Passage 20
学霸导读 近期，有科学家们发现新的大洲—西兰蒂亚洲，那么我们的地理课本是不是又要改版了呢？
Most of us learn at primary school that there are seven continents, but the next generation of kids may be a 1 one more to that list.
According to a recent paper published in the Geological Society of American Journal by a group of researchers, “Zealandia” is a new continent that’s hidden beneath the ocean.
Zealandia is estimated to be f ive million km2. Most of this massive area is c 2 by water, but its highest mountains already have their own name: New Zealand.
The small country is the only part of Zealandia that isn’t underwater， but the paper’s authors want the huge landmass （ 大片陆地 ） to be recognized worldwide as its own continent.
“The scientif ic v 3 of classifying Zealandia as a continent is much more than just an extra name on a list,” the researchers wrote in their paper.
Scientists discovered Zealandia all the way back in 1995, then started extensive research on the area using underwater and satellite mapping technology. After c 4 their work, they were f inally able to write a report suggesting that Zealandia be named a continent.
But who decides on what is a continent and what isn’t? There is, in fact, no off icial organization that does. Some countries’ schools teach that there are six or even f ive continents. This changes depend on where in the world the school is.
Due to their def inition as a “continuous expanse （ 扩张 ） of land”， some classify Europe and Asia as the same continent—known as Eurasia. Schools in Russia and parts of Eastern Europe teach this.
And to make things even more confusing, France and Greece, as well as other countries, classify North America and South America as simply America.
This argument over how land is def ined has e 5 stretched into outer space. In 2006， the International Astronomical Union （ IAU ） decided that Pluto was no longer a planet， 76 years after its discovery in 1930. Experts argued that it no longer met the requirements n 6 to be called a planet alongside the eight others in our solar system. It was therefore renamed a “dwarf planet （ 矮行星 ）”， meaning that countless books， models and museum exhibits （ 展品 ） all over the world had to be updated.
But will the world take the same notice of Zealandia? The best way to tell is to k 7 an eye on our textbooks.
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高频词汇
extensive /ɪk'stensɪv/ adj. 广阔的，大面积的；覆盖范围广的
classify /'klæsɪfaɪ/ v. 将……分类，将……归类
confusing /kən'fjuːzɪŋ/ adj. 令人困惑的
argument /'ɑːgjəmənt/ n. 争论，争辩
def ine /dɪ'faɪn/ v. 下定义；说明，解释
stretch /stretʃ/ v. 展开，铺开；延伸
argue /'ɑːgjuː/ v. 争论，争辩
countless /'kaʊntləs/ adj. 无数的；数不清的