这是地球表面的一道裂缝 一眼望不到头
But even this is is just a small part of something farbigger.
然而这仅仅是整体中一个很小的部分
To the left is a gigantic slab of the Earth's crust
这是地壳上一个巨大板块的边界
which runs unbroken for over 4,000 miles
完好无损的延绵了7千公里
from here,under the Atlantic,
就从这里开始 穿过大西洋
across the USA,all the way to California.
横跨美国 一直到达加利福尼亚
It's what's known as the North America Plate.
也就是北美大陆板块
The earth's surface is broken up into seven major chunks called plates.
地壳表面分成七大块，称为板块
They are so enormous, that they can carry an entire continent
他们是如此的广袤 他们连同大陆板块
and extend far under the sea.
一直延伸到海底
Strip away the Atlantic and the long boundary between two of plates
剥离掉大西洋你会看到两个板块间
that runs along the ocean floor,is exposed,
长长的分界线 沿着海底
until it rises above the waves,
一直延伸到海岸上
and cuts through Iceland,
穿过冰岛
to eventually join up with the rock face at Thingvellir.
最终在古议会遗址处和岩层汇合
These sheer rock faces were once joined together,
这些岩层曾经是连在一起的
but driven by the churning force of molten rock beneath them,
但受到熔岩下方庞大地质力量的作用
the land was split apart.
陆地被分裂开
