全球最大的活火山

云南 王開琴

全球最大的活火山——夏威夷莫納羅亞火山近40年來首次噴發……

主題語境：自然 篇幅：314詞 建議用時：6分鐘

1Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, erupted for the first time in nearly40years, US authorities said,erupting lava and ash as emergency crews went on alert.

2Flows of lava remained mostly contained within the peak's massive caldera（火山口）,but the eruption could pose a threat to nearby residents, the United States Geological Survey reported after the eruption inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

3Mauna Loa has been showing signs of building up to an eruption for years,according to the USGS, which said the ongoing eruption was visible from Kona, a town on the west coast of Hawaii's main island.

4“Lava is still erupting from the peak and is overflowing from the caldera,”the USGS said on its website, referring to the basin at the top of the volcano.While it added there were no threats to populated areas currently,it urged area residents to review preparedness procedures.“If the eruptive vents migrate outside its walls, lava flows may move rapidly downslope,”according to the USGS.

5Hawaii authorities said no evacuation orders have been given,although the peak area and several roads in the region were closed, and two shelters have been opened.Robin George Andrews, a scientist, said a larger threat exists if lava begins to pour out of the socalled rift zone.

6“While there is no evidence yet of this occurring now, the fact that it is a hazardous(危險的) mountain that hasn't erupted since 1984—the longest eruptive pause in its recorded history—is why we should all keep an eye on it,”Andrews said.

7One of six active volcanoes on the Hawaiian islands, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843, according to the USGS.The most recent eruption, in 1984, lasted 22 days and produced lava flows which reached to within about seven kilometers (four miles)of Hilo,a city to the northeast which is home to about 44,000 people today.

Reading Check

Detail 1.What can we learn about the eruption according to the USGS?

A.The eruption is out of expectation.

B.The eruption is within expectation.

C.The eruption results are under control.

D.The eruption time is accurately announced.

Detail 2.What suggestions are given to the residents in populated areas?

A.Leaving their houses as soon as possible.

B.Putting up more shelters in a short time.

C.Listening to evacuation orders often.

D.Making some preparations.

Inference 3.According to Robin George Andrews,what's the potential danger?

A.The lava may begin to pour out of the so-called rift zone.

B.Scientists ignore Mauna Loa's longest eruptive pause in history.

C.All of the six active volcanoes would erupt in future.

D.There are more people living near the volcano.

Inference 4.What's the purpose of the text?

A.To give advice on protecting the environment.

B.To stress the importance of nature's power.

C.To tell a piece of news to the readers.

D.To introduce the history of volcanoes.

Language Study

I.Difficult sentence in the text

Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, erupted for the first time in nearly 40 years, US authorities said, erupting lava and ash as emergency crews went on alert.美國當局表示，世界上最大的活火山夏威夷冒納羅亞火山，近40 年來首次噴發，隨著緊急救援人員進入戒備狀態，熔巖和火山灰噴出。

【點石成金】本句是一個主從復合句，erupting lava and ash 是現在分詞作伴隨狀語，as引導時間狀語從句。

Ⅱ.Text-centered chunks

pose a threat to 對……構成威脅

according to 根據

refer to 查閱；提到

pour out of 從……涌出來

so-called(表示不認同)所謂的

keep an eye on 注意；留意

be home to 是……的故鄉