I.课文注释与疑难解析1.Coveringabout14millionsquarekilometersaroundtheSouthPole,itisthefifthlargestcontinentintheworld.(P2)南极洲方圆一千四百万平方公里，是世界第五大洲。1)Coveringabout…是现在分词短语作状语。用分词作状语时要注意：①其逻辑主语必须和句子的主语一致。本句主语it指Antarctic,是covering的逻辑主语。②如果作状语的是过去分词，其逻辑主语和句子的主语是被动关系。e.g.Coveredwithsnowandice,Antarcticappearsawhiteworld.由于被冰雪覆盖，南极洲是一个银白色的世界。在本句中，Antarctic与covered是被动关系：Antarcticiscoveredwithsnowandice.2)thefifthlargestcontinent第五大洲表示程度上的排序，用“the+序数词+最高级”e.g.TheYellowRiveristhesecondIongestinchina黄河是中国第二长河。2.Gasesandminerals,intheformofvolcanicdusttrappedintheice,cantellusalotaboutwhattheworld'climatewaslikeinpastages.(P2)埋在冰层中的火山灰中蕴含的天然气和矿物质能告诉我们许多关于地球上过去年代的气候状况。1)intheformofvolcanicdusttrappedintheice以火山灰的形式埋藏在冰层中。这是一个插入成分，说明主语存在的形式。2)intheformof是固定短语“以…的形式”e.g.Shestartedherlectureintheformofaskingquestions.她以提问的形式开始了她的演讲。3)trappedintheice是过去分词短语做定语。e.g.Haveyouseenhispaintingcompletedyesterday?你看到他昨天完成的那幅油画了吗？4)Whatis…like?“……是什么样的？”e.g.Whatstheweatherliketoday?今天的天气怎么样？e.g.Tellmewhatheislike?告诉我他这个人怎么样？/他是个什么样的人？3.Notuntilthelate18thcenturydidtheBritishexplorerJamesCookcrosstheAntarcticCircle,butheneversawland.(P3)直到18世纪末英国探险家詹姆斯•库克才跨过南极圈，但他并没有能看到陆地1)这是not…until…结构的倒装句。当notuntil位于句首时，主句要倒装。2)该句的陈述语序是：TheBritishexplorerJamesCookdidn'tcrosstheAntarcticCircleuntilthelate18thcentury.当把not和until及其引导的从句一起提到句首，再把助动词did放在主语(TheBritishexplorerJamesCook前时，就变成了课文中的倒装句。e.g.Ididn'tleaveuntilhecameback.变为倒装句：NotuntilhecamebackdidIleave.II.文化背景知识AnimalsinAntarcticaThereisverylittleplantlifeonAntarctica.Itconsistsofsmallamountsoflichenandmoss,andsomefloatingplantsintheinlandseas.Apartfromafewinsects,alloftheanimallifefeedfromtheocean.ThelargestanimallivingentirelyonthelandofAntarcticaisamite.Itisjustbigenoughtobeseenwithoutamicroscope.Itmanagestostayalivebyproducingchemicalsverysimilartotheantifreezethatweputinourcarsinwinter!Theoceanisfullofnutrients.Warmwaterrisingbringsthenutrientsuptothesurface.Thosenutrientsalongwithkrill,asmallshrimplikeanimalarethekeystothefoodchaininAntarctica.FishAlthoughtherearemanytypesoffishinAntarctica,therearenotthatmanyandtheyaresmall.However,thereareplentyofcephalopods(octopusandsquid).Theseplayanimportantroleinthedietofsomewhales,seals,fish,penguinsandotherseabirds.BirdsMorethan80%ofbirdsintheAntarcticregionarepenguins.Someliveonicefloes,whileothersliveonland.TheEmperorpenguinneverstepsfootonland.Itspendsalmostitsentirelifeintheocean.Thefemalelayshereggonanicefloe,andthemaleincubatestheeggonhisfeet.Themalehasaspecialflapofskintoprotecttheegg,andanindentationinhislowerbody.Helowerstheindentationovertheegg,sotheeggiswellprotectedfromthecold.Theflyingbirdsaremainlypetrelsandalbatrosses.Theymaketheirnestsonoffshoreislandsandrockyareasofcoastline.TheArcticTernfliesbetweentheNorthandSouthPoles.ItspendsfromSeptembertoMarchintheSouthernhemisphere,enjoyingthesummerthere,andfromApriltoAugustinthesummeroftheNorthernHem...