美国国家公共电台 NPR--A powerful storm system puts many would-be travelers' plans on ice

A powerful storm system puts many would-be travelers' plans on ice

Transcript¹

A big winter storm is creating headaches for travelers and airlines across much of the country. It will affect dozens of states — if not with snow — then with bitter cold.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Today was expected to be one of the busiest travel days for those getting away for the holidays.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

But a huge, frigid² storm system may put many would-be travelers' plans on ice. Heavy snow, strong winds and life-threatening cold temperatures - even 20 to 30 degrees below zero in some places - could paralyze travel.

MART?NEZ: On ice. I heard what you did there, Leila. All right. Joining us now from Chicago is NPR's transportation correspondent David Schaper. David, give us a sense of the size of this storm.

DAVID SCHAPER, BYLINE³: Yeah. It's just a massive cold weather system, A, that is moving from the Pacific Northwest through the Northern Rockies and the Great Plains and into the Midwest and Great Lakes today. It'll eventually chill the southeast. And it'll affect dozens of states, if not with snow, then with bitter cold. Temperatures in Texas and along the Gulf⁴ Coast and even in parts of Florida will plummet⁵ below freezing. And the East Coast and northeast will be hammered, probably, with high winds and heavy rain.

MART?NEZ: Now, cold, snow, wind common in the northern states and in the Midwest.

SCHAPER: Yeah.

MART?NEZ: So what makes this particular storm different? And why is it posing such a threat to travel?

SCHAPER: Well, meteorologists say what's unique about this winter storm is not the heavy snowfall amounts - in fact, we're going to probably see less snow than initially⁶ predicted - but that this system is exceptionally windy and extremely cold, with temperatures falling dangerously fast, dropping 20 to 35 degrees in just a couple of hours. In some parts yesterday, the record-setting plunges⁷ of up to 40 degrees in just half an hour. And that sharp drop in temperatures is accompanied by these wicked winds, sustained winds of up to 40 miles an hour with gusts⁸ near 60 miles an hour. National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Bardou says, for drivers, that means blizzard⁹ conditions and possibly sudden whiteouts.

MIKE BARDOU: There's going to be enough snow that - combining with the winds to create treacherous¹⁰ driving conditions at minimum. As you go to outer areas, more open areas, significant blowing and drifting is going to be possible to the level where people may get stuck in drifts and then, perhaps, be stranded¹¹ in the now bitterly cold temperatures.

MART?NEZ: What about flying? I mean, this has got to just put a crimp in people's travel plans.

SCHAPER: Yeah, especially for the holidays. It's already affecting air travel, forcing significant flight cancellations the last few days, most notably¹² in Seattle, Denver - now today in Minneapolis. FlightAware says about 500 flights both Tuesday and Wednesday were canceled. More than a thousand are already canceled for today. Chicago's O'Hare Airport is one of the nation's biggest hubs. Delays and cancellations here tend to cause flight disruptions all across the country from coast to coast. Chicago's deputy aviation commissioner¹³, Andrew Velasquez, says crews are working around the clock to keep runways clear.

ANDREW VELASQUEZ: These hardworking individuals will have at their disposal more than 350 pieces of snow removal equipment, more than 400,000 gallons of liquid de-icer for runways and taxiways and more than 5,000 tons of salt.

SCHAPER: You know, despite all that work, nonetheless, nearly 20% of flights going into and out of O'Hare today are already canceled. And some experts expect thousands more flights to be canceled over the next couple of days. Most airlines are waiving¹⁴ rebooking fees if travelers want to change their flight. But if you don't rebook and your flight is still cancelled for any reason, you are entitled to a full refund¹⁵. The airline may offer you a credit or a voucher¹⁶. And you can take that if that's what you want. But you don't have to.

MART?NEZ: NPR's David Schaper in chilly¹⁷ Chicago. Stay warm, David.

SCHAPER: I'll try. Thanks, A.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 frigid   

adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的

参考例句：

• The water was too frigid to allow him to remain submerged for long.水冰冷彻骨，他在下面呆不了太长时间。
• She returned his smile with a frigid glance.对他的微笑她报以冷冷的一瞥。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

5 plummet   

vi.(价格、水平等)骤然下跌；n.铅坠；重压物

参考例句：

• Mengniu and Yili have seen their shares plummet since the incident broke.自事件发生以来，蒙牛和伊利的股票大幅下跌。
• Even if rice prices were to plummet,other brakes on poverty alleviation remain.就算大米价格下跌，其它阻止导致贫困的因素仍然存在。

6 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

7 plunges   

n.跳进，投入vt.使投入，使插入，使陷入vi.投入，跳进，陷入v.颠簸( plunge的第三人称单数 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• Even before he plunges into his program, he has his audience in his pocket. 他的节目甚至还没有出场，就已控制住了观众。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• 'Monseigneur, he precipitated himself over the hill-side, head first, as a person plunges into the river.' “大人，他头冲下跳下山坡去了，像往河里跳一样。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

8 gusts   

一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作

参考例句：

• Her profuse skirt bosomed out with the gusts. 她的宽大的裙子被风吹得鼓鼓的。
• Turbulence is defined as a series of irregular gusts. 紊流定义为一组无规则的突风。

9 blizzard   

n.暴风雪

参考例句：

• The blizzard struck while we were still on the mountain.我们还在山上的时候暴风雪就袭来了。
• You'll have to stay here until the blizzard blows itself off.你得等暴风雪停了再走。

10 treacherous   

adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的

参考例句：

• The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
• The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。

11 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

12 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

13 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

14 waiving   

v.宣布放弃( waive的现在分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等）

参考例句：

• Other steps suggested included waiving late payment charges, making quicker loan decisions and easing loan terms. 其他测试还包括免去滞纳金，尽快做出贷款决定和放宽贷款条件。 来自互联网
• Stuyvesant Town offers the same perk on some apartments, along waiving the broker's fee. StuyvesantTown对于他们出租的某些房子也提供同样的好处，顺带还省略了中介费。 来自互联网

15 refund   

v.退还，偿还；n.归还，偿还额，退款

参考例句：

• They demand a refund on unsatisfactory goods.他们对不满意的货品要求退款。
• We'll refund your money if you aren't satisfied.你若不满意，我们愿意退款给你。

16 voucher   

n.收据；传票；凭单，凭证

参考例句：

• The government should run a voucher system.政府应该施行凭证制度。
• Whenever cash is paid out,a voucher or receipt should be obtained.无论何时只要支付现金，就必须要有一张凭据或者收据。

17 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。