Talk of the town：Volcanic eruption
【明報專訊】On 18 December 2023, a volcanic eruption occurred in Grindavik, which is located in southwestern Iceland. Within less than a month, another volcanic eruption happened in southwestern Iceland on 14 January 2024, sending molten lava into a nearby town and setting houses ablaze.
A substantial amount of underground magma burst through the surface. The eruption has caused a long fissure and the orange-red smoke led to a pervasive haze in the surroundings. It marked the largest eruption in the region in recent years, surpassing the initial predictions of volcanic experts.
◆What is a volcanic eruption?
A volcanic eruption is when a volcano explodes and shoots out hot lava, gas, and rocks. Inside the earth, there is a lot of heat and pressure. Sometimes, this pressure gets too strong, and it makes the volcano burst open. The lava, which is like melted rock, flows out of the volcano, and there can be big clouds of smoke and ash too. Volcanic eruptions can be powerful and attractive to tourists. Hong Kong is not located in a region prone to volcanic activity.
◆Why is Iceland called ''the land of fire and ice''?
Iceland is called ''the land of fire and ice'' because it is a country that has a unique combination of active volcanoes and icy landscapes. The ''fire'' part refers to the numerous volcanoes present in Iceland. There are lots of volcanic activities in Iceland, with frequent eruptions and lava flows. The ''ice'' part refers to the country's icy landscapes, particularly its glaciers. Despite having volcanic activity, Iceland also has large ice caps and glaciers covering a significant portion of its land. These glaciers form stunning landscapes, including ice caves, glacial lagoons, and frozen waterfalls.
◆What are the impacts of this volcanic eruption?
Living on a land of fire and ice, Icelanders are not unfamiliar with volcanic eruptions and their government is well-prepared for them.
A major eruption in Iceland in April 2010 caused widespread disruption to air travel between Europe and North America, and people were worried that it would happen again this time. Luckily, flights at Reykjavik's international airport experienced delays due to the eruption but remained operational.
■Game
(Answer on next text)
Guess the population in Iceland.
(See the table)
A. Around 375,000
B. Around 7,000,000
C. Around 14,000,000
■Grammar Booster
(A) marks the …(B)
To represent or show a characteristic of a person/thing/feeling.
E.g. The signing of the treaty marks a major milestone in the road to carbon neutrality.
■Glossary
magma (n) 岩漿
fissure (n) 裂縫
glacier (n) 冰川
delay (n/v) 延誤
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[Smarties' Power English 第400期]
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