The Antarctic continent has mountain ranges similar in size to the European Alps. But whereas the Alps' snowcaps are just deep enough for skiing, Antarctic mountains are swallowed up by their caps, and lie buried beneath an ice sheet that is five kilometers thick.

南极大陆的山脉覆盖的面积与欧洲的阿尔卑斯山差不多。不过阿尔卑斯山顶积雪的深度仅够滑雪，南极大陆的山脉却被积雪吞噬，深埋在厚达五公里的冰层下。

(短文节选,本篇始于：南极大陆)