本教材是为地学类相关专业编写的地质学基础课程双语教学用书。全书共19章，包括宇宙与行星地质学、元素与矿物、岩浆作用与火成岩、外力地质作用与沉积岩等内容。为方便读者使用，书中大部分专业术语后都直接加注了相应的中文词汇，并在每章末列出主要参考文献、资料来源和相关网站链接。

《地球科学概论》(An Outline of Earth Sciences)是为地学类相关专业编写的地质学基础课程双语教学用书。全书共19章，包括宇宙与行星地质学、元素与矿物、岩浆作用与火成岩、外力地质作用与沉积岩、变质作用与变质岩、地质年代和地球演化史、地震与地球层圈、地壳运动与地质构造、海底扩张与板块构造学、风化与剥蚀作用、河流及其地质作用、冰川与冰川作用、地下水及其地质作用、海洋地质作用与海洋地质学、湖泊与沼泽、风与荒漠、块体运动、人类生存与地球环境等内容。

为方便读者使用，书中大部分专业术语后都直接加注了相应的中文词汇，并在每章末列出主要参考文献、资料来源和相关网站链接。全书内容丰富、图文并茂、趣味生动，试图让读者能较轻松地步入地学的新天地。

本书不仅可以作为地学类各相关专业本科生或研究生的专业英语教材或阅读材料，也可供地学类教师和相关研究人员参考。

Chapter 1 Introduction to Earth Sciences

1.1 Earth Sciences and some related concepts

1.2 The hardship and the pleasures of geologists

Chapter 2 Universe and Planetary Geology

2.1 The history of universe exploration

2.2 Members of the Solar System

2.3 Amazing regularities in the Solar System

2.4 The origin of the Solar System

2.5 The Earth's shape

Chapter 3 Elements and Minerals

3.1 The elements in the crust

3.2 Minerals and their properties

3.3 Common minerals and rock-forming minerals

Chapter 4 Magmatism and Igneous Rocks

4.1 Magmatism

4.2 Eruption and extrusive rocks (volcanic rocks)

4.3 Intrusion and intrusive rocks

4.4 Major igneous rocks

4.5 Other concepts

Chapterr 5 Exogenic Processes and Sedimentary Rocks

5.1 External process

5.2 Basic characteristics of sedimentary rocks

5.3 The texture of sedimentary rocks

5.4 Sedimentary structure

5.5 Common sedimentary rocks

Chapter 6 Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks

6.1 Metamorphism

6.2 The composition,texture and structure of metamorphic rocks

6.3 The major types of metamorphism

6.4 Major metamorphic rocks

6.5 Rock cycles

Chapter 7 Geological Time and the Earth' s Evolution

7.1 Relative time

7.2 Radiometric time (dating)

7.3 Geological time scale

7.4 How to understand and remember the geological time scale

Chapter 8 Earthquakes and the Earth' s Spheres

8.1 What is an earthquake

8.2 Earthquake distributions

8.3 Earthquake and the earth's interior

8.4 Gravity and isostasy of crust

Chapter 9 Crust Movement and Geological Structures

9.1 Acting force and deformation of rocks

9.2 Fold and fracture

9.3 Contact relations

9.4 Tectonics (geotectonics) and something in the history of geology

Chapter 10 Sea Floor Spreading and Plate Tectonics

10.1 Continental drift

10.2 Sea floor spreading

10.3 Plate tectonics

Chapter 11 Weathering and Erosion

11.1 Weathering and erosion

11.2 The products of weathering

Chapter 12 Rivers and Their Geological Processes

12.1 Streams,rivers and their geologic processes

12.2 The erosion of rivers

12.3 The transportation of rivers

12.4 Sedimentation of rivers

12.5 Longitudinal profile and base level

Chapter 13 Glaciers and Glaciation

13.1 Glaciers

13.2 Glacial erosion and deposition

13.3 Glaciation and global change

13.4 Additional facts and research information

Chapter 14 Groundwater and Its Geological Processes

14.1 Hydrologic cycle

14.2 Groundwater and water table

14.3 Movement of groundwater

14.4 Porosity and permeability

14.5 Aquifers and aquitard

14.6 Changes in the groundwater system

14.7 Geologic processes of groundwater

Chapter 15 Ocean Processes and Marine Geology

15.1 Main eharaeteristies of oceans

15.2 The marine agents

15.3 Sedimentation in oceans

15.4 Sea level fluctuations and g]obal change

15.5 Additional reading

Chapter 16 Lakes and Swamps

16.1 Basic concepts and processes related to lakes and swamps

16.2 Lake database of the world

16.3 Lake database of China

16.4 Origin and types of lakes

16.5 Lakes and human environment

16.6 Additional reading

Chapter 17 Wind and Desert

17.1 Sediment transportation by wind

17.2 Wind erosion and erosion landforms

17.3 Wind deposition and deposition landforms

17.4 Desert distribution over the globe

Chapter 18 Mass Wasting

18.1 Mass wasting and influencing factors

18.2 Types of mass wasting

18.3 Recognizing and minimizing mass movement effects

Chapter 19 Human Survival and Earth's Environments

19.1 Human population and industrialization

19.2 Global climate change

19.3 Acid precipitation (rain)

19.4 Photochemical smog

19.5 Ozone depletion

19.6 Water

19.7 Soil erosion,desertification,and deforestation

19.8 Conclusion

Index