新西兰英语 502 One year since earthquake

 　　It is one year since the 7.1 earthquake woke Christchurch people at 4.30am. Since that day, there have been three other big earthquakes which were much worse. Nobody died as a result of the earthquake on September 4th 2010. Many buildings were badly damaged but the 6.3 earthquake on February 22nd 2011 was much worse.

　　Now New Zealanders know that earthquakes can strike anywhere in the country. Nobody really expected Christchurch would experience a damaging earthquake but it happened and it can happen in other parts of the country at any time.

　　These last 12 months have been a shock for the whole country because of the amount of damage and the 181 people who died as a result of the February earthquake. The Earthquake Commission¹ – EQC – had $6bn in insurance money which seemed like a lot of money but now we know that it is probably not going to be enough. EQC has been very busy assessing² damage, arranging³ repairs and paying the people who have done the work. In their planning, they predicted⁴ a big earthquake in Wellington could damage 150,000 houses but so far in Christchurch there have been 383,500 claims for damage and only 60,000 claims have been paid. So far, EQC has paid $1.3bn

　　It will take many years before houses, shops, schools, offices, factories, sports facilities, entertainment facilities and other public buildings are rebuilt.

　　Listen to October 29th 2010 to hear more about EQC.

　　Grammar

　　Note the adjectives⁶: damaging earthquake (the active cause), damaged buildings (the effect). This is just the same as many other adjective⁵ pairs: an interesting movie (active cause), the audience is interested (effect)

　　Note present perfect tense for something that began a year ago and is still continuing. It is often used with “since”.

　　Questions

　　1.How is it possible for an organization like EQC to plan for an earthquake? Nobody expected four major earthquakes to happen in nine months.

　　2.Do you think other cities in New Zealand are now planning what they would do if they had an earthquake?

　　3.Do you think other people in New Zealand are now planning what they would do if they had an earthquake?

1 commission   

n.委托，授权，委员会，拥金，回扣，委任状

参考例句：

• The salesman can get commission on everything he sells.这个售货员能得到所售每件货物的佣金。
• The commission is made up of five people,including two women.委员会由五人组成，其中包括两名妇女。

2 assessing   

v.评定( assess的现在分词 )；估价；对（财产、收入等）进行估价（作为征税根据）；确定（损害赔偿金、税款、罚款等）的金额

参考例句：

• I then made some groundless remarks, assessing the situation over-optimistically. 我当时放了空炮，对形势作出了过于乐观的分析。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• In choosing a partner we are subconsciously assessing their evolutionary fitness to be a mother of children or father provider and protector. 在选择伴侣的时候，我们会在潜意识里衡量对方将来是否会是称职的母亲或者父亲，是否会是合格的一家之主。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 arranging   

v.安排，准备( arrange的现在分词 )；把…（系统地）分类；整理；改编（剧本等）

参考例句：

• He put a lot of effort into arranging the concert. 他为音乐会的筹备工作付出很大力气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings. 担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 predicted   

预言，预测，预示( predict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise. 他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• She delivered exactly when the doctor predicted she would. 她恰好在医生所说的预产期分娩了。

5 adjective   

n.形容词；adj.形容词的，用作形容词的

参考例句：

• Don't apply that adjective to me.不要用那个字眼来形容我。
• The adjective loose has several senses. 形容词loose有几个义项。

6 adjectives   

n.形容词( adjective的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We can form nouns from adjectives. 我们可以用形容词来构成名词。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Attributive adjectives precede the noun. 定语形容词位于名词前。 来自《简明英汉词典》