拿下英语六级翻译003——中国西南冰川下的红岩石
There is a rare spectacle to be found at the end of the glaciers beneath the main peak of a mountain area in southwestern China. The surface of the rocks here is an eye catching bright red. This is the heart of the Hengduan Mountains, a mountainous region in southwestern China. 145 snowy peaks over 5,000 meters above sea level are clustered here, forming an amazing group of mountains. The highest peak, Gongga Mountain, is 7,556 meters above sea level. It is the highest point in the mountainous area of Southwest China. Its giant conical peak is the cradle of glacier formation, from which 74 mature glaciers extend in all directions. The Hailuogou Glacier in the east has a huge icy waterfall measuring 1,100 meters wide, with a drop of more than 1,000 meters. The strong thawing effect leads to frequent massive icy avalanches. Giant glaciers descend all the way into dense forests. With its tip extending to 2,850 meters above sea level, it is the lowest maritime glacier in Asia. Bright red rocks can be seen almost everywhere in the valley at the end of the glacier. Scientists have found that the red blood color on the stone is not from a mineral, but a rare parasite, a rare lichen complex. Whenever the temperature and humidity are right, they spread across the rock surface, dyeing the rocks bright red. Taken away from the mountains however, they quickly change color and die. Even if they are left in peace, their life span is only four to five years, and then they will regenerate and begin coloring the rocks bright red again. Why they came into being has baffled many great minds.
在中国西南山地的主峰下，冰川末端出现了一种罕见的奇观。这里的岩石表面是一种醒目的鲜红色。这是中国西南山地横断山的核心。海拔5000米以上的145座雪峰聚集在这里形成了一个令人惊叹的群山。最高的山峰贡嘎山海拔7556米。它是中国西南山区的最高点。它巨大的圆锥形山峰是冰川形成的摇篮，74个成熟的冰川从这里向四面八方延伸。位于东部的海螺沟冰川有一个1100米宽的巨大冰瀑布，瀑布落差超过1000米。强烈融冻作用让大规模的冰崩几乎成了这里的常态。巨大的冰川一直延伸到茂密的森林中。它的顶端延伸到海拔2850米，是亚洲海拔最低的一座海洋性冰川。在冰川尽头的山谷里，几乎随处可见鲜红的岩石。科学家们发现，石头上的红色不是来自矿物，而是一种罕见的寄生虫，一种罕见的地衣复合体。只要温度和湿度合适，它们就会扩散到岩石表面，将岩石染成鲜艳的红色。然而，离开了山脉，它们很快就会变色并死亡。即便原地不动，它们的寿命也只有四到五年，然后又会再生重新把岩石染红。它们究竟因何而生至今仍是未解之谜。
spectacle n. 壮观 / 惊人的表演 / 景象
cluster n. 一丛 / 一群 / <天文>星团 / <语言学>辅音群
v. 群集 / 聚集 / 群聚 / 丛生
conical adj. 圆锥形的
cradle n. 摇篮 / 发祥地 / 脚手架
v. 捧住 / <喻>是…的摇篮地 / 把...搁在支架上
avalanche n. 雪崩 / 山崩 / 大量
v. 崩塌 / 雪崩 / 包围 / 冲走
