VII. VOLCANOES.

 The volcano is nothing more than a local fire, as much in connection with the Earth’s surface as the furnace fire built in a man’s basement to warm his house, or in his stove to cook his breakfast. When the fuel that is used in either one is consumed, the fire goes out, which is a common result in both cases. Of all the volcanoes known to have existed as evidenced by their craters¹, fully³ three-fourths have become extinct.

 

Now what causes the volcano? The Earth is filled with immense supplies of fuel, consisting in stores of coal, sulphur, oil, gas, limestone⁴, etc. While it is claimed that at the imaginary axis⁵ of the Earth there can be no friction⁶, yet when the surface is approached with all its weight of mountains and continents, here friction begins to put in its work. It is very doubtful if any volcano exists, or ever has existed whose fires[41] go to the depth of 500 miles, and more likely not half that distance.

 

On the outside of this circle, of 25,000 miles it is only reasonable to expect an enormous strain. The abrasion⁷ of limestone found in huge masses will, by process of heat, convert them into lime. The contact with water, universal throughout the Earth, will start the volcano, which by slaking⁸, this small amount of rock converted into lime will generate a heat that may ignite and produce more lime, or reach other combustibles, which may be set on fire by this; or when in contact with other substances, this would lead to reservoirs of oil and gas, and deposits of coal and sulphur. These when ignited may remain in a slight slumbering⁹ condition and burn for ages, but water will be the constant aggressor and from time to time will manifest itself by coming in contact with these burning forces thus producing the volcanic¹⁰ eruptions¹¹ and in time will be the conqueror¹³, and the crater² of the volcano will become a lake, of which evidences exist all over the Earth. That volcanoes are only local, the same as fires in our houses, is fully evident from the fact that they burn, and go out. This theory of producing volcanic eruptions can be easily demonstrated in every kitchen or casting shop in the country.[42] Kettles of hot fat or melted metals when brought in contact with water will cause a miniature eruption¹² at short notice. It is common to speak of volcanoes emitting smoke, but it is rare that such cases are ever a fact, but instead of smoke, we should say steam. The result of friction to produce effects, we claim, is well illustrated¹⁴ in shipments of cotton. Cotton shipped from India in the vessel’s hold, rarely, if ever, takes fire. From this country it is no unusual thing, and why? In India they bind¹⁵ the bales with jute or hemp¹⁶, while in this country with straps¹⁷ of iron. In the ship’s hold, there is, of course, a constant motion and rubbing together of great weight of bales which ofttimes generates the fire in the cargo¹⁸. This is the way the volcano is started, but sooner or later, water will put it out. All volcanic eruptions are credited with throwing out great volumes of water, steam, mud, ashes, stones, lava¹⁹ and sulphur. During earthquake convulsions which generally precede volcanic eruptions, the world over there is a bursting out of fresh springs as well as an increase in the present existing flows.

 

WHAT ARE VOLCANOES FOR?

If they are, as is claimed by some, for vents²⁰ to the interior molten condition, why do they become[43] extinct, so many of them, and almost invariably become lakes inside their craters?

 

With the whole center of the Earth a molten mass, there ought to be fire enough to keep them going incessantly²¹. Where does the water come from to keep up a constant outpour of steam and vapor²² in locations where it seldom rains?

 

It would seem as if the small amount of rain or snow that fell would get pretty well dried out before it arrived at a point to create an eruption by contact with melted rock, or that such a quantity could keep up steam in such an immense cauldron. There is no reason to presume that a drop of rain water ever enters a volcanic crater, except what may fall into its open mouth, which will be impossible.

 

Have Volcanoes any specific use in Earth economics? Do they tend to open up water courses from the interior and by their upheavals²³ on the continents and islands of the Earth create natural elevated reservoirs from which the lower regions of Earth can be irrigated²⁴? Do they not send out certain gases to mingle²⁵ in the atmosphere, producing favorable results in vegetation and animal life? Are not the vicinities of volcanoes noted²⁶ for the fine fruits and wines in latitudes²⁷ in which they grow?

 

1 craters   

n.火山口( crater的名词复数 )；弹坑等

参考例句：

• Small meteorites have left impact craters all over the planet's surface. 这个行星的表面布满了小块陨石留下的撞击坑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The battlefield was full of craters made by exploding shells. 战场上布满弹坑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 crater   

n.火山口，弹坑

参考例句：

• With a telescope you can see the huge crater of Ve-suvius.用望远镜你能看到巨大的维苏威火山口。
• They came to the lip of a dead crater.他们来到了一个死火山口。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

4 limestone   

n.石灰石

参考例句：

• Limestone is often used in building construction.石灰岩常用于建筑。
• Cement is made from limestone.水泥是由石灰石制成的。

5 axis   

n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线

参考例句：

• The earth's axis is the line between the North and South Poles.地轴是南北极之间的线。
• The axis of a circle is its diameter.圆的轴线是其直径。

6 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

7 abrasion   

n.磨（擦）破，表面磨损

参考例句：

• Diamonds have extreme resistance to abrasion.钻石极抗磨损。
• This analysis is helpful to the research of derailment and abrasion machenism.该分析有助于脱轨和磨耗机理的探讨。

8 slaking   

n.熟化v.满足( slake的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The surface of the concrete floor was coated by a white layer of slaking-lime. “混凝土”地面涂有白色饰面，饰面是以石灰浆涂刷而成。 来自互联网
• Slaking thirst and helping produce saliva, the sweet-and-sour prune makes a good companion on your journey. 青津梅，止渴生津，旅途好伙伴。 来自互联网

9 slumbering   

微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• It was quiet. All the other inhabitants of the slums were slumbering. 贫民窟里的人已经睡眠静了。
• Then soft music filled the air and soothed the slumbering heroes. 接着，空中响起了柔和的乐声，抚慰着安睡的英雄。

10 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

11 eruptions   

n.喷发，爆发( eruption的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year. 今年火山爆发了好几次。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Over 200 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions. 火山喷发已导致200多人丧生。 来自辞典例句

12 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。

13 conqueror   

n.征服者，胜利者

参考例句：

• We shall never yield to a conqueror.我们永远不会向征服者低头。
• They abandoned the city to the conqueror.他们把那个城市丢弃给征服者。

14 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

15 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

16 hemp   

n.大麻；纤维

参考例句：

• The early Chinese built suspension bridges of hemp rope.古代的中国人建造过麻绳悬索桥。
• The blanket was woven from hemp and embroidered with wool.毯子是由亚麻编织，羊毛镶边的。

17 straps   

n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• the shoulder straps of her dress 她连衣裙上的肩带
• The straps can be adjusted to suit the wearer. 这些背带可进行调整以适合使用者。

18 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

19 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

20 vents   

（气体、液体等进出的）孔、口( vent的名词复数 )； （鸟、鱼、爬行动物或小哺乳动物的）肛门； 大衣等的)衩口； 开衩

参考例句：

• He always vents his anger on the dog. 他总是拿狗出气。
• The Dandelion Patch is the least developed of the four active vents. “蒲公英区”在这四个活裂口中是发育最差的一个。

21 incessantly   

ad.不停地

参考例句：

• The machines roar incessantly during the hours of daylight. 机器在白天隆隆地响个不停。
• It rained incessantly for the whole two weeks. 雨不间断地下了整整两个星期。

22 vapor   

n.蒸汽，雾气

参考例句：

• The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
• This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

23 upheavals   

突然的巨变( upheaval的名词复数 )； 大动荡； 大变动； 胀起

参考例句：

• the latest upheavals in the education system 最近教育制度上的种种变更
• These political upheavals might well destroy the whole framework of society. 这些政治动乱很可能会破坏整个社会结构。

24 irrigated   

[医]冲洗的

参考例句：

• They irrigated their crops with water from this river. 他们用这条小河里的水浇庄稼。
• A crop can be sown, weeded, irrigated, and fertilized uniformly. 一种作物可以均匀一致地进行播种，除草，灌溉和施肥。

25 mingle   

vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往

参考例句：

• If we mingle with the crowd,we should not be noticed.如果我们混在人群中，就不会被注意到。
• Oil will not mingle with water.油和水不相融。

26 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

27 latitudes   

纬度

参考例句：

• Latitudes are the lines that go from east to west. 纬线是从东到西的线。
• It was the brief Indian Summer of the high latitudes. 这是高纬度地方的那种短暂的晚秋。