Reading 'Lake Vostok'①
Beneath the white blanket of Antarctica lies half a continent of virtually uncharted territory- an area so completely hidden that scientists have little clue what riches await discovery. Recently, Russian and British glaciologists identified an immense lake- one of Earth's largest and deepest- buried beneath 4,000meters of ice immediately below Russia's Vostok Station.
continent: one of the seven large land masses on the earth's surface, surrounded, or mainly surrounded, by sea and usually consisting of various countries.
ex) Stanley traversed the African continent from west to east.
The continents make up about 35% of the earth's crust.
virtually: almost
ex) Their twins are virtually identical.
That wine stain on my shirt has virtually disappeared.
uncharted: an uncharted place or situation is completely new and therefore has never been described before.
(Synonyms: unfamiliar/unknown/blind/foreign)
clue: a sign or some information that helps you to find the answer to a problem, question,or mystery.
ex) Police are still looking for clues in their search for the missing girl.
I'm never going to guess the answer if you don't give me a clue.
await: to wait or be waiting for something.
(Synonyms: expect/wait)
ex) He's anxiously awaiting his test results.
A marvellous reception awaited me on my first day ar work.
glaciologist: a scientist who studies glaciers and other natural phenomena involving ice.
glacier: a large mass of ice that moves slowly.
phenomena: something that exists and can be seen, felt, tasted, etc.,
especially something unusual or interesting. (phenomenon)
involve: if an activity, situation, etc. involves something, that thing is a part of
the activity, etc.,
if a situationinvolves someone or something, he, she, or it is affected
by it.
to include someone in something, or to make them take part in or
feel part of it.
identify: to recognize someone or something and say or prove who or what that person or things is. (synonyms: tell)
ex) Even the smallest baby can identify its mother by her voice.
immense: extremely large in size or degree.
ex) They spent an immense amount of time getting the engine into perfect condition.
bury: to put something into a hole in the ground and cover it.
ex) The dog trotted off to bury its bone.
beneath: in or to a lower position than someone or something, under someone or something.(synonyms: under/below)
ex) Jaime hid the letter beneath a pile of papers.
