环球英语 Mapping the World
Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Rena Dam.
Voice 2
And I’m Colin Lowther. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand - no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
For today’s Spotlight program you may want to be looking at a map of the world!
Voice 3
“We were covered in dust. We were nearly breathless from the smell of gas. But finally I arrived in Xintang. I was three kilometres east of the confluence. As I was paying the driver, we started talking. When he learned of my goal, he offered to take me as far as he could to the confluence. It was just 400 metres away.”
Voice 2
This quote comes from Targ Parsons. He shared this story on the website for the Degree Confluence Project. He is one person who is helping to make a special picture of the world. They are trying to take pictures of special points where the lines of longitude and latitude meet. These points are called degree confluence points. Today’s Spotlight is on the Degree Confluence Project.
Voice 1
When you look at a map of the world, you may see many lines on it. These lines are imaginary; they do not physically exist off of the map. The map shows that the lines circle the whole earth. The lines go up and down from the North Pole to the South Pole. They also go from East to West across the map. These lines intersect, or cross each other, many times. On the map, it looks like many different squares.
Voice 2
These lines serve a very important purpose. They are used to show exact positions on the map. People can use these lines to know exactly where they are on the earth. This is especially important in places without landmarks - like in a boat on the ocean, or in the middle of a desert.
Voice 1
There are two main lines on the map. They are the prime meridian and the equator. The prime meridian separates the eastern and western hemispheres of the earth. It divides the east from the west. The equator separates the northern and southern hemispheres of the earth. It divides the north from the south.
Voice 2
And all of the other lines on a map follow either the prime meridian or the equator. The prime meridian and all the lines going north and south are called the lines of longitude. The equator and all the lines that go east and west are called the lines of latitude. The lines of longitude and latitude intersect or cross.
Voice 1
The point at which a line of longitude crosses a line of latitude is called a degree confluence point. Confluence means "a meeting place." Alex Jarrett has a special interest in degree confluence points. There are 64,442 of these points on the earth.
Voice 2
When Alex was a young man he visited his first degree confluence point. He took a picture of it. He shared it on the internet. Then, other people began to share their pictures of degree confluence points. And, that is how Alex came up with his idea. Alex started the "Degree Confluence Project."
Voice 1
The goal of the project is to visit each of these special degree confluence points on land - and take a picture of it! It shows small pieces of what the whole world looks like. There are 16,146 points on land. The degree confluence points in the ocean are too hard to get to, so the project does not include those.
Voice 2
No matter where you live there is a degree confluence point within 78 kilometres of you! Maybe you could help Alex to complete his project! Maybe you could take a picture of a point near you.
Voice 1
The Degree Confluence website shows all the pictures people have taken. People from all over the world have sent Alex pictures. So far there have been over 11,000 successful visits to confluence points. And, people from 184 countries have been involved.
Voice 2
Confluence points are sometimes found in strange places. For example, one person found a point near a nuclear power plant. Other points are in large fields. Some are in deserts of sand. Some are in thick forests. Some of the pictures are very special and interesting. Others may not really look like anything at all! But Alex believes that when all the pictures are put together that we will see a very interesting look at the world.
Voice 1
To be a part of the project you need a few things. You need a little time, a camera, a sense of adventure, and a special measuring tool called a global positioning system, or a GPS.
Voice 2
A GPS measures a person’s exact position on earth. It uses satellites in the sky. The satellites send a signal to the GPS. The GPS then measures the signal in degrees. The latitude line gives the degree north or south of the equator. And the longitude line gives the degree to the east or west of the prime meridian. The latitude is usually given first.
Voice 1
For example, I live in the state of Michigan in the United States. Michigan has a total of 23 degree confluence points. The nearest degree confluence point to me is at 43 degrees north, 84 degrees west.
Voice 2
The Degree Confluence Project has some rules. They are listed on Alex’s website. Rule number one is that you must reach within one hundred metres of the degree confluence point. But reaching the exact point is desired. Doing this requires using a GPS tool.
Voice 1
Rule number two is that at least two pictures be taken from the point - one picture in two different directions. But taking four pictures of the north, south, east and west is even better.
Voice 2
Rule number three is that there needs to be a picture of the GPS. The picture should show the exact degree position of the GPS. This proves that you have found the exact position of the confluence point.
Voice 1
Rule number four is that you must share your story. Details about your visit to the degree confluence point should be included with your pictures.
Voice 2
Rule number five, all the information should be given to the Degree Confluence website. Alex wants everyone’s pictures to be together. That way he can combine all the pictures. And this will create a very special picture of the world.
Voice 1
The Degree Confluence Project shows the variety and beauty of the earth. It also shows that when people work together, they can create a very special picture of the world.
Voice 2
The writer of this program was Rebekah Schipper. The producer was Rena Dam. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted and voiced by Spotlight. You can find our programs on the internet at http://www.radioenglish.net. This program is called ‘Mapping the World’.
Voice 1
We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.
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