webcam
Marketed as the world’s first portable webcam, the Opal Tadpole is tiny and surprisingly affordable. Despite its small size, the camera features a directional mic that blocks surrounding noise, and offers an unexpectedly high-quality 4K camera. It can be clipped on top of any laptop and taken anywhere.
Humane AI PinThis device will seem familiar to any keen-eyed readers. Currently, it’s hard to tell if this is revolutionary or just a trend that won’t last the year. The Humane AI Pin is a device to replace your smartphone, offering an Al assistant, camera and a display that lights up on your hand. The aim is to decrease dependence on a smartphone, so you can make calls, text, check maps and do all your phone tasks in an easier way.
TranscribeGlassA smart pair of glasses with one single purpose: to record your thoughts. Designed for deaf people or those who are hard of hearing, they use a small microphone to pick up voices. Whether it’s from a conversation, a video or a museum tour, the glasses will automatically record voices and display subtitles in front of your eyes. It all happens in real time and, according to the company, is highly accurate.
CMF by Nothing Watch ProCMF is all about making popular tech more affordable. The Watch Pro costs an impressively low £69. Most competitors at that price are somewhat limited, but CMF has managed to create something that looks like the Apple Watch, while offering a lot of the same features. Sure, it isn’t quite as powerful, or feature-packed, but for this price it’s impressive what they’ve managed to cram into it.
1. What is the main purpose of the Humane AI Pin device?| A．To restrict teenagers’ screentime. | B．To reduce reliance on smartphones. |
| C．To maximize smartphones’ portability. | D．To enhance smartphones’ performance. |
| A．TranscribeGlass. | B．Humane AI Pin. |
| C．Opal Tadpole webcam. | D．CMF by Nothing Watch Pro. |
| A．Their unique designs. | B．Their affordable prices. |
| C．Their limited functions. | D．Their high-quality cameras. |
【推荐3】Faced with greater competition, movie theaters have tried multiple experiments to upgrade the cinematic experience, including bigger and brighter screens and rumbling(折叠) seats. But a major challenge for exhibitors is to make the experience more attractive without depending on tricks.
One local theater, Regal L. A. Live, is experimenting with an idea that managers say strikes the right balance between so-called increase and sensory overload. The downtown L. A. theater plans to introduce Immersive Cinema Experience known as ICE technology in one of its auditoriums(礼堂) this fall.
The 190-seat auditorium will feature a traditional screen at the front, like any other theater. But the audience will also have five LED screens on both sides that will flood moviegoers' peripheral (周围的 ) vision with lights and colors based on what's playing on the main screen. For example, if you're watching a scene that takes place in the African desert, the LED might shower the audience with enveloping colors of sky-blue, sun-like yellow sand. But importantly, viewers won't have to turn their necks to catch any additional onscreen action. "When you' re watching the movie, you actually feel very absorbed into the film," said Shelby Russell, a manager at L. A. Live. "It strengthens the mood of each of the scenes."
Regal L. A. Live will be the first U. S. theater to employ the technology. Managers did not say how much tickets will cost, but like other previous formats such as Imax, they will be more expensive than standard admissions.
Other cinemas have tried to introduce some other formats as theaters face growing threats from popular media. Results have been mixed, though. 4DX, which uses seat movements, water and scent effects, operates in more than 620 theaters around the world. On the other hand, Barcoo Escape, a once promising idea for a three-screen theatrical design, failed to catch on. Shelby said the success of ICE theaters in France, where it competes with Imax, indicates well for its U. S. expansion. "The problem with other formats is that they distract the moviegoer from the film," Shelby said. "ICE appeals to a very large audience."
1. What leads cinemas to experiment with new technology?| A．Expensive admissions |
| B．Growing competition |
| C．Mixed results of previous formats |
| D．The increasing number of moviegoers |
| A．Brighter colors |
| B．Rumbling seats |
| C．Multiple screens |
| D．Sweet-scented effects |
| A．Absorbed into the movie |
| B．Distracted from the screens |
| C．Overloaded with excitement |
| D．Tired from turning their necks |
| A．Imax failed to catch on in France. |
| B．ICE looks promising in the U.S. |
| C．Barcoo Escape is a popular design. |
| D．The use of 4DX is on the decline. |
【推荐1】A Chinese professor in Los Angeles repelled (击退) an armed robbery attempt by using martial arts last week, Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Tuesday.
Zhou Pigai, a professor at the School of Public Administration of Xiangtan University in Central China’s Hunan province, arrived in Los Angeles to participate in an academic visiting program at the University of Southern California on Oct.31.
The next day, while Zhou was looking for a place to stay in Chinatown, a neighborhood in downtown LA, a robber wearing a black mask got out of a truck parked near him and held him at gunpoint in a narrow street. Zhou, with experience in martial arts, reflexively (条件反射地) disarmed (缴械) the robber, knocking both himself and the robber down with a kick.
After Zhou got up and retreated to a nearby road, the robber pursued him, holding him at gunpoint a second time while Zhou was checking his facial injuries with his phone. Zhou handed over his luggage out of caution, but found the opportunity to strike again when the robber approached to take his backpack. The robber, struck and disarmed a second time, turned and ran with Zhou’s case toward the truck that had followed them out of the alleyway. Not knowing whether the robber had other armed suspects inside the truck, Zhou decided not to attempt to catch the robber himself.
After receiving help from several good people at a nearby Chinese market, including a witness who noted the truck’s license number, Zhou met with the community officer for the LA Chinatown Business Improvement District, and together they filed a police report.
Zhou said in interviews his actions should not be advocated due to the potential risk involved, adding his initial response was more of a reflex than a well-thought-out move. However, he also said he did not panic at the time of the incident and one should not be too quick to compromise or back down, as it would encourage criminals in the area to commit the same crime repeatedly.
1. What did Zhou go to Los Angeles for?| A．Going on a holiday. | B．Visiting one of his relatives. |
| C．Promoting Chinese martial arts. | D．Attending an academic program. |
| A．Cycled in. | B．Moved away. | C．Crawled backward. | D．Drove forward. |
| A．He was sure of the danger ahead. |
| B．He was injured badly and couldn’t move. |
| C．Someone dialed the emergency call and the police arrived. |
| D．He didn’t know if there were other robbers in the truck. |
| A．Stay calm when faced with robbery | B．Martial arts should be learned in case of danger |
| C．Chinese professor pushed robber back with kung fu | D．Chinese professor filed a police report in Los Angeles |
【推荐2】LONDON—As world leaders paid tribute(致敬) to Queen Elizabeth on her death aged 96 on Thursday, ordinary people in Britain and around the globe paid their own respects to a woman who had been the face of her nation for more than 70 years.
On a rainy London night, thousands gathered outside Buckingham. Palace, in central London, some laying flower tributes outside the black iron gates. There were similar scenes outside the queen’s Windsor Castle home. Black taxis lined up outside the palace to pay tribute to the Queen.
Portraits of Elizabeth were posted on billboard screens in central London’s Piccadilly Circus and the city’s Canary Wharf financial district, and also across the Atlantic in New York’s Times Square. Flowers were laid outside the British Consulate General in New York.
In Washington, the US flag was lowered to half staff(半旗) to mark the passing of a queen whose legacy(遗产) US President Joe Biden said “will loom large（赫然出现）in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world”.
Her death was also marked in European cities. In Berlin, flowers and candles were laid outside the British Embassy(大使馆). In Paris, the Eiffel Tower went dark at the exact time of midnight in a tribute to the Queen.
In Brazil, the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio de Janeiro was lit up in the red, blue and white of the United Kingdom’s flag, while Australia announced plans to illuminate the sails of the Sydney Opera House.
1. Where did Queen Elizabeth live?| A．London’s Canary Wharf. | B．Windsor Castle. |
| C．London’s Piccadilly Circus. | D．The British Consulate General. |
| A．In Berlin, portraits of Elizabeth were posted on screens outside the British Embassy. |
| B．In New York’s Times Square, funeral music was played softly and continuously. |
| C．In Paris, the Eiffel Tower turned brighter at midnight. |
| D．In Washington, the US flag was flown at half staff. |
| A．Break down. | B．Light up. | C．Hold back. | D．Turn over. |
| A．World mourns Queen ElizabethⅡ. |
| B．Queen ElizabethⅡ—face of Britain for over 70 years |
| C．Queen ElizabethⅡ’s legacy looms large in British history |
| D．Ordinary British people pay respects to Queen ElizabethⅡ |
【推荐3】For more than a decade, Tree House Craft Coffee & Frozen Yogurt has been a beloved part of the community in Houston’s Energy Corridor. They’ve offered espresso-based drinks, cold-brewed coffee and 12 flavors of frozen yogurt with 32 topping options. However, when the hurricane Harvey destroyed the east coast of Texas, owner Noel Montemayor stepped up to support the community in a meaningful way.
Even though his own storefront had been torn away by the storm, he brought in generators (发电机) to run the espresso and ice machines to offer beverages to first responders, providing free coffee and electricity to members of the community and keeping their restrooms open to the public. He created a place where his neighbors could escape the destruction, even if it was just for a little while.
The hurricane came just two years after Montemayor and his wife had rebranded and remodeled the shop, soon after welcoming their first child. Born and raised in Houston, it was important to him to make his community a better place. He has remained committed to that mission, providing both a positive gathering spot and local employment opportunities.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic was a roadblock at the beginning, Tree House quickly started to offer online ordering and other services to keep customers fueled with their favorite coffee and frozen yogurt. “The community plays an important role in shaping the business,” he said “It’s the reason the business is what it is today.”
Montemayor and his staff—which has grown from just a few team members when he opened to 12 full-time employees now—continue to give back by getting involved in local activities and fundraisers.
1. What did Tree House do when the COVID-19 pandemic happened?| A．It offered timely new services. |
| B．It was soon rebranded and remodeled. |
| C．It immediately provided free coffee。 |
| D．It created a place to escape the pandemic. |
| A．Tree House will enjoy a better relationship with the community. |
| B．Tree House will certainly continue to give back to the community. |
| C．Tree House will keep providing better and cheaper products. |
| D．Tree House will completely change the whole community. |
| A．Professional. | B．Responsible. | C．High-paying. | D．Profitable. |
| A．Small business can grow big quickly. |
| B．A good tradition benefits a small shop. |
| C．A good shop depends on its community. |
| D．A small business makes a big difference. |
