INTERVIEWER: We're pleased to welcome Dr. Martin Merrywhether of the Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand who has come along to talk to us today about the role of the Centre and the Antarctic Treaty.

主持人：我们很荣幸的邀请到了来自新西兰基督城南极研究中心的马丁·梅里韦瑟博士来和我们聊一聊南极研究中心和《南极条约》的作用。

INTERVIEWER: Now my first question is about the choice of location for the centre.

主持人：我要问的第一个问题是关于南极研究中心的选址问题。

Why Christchurch? Was it because of the climate?

为什么选择基督城？是跟那里的气候有关系吗？

DOCTOR: Well actually New Zealand is the second closest country to Antarctica and Christchurch is often used on Antarctic expeditions.

博士：实际上新西兰是离南极洲第二近的国家，而很多南极远征都会选择基督城作为大本营。

INTERVIEWER: Right, so it's because of where we are ... coupled with our historical role.

主持人：知道了。所以主要是因为地理位置……再加上这里的历史地位。

So tell us - what is the main purpose of the centre?

好，那能不能告诉我们南极研究中心的主要用途是什么呢？

DOCTOR: Well ... we have two complementary roles.

博士：这个……研究中心主要起到两方面的补充性作用。

One is as a scientific base for expeditions and research and the other is as an information centre.

一方面我们作为南极远征队的的大本营，同时这里也是一个信息中心。

INTERVIEWER: Tell us something about the role as a scientific base.

主持人：能不能跟我们说一说作为远征大本营这里主要都做些什么？

DOCTOR: We're able to provide information about what scientists should take with them to the South Pole - for example, the centre contains a clothing warehouse where expeditions are supplied with suitable clothing for the extreme conditions.

博士：我们给要去往南极考察的科学家们提供一些物资上的信息和补给——比如说，我们中心有一个服装库房，我们给科考队提供能够应对最恶劣环境的服装。

INTERVIEWER: I suppose you need a bit more than your normal winter coat!

主持人：那他们穿的衣服和普通的冬季服装肯定不一样吧！

DOCTOR: Yes, exactly and then there's also the specialist library and mapping services.

博士：没错。另外中心还设有专业的书籍和地图。

INTERVIEWER: Right. And which countries are actually located at the centre?

主持人：好的。现在有哪些国家进驻了中心呢？

DOCTOR: Well ... the centre houses research programmes for New Zealand, for The United States as well as for Italy ... there's even a US post office at the American airforce base here.

博士：呃…现在有研究项目进驻中心的国家包括新西兰、美国、意大利……美国在这里的空军基地甚至还设立了一个邮局。

INTERVIEWER: Really? And what does the visitor's centre offer?

主持人：真的呀？那你们的游客中心又是干什么的呢？

DOCTOR: Well, since very few people will ever experience the Antarctic first hand, the visitors' centre aims to recreate the atmosphere of Antarctica.

博士：考虑到只有极少数人能够真正抵达南极，所以我们在游客中心模拟了南极的环境。

There's a mock camp site where you can see inside an Antarctic tent and imagine yourself sleeping there.

中心里有一个模拟大本营，你可以看到真正的南极帐篷里的样子，想象自己睡在大本营。

And the centre also acts as a showcase for the unique international co-operation which exists in Antarctica today.

而这个中心也是南极现行的独特国际合作方式的体现。

INTERVIEWER: What is it actually like at the South Pole?

主持人：南极到底是什么样子的？

I know you've been there on a number of occasions.

我知道您去过好几次。

DOCTOR: Yes, I have and each time I'm struck by the awesome beauty of the place.

博士：是的。我去过几次，而每一次我都被南极的美丽所震撼。

It's magnificent but you can really only visit it in the summer months.

那景象太壮观了，但你只能在夏季的几个月去。

INTERVIEWER: October to March.

主持人：十月到来年三月。

DOCTOR: Yes, because it's completely dark for four months of the year (pause) ... and in addition it has to be the coldest place on earth.

博士：是的。那里一年有整整四个月的极夜…到那个时候南极也是地球上最寒冷的地方。

INTERVIEWER: Colder than the North Pole? Why's that?

主持人：比北极还冷吗？ 为什么呢？

DOCTOR: Well, unlike the North Pole, which is actually a frozen sea, Antarctica is a land mass shaped like a dome, with the result that the winds blow down the slopes at speeds of up to 150 km an hour and that's what makes it so cold.

博士：这个嘛，北极实际上就是一片冰封的海域，而南极就不一样了，它是一块像圆顶一样隆起的陆地，风沿着山脊而下，时速可达150公里，所以会特别寒冷。

And one other interesting thing is that Antarctica is the driest continent on earth, surprisingly, and so you have to drink large amounts of water when you're there.

还有一个有意思的地方是，南极居然是世界上最干燥的大陆，到那儿你得大量的喝水。

INTERVIEWER: How old is Antarctica?

主持人：南极大陆的形成有多长时间了？

DOCTOR: We're pretty sure it was part of a larger land mass but it broke away from the rest of the continent 170 million years ago.

博士：我们现在比较确定的是南极大陆曾经是一个更大的大陆板块的一部分，然后在1.7亿年前左右从那块大陆分离了出来。

INTERVIEWER: How can you be certain of this?

主持人：您为什么能这么确定呢？

DOCTOR: ... because fossils and rocks have been discovered in Antarctica which are the same as those found in places such as Africa and Australia.

博士：……因为在南极洲发现的化石和岩石和在非洲和澳大利亚发现的标本是一样的。

INTERVIEWER: Amazing ... To think that it was once attached to Africa ...

主持人：真不可思议……这里居然曾经和非洲连在一起……