单选题
Kola Hole
The Kola Hole, now stretching more than seven and a half miles into the ground, is the deepest hole on earth. It surpasses even the natural abysses of the ocean floor. Through layer upon layer of rock, the hole
penetrates
ever farther into the earth"s geologic past. Passing through rock that formed when the first multi-celled organisms were
roaming
the earth, it now reaches a time when the atmosphere as we know had not yet evolved. All told, 1.4 billion years of history line the walls of the Kola Hole, a record in stone that has served up a wealth of surprises to Russian geologists. But none so strange as the incident that was reported in an American tabloid not long ago.
It began, according to one member of the drill crew, when they noticed their drill bit was heating up rapidly. As the crew pulled it up to see what the matter was, out of the hole flew a hideous, gargoyle-like beast in a cloud of bituminous smoke. This inky creature squawked, shrieked, and fluttered out of sight. Afterwards, the crew lowered a sensitive microphone down the hole. "We could hardly believe our ears", one scientist reportedly said. "We heard a human voice, screaming in pain. Even though one voice was discernible, we could hear thousands, perhaps; millions in the background". Could it be that they were hearing the cries of legions of wicked souls? Had the Kola Hole pierced the house of Satan himself?
Readers of the tabloid story were left to draw their own conclusions. However, the tabloid, as evidence of
its
story"s
veracity
, pointed out that under the ruling of Russian government, all gods and demons had been suppressed for seventy years. Thus, if a Russian crewmember had reported the incident, the tabloid concluded that it mu crewmember had because nobody could have possibly made up such a tale.
A Norwegian scientist set out to prove the contrary. He was convinced the entire Kola Hole demon story was nothing but the figment of an overheated imagination. The smoke plume and extreme temperature could be traced back to the natural occurrences deep within the bowels of the earth. The scientist was convinced that inside the rocky mantle of the Earth temperatures were reaching boiling points, or else such natural phenomena as volcanism and mineral springs could not be explained.
To make his point, the scientist went about spreading even more dark satanic rumors about the Kola Hole. He published a report full of misleading information, which, however, could easily be detected as false by an inquisitive and rational mind. He even had one of his collaborators agree to sign the paper as a reference. The Norwegian scientist proved his point that people were so fascinated by paranormal activities that they were willing to ignore the obvious fact. Nobody bothered to verify the accuracy of the information, and the story would have made the rounds had the scientist not put an end to it and revealed his hoax.
Glossary
Kola Hole:
the world"s deepest excavation, the 12.3 kilometer hole in the former Soviet Union
abyss:
an immeasurably deep chasm, depth, or void
bituminous:
resembling or containing bitumen (any of various naturally occurring impure mixtures of hydrocarbons)
Communism:
a form of socialism that abolishes private ownership