比90年代快七倍
British glaciologist Joseph Cook discovered that there have been algae growing on the surface of the ice sheet in Greenland.
英國冰河學學者約瑟夫庫克發現格陵蘭島的冰原表面出現冰藻。
glacier(n.)冰川;冰河glaciology(n.)冰河學glaciologist(n.)冰河學者surface(n.)表面
The algae produce a purple-brown pigment which acts as a natural sunscreen, protecting themselves from the sun and melting the ice.
它產生一種紫褐色的色素，就像是天然的防曬霜一樣保護冰藻不被曬死並使冰原融化。
pigment(n.)色素;顏料act as...=像...產生某作用natural(adj.)天然的;自然的protect sth. from…=保護某物免於...
“If you go out on a hot day wearing a black T-shirt, you get warmer than if you go out on a hot day wearing a white T-shirt. The same thing happens on the ice,” said Cook.
庫克表示：「如果你在大熱天穿黑色衣服外出，你會覺得比穿白色衣服更熱一些。同樣的事情發生在這些冰原上。」
warm-warmer-warmest
He added that the algae act as the black T-shirt for the glacier and cause the ice to warm up in the sun and melt faster.
他補充說冰藻就像冰川的黑色衣服一樣，導致冰原在日光下升溫且更快融化。
warm up=暖化;使~升溫
Cook’s research shows that the algae are responsible for up to 13 percent of the ice melt in a certain part of Greenland.
庫克的研究發現，格陵蘭島上高達13%的冰原融化是冰藻造成的，
be responsible for=對某事負責A is responsible for B=A是導致B的成因His misjudgment is responsible for the loss.
In some areas, the algae sped up ice melt by 26 percent.
有些區域的冰原融化速度還因此加快了26%。
speed up=加速speed-sped-sped
In fact, these algae are not a new thing since they were recorded in the diaries of polar explorers from the 1870’s.
事實上，冰藻並非新型的微生物，因為早在1870年代就已經有極地探險家在日記裡記錄了冰藻的存在。
polar(adj.)極地的;兩極的
It is global warming that increases the temperature and reduces the snowfall.
是全球暖化導致了氣溫上升與降雪量減少，
global(adj.)全球性的global warming=全球暖化global economy=全球經濟global village=地球村increase(v.)(n.)增加decrease(v.)(n.)減少snowfall(n.)降雪(量)
A greater surface area of the ice is exposed to the sun, releasing water and nutrients which allows the algae to grow and spread.
冰原有很大一塊面積曝露於日光下，冰原中的水分與養分釋出，致使冰藻成長繁殖。
be exposed to sth.=曝露於~be exposed to the public=為大眾所知release(v.)釋出;釋放nutrient(n.)養分allow sth. to RV=讓某事發生
A study found that glaciers are more sensitive to warming climate than we previously thought.
研究顯示，冰川對氣候暖化的反應比我們之前想的都還要敏感。
be sensitive to=對~敏感;容易被冒犯;對某事反應明顯或劇烈He is sensitive to criticism.more adj. than...=比...更~previously(adv.)之前地;先前地
The Greenland ice is melting seven times faster than it was in the 1990s.
格陵蘭島冰原融化的速度比1990年代快了七倍。
~ times faster than...=比...快了~倍
Cook said that previous estimates of sea-level rise may have been too low because of a lack of information about the role of the algae.
庫克表示，由於缺乏對這些冰藻的認識，因此專家學者先前對於海平面上升所估測的速率可能過低。
estimate(n.)(v.)估計;估算Experts estimate a 9-percent unemployment rate in this country.sea-level rise=海平面上升a lack of ...=缺乏~