新西兰英语 717 Fires burn on islands near Auckland

 　　High temperatures helped to spread fires on two big islands near Auckland. A fire on Waiheke Island started five days ago but is now under control with the help of helicopters with monsoon¹ buckets. The fire destroyed 10,000 square metres of bushes.

　　A fire which started two days ago on Great Barrier Island is still not out. It was under control yesterday but started again. The weather has been very hot and dry. Pine trees along 1 km of a beach were burnt. Residents from 20 houses were evacuated² from their homes but are now allowed to go back home. 40 volunteer fire-fighters have been fighting the fire but the navy is now helping³ them.

　　The army was probably responsible for fires in two other areas in New Zealand. Soldiers on army property in Canterbury and Waiouru were practising rifle shooting and throwing grenades. The grass is very dry at the moment because there has been very little rain. In Canterbury, the army rifle range is beside the area where there was a fire five days ago.

　　Vocabulary

　　?useful idioms to learn: under control; (put) a fire out; responsible for; fight fires; very little = almost none

　　?monsoon buckets – helicopters drop these buckets in the sea or other place with water, then tip the water onto the fire.

　　?residents – people who live in a place

　　?evacuated – told to leave their home

　　?volunteer – this is not their job; they offer to help

　　?rifle range – area for practising shooting

　　Verbs

　　?Present perfect – the weather has been hot; have been fighting; there has been very little rain. Use present perfect for something that started in the past and continues today.

　　?were practising – past continuous. It shows an activity which continued for a length of time in the past.

　　?past passive – pine trees were burnt (by fire); people were evacuated (by fire fighters). Use passive when we don’t need to know the subject.

1 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。

2 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。