“超級巨浪” 是時而驚擾寧靜海面上可能出現的驚濤駭浪，這類波浪出現的頻率有所下降，但是強度卻有所增加。這是研究人員在分析了美國西海岸浮標 20 年來的數據后得出的觀測結果。

文字稿

Rogue waves can reach more than 30 metres high and at their worst can sink ships and sweep people out to sea.

“超級巨浪” 最高可達 30 多米，最猛烈的海浪可擊沉船只、把船員卷入海中。

To better understand how and when they might strike, scientists looked at 20 years of data collected along the west coast of America. Over this period, the frequency of these waves decreased slightly. But when they did appear, they were growing in size.

為深入了解它們突然出現的原理和時間，科學家們對從美國西海岸采集到的 20 年來的數據進行了研究。在此期間，這類海浪出現的頻率略有下降。但每次出現時，波浪的大小在逐漸增長。

This was especially marked during the winter, where the waves intensified, increasing in height and occurring more often in calmer seas. These trends may be local to this area but the researchers now want to find out what’s driving these variations and to see how they're related to climate change.

這一現象在冬天尤為明顯：海浪的威力加強、高度上升，在更平靜的海況中出現的頻次也有所增加。上述趨勢可能只是該地區的局部現象，但現在研究人員們想找出推動這些變化的原因，并弄清超級巨浪與氣候變化之間的聯系。

The waves pose a serious risk for the global shipping industry and scientists say more data is now needed from around the rest of the world to help predict when and where these waves could strike.

這類海浪對全球海運行業構成嚴重的威脅，科學家們表示，現在他們需要世界其它地區提供更多數據，以幫助預測巨浪侵襲的時間及地點。

1. 詞匯

rogue waves 超級巨浪
sink 擊沉
sweep （海浪）卷走
strike 突然出現、突然侵襲
frequency 頻率、頻次
marked 以…為特征
intensified 加劇了、加強了
driving 推動、驅使
climate change 氣候變化
pose 構成、帶來
predict 預測

2. 閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題 。

1. True or false? Although rogue waves are growing in size, they don’t happen quite as often.

2. Which part of the world did this research take place in?

3. How much do scientists think climate change is affecting the size and intensity of rogue waves in the winter?

4. What could help scientists work out where future rogue waves might strike?

3. 答案

1. True or false? Although rogue waves are growing in size, they don’t happen quite as often.
True. Data collected over 20 years found the frequency of rogue waves decreased slightly. But when they did appear, they were growing in size.

2. Which part of the world did this research take place in?
Scientists looked at 20 years of data collected along the west coast of America.

3. How much do scientists think climate change is affecting the size and intensity of rogue waves in the winter?
Scientists don’t know yet. Researchers now want to find out what’s causing these variations and to see how they're related to climate change.

4. What could help scientists work out where future rogue waves might strike?
Scientists want to collect more data from around the rest of the world to help predict when and where these waves could strike.