1、Diving Deep Look at the picture and answer the questions. Do further research if necessary. 1.What different zones are there in the ocean? 2.Which parts of the ocean do you think have been explored? 3.What do you know about the deepest part of the ocean? 1. The different zones in the ocean are Sunli
2、ght Zone, Twilight Zone, Midnight Zone and Abyssal Zone. Read the passage and find out what has been discovered in the ocean depths. Shipwrecks such as that of the Esmeralda, ruins of ancient cities like Nepolis, extraordinary deep- sea creatures such as bone-white coral and the barreleye, and the s
3、ubstance known as “fire ice” have been discovered in the ocean depths. Ocean exploration 3000000 shipwrecks lying under waters across the globe represent attempts over the centuries to explore Earths furthest corners. Esmeralda, the earliest wreck from the age of the European exploration of Asia. Ar
4、chaeological exploration As with the discovery of the Esmeralda, many archaeological finds are made in shallow waters near the coast including whole cities buried beneath the waves. One such find is the ancient Roman city of Neapolis, discovered off the coast of Tunisia. Believed to have been buried
5、 underwater by a tsunami in the fourth century AD, the ruins of Neapolis are almost 2000 years old. The remaining streets and buildings offer a window into a fascinating period in our history. However, we are only beginning to overcome the challenges of pressure, darkness and extreme cold at vast de
6、pths. Fragments of the past lying deep beneath the oceans are still waiting to be discovered. biological exploration In these waters, more than 200 metres deep, where light cannot reach, are extraordinary creatures that appear as if they are straight out of science fiction. The dark zones of the oce
7、ans may contain up to 90 per cent of the planets fish. Imagine bone-white coral 6000 metres below the oceans surface, growing at the rate of only one or two millimetres per year. Some of these could be 4000 years old . Swimming through these black depths is the barreleye, strange fish with eyes that
8、 can look upwards through its transparent forehead. In the very deepest ocean trenches that are more than 8000 metres below the surface, the pressure is equivalent to 50 aeroplanes stacked one on top of another. Yet there is still life to be found, even around the deep-sea volcanic openings. These d
9、iscoveries all help us understand the capacity for life on our planet, even in the most extreme circumstances. 庞贝蠕虫庞贝蠕虫 海葵海葵 白色盲虾白色盲虾 Furthermore, the oceans are a valuable source of natural resources, some of which are completely new to us. Most notable of these is Chinas discovery of an ice-like s
10、ubstance, known as “fire ice”, under the South China Sea. Discovery of natural resources In addition, Chinas underwater vessels, such as the Jiaolong and Shenhai Youngshi, have been holds the record for the deepest dive by a manned submarine, at 7062 metres, giving China its place alongside the worl
11、ds top ocean explorers. The research conducted by these vessels is giving scientists a greater understanding of how the sea bed was formed, as well as helping identify areas for deep-sea drilling, taking deep-sea exploration into a whole new era. Being a tough environment of complete darkness, enorm
12、ous pressure and intense cold, the ocean depths have long been beyond the reach of human exploration. However, through closer international scientific, economic and cultural cooperation, we are all becoming part of a global mission to open up our planets final frontier. A new age of oceanic discover
13、y Think about the structure of the passage and complete the diagram. 1.deep sea 2. Archaeological 3. shallow waters 4. vast depths 5. the ruins of Nepolis 6. Biological 7. the planets fish 8. the capacity for life on our planet 9. bone-white coral 10.the barreleye 11. life to be found even around th
14、e deep-sea volcanic openings 12.the sea bed 13.deep-sea drilling 14.“fire ice” 15.Chinas underwater vessels 1.Why do you think the author uses statistics in the passage? 2 What common message do the two reading passages in this unit convey? How do they each build upon this idea? The use of statistic
15、s makes the passage more convincing. Both passages convey the message that humans have the desire and means to explore the unknown. The first passage does this by looking at our fascination with historys greatest mysteries, while the second passage looks at pioneering exploration of Earths oceans. T
16、hink Egypt, with its pyramids; China, with its Sanxingdui culture, etc. These civilisations appeared at a similar time, and all developed advanced bronze-making techniques. Were they part of a single super- civilisation, as some think? Its argued that the 30th parallel north is a line of great natur
17、al energy, with frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. This creates amazing natural features, including Mount Qomolangma, the Dead Sea, and rivers, such as the Nile, the Mississippi and the Yangtze. Lacking any concrete evidence, some even claim it was supernatural powers! Scientists, however,
18、 dispute these theories. Its more likely, they argue, that civilisations arose on the 30th parallel north because the climate there is generally warm and wet. Major tectonic plates meet at this latitude, causing earthquakes, which helped form the Himalayas. The rest, they say, is either coincidence
19、or fantasy. 1.The 30th parallel north is mysterious because it is where numerous sites of ancient civilisations and impressive natural features lie. 2. Some believe that the 30th parallel north is a line of great natural energy, with frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and others even claim
20、 that its amazing natural features were caused by supernatural powers. 3. Possible scientific explanations for the 30th parallel north include the generally warm and wet climate that made it a good place for civilisations to develop, and the fact that it is where major tectonic plates meet. What is
21、the unexplained phenomenon? Why is it mysterious? What non-scientific explanations are there? How do scientists explain it? Plan an article about an unexplained phenomenon. Do further research if necessary. The Bermuda Triangle Far below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean, in a roughly triangul
22、ar area known as the Bermuda Triangle, lie more than 50 shipwrecks and 20 plane wrecks. What makes these wrecks so mysterious is that the cause of their fate remains largely unknown ships were abandoned without apparent reason, distress signals were never sent and aircraft were lost without trace. S
23、ome believe that supernatural forces are responsible, while others put the accidents and disappearances down to coincidence. Scientific theories, meanwhile, include pilot error when trying to navigate the area, and huge “rogue waves” caused by terrible storms. Although many ships and planes cross the Bermuda Triangle without incident, the stories behind those doomed vessels fates continue to capture peoples imaginations. Explore into the unknown
