赖世雄高级美国英语 lesson 25

　　Lesson 25

　　Earthquake Precautions 地震防范措施

　　Bam！ The bathroom door slamming against the wall woke me out of a sound sleep. Groggily¹ wending my way inthe dark to the bathroom， I secured the door latch² to make sure I would have no further interruptions of much-needed sleep. I then lumbered³ back into bed and started to drift off.

　　Not for long. My body， the bed and the whole bedroom began shaking. After a few confused and frightening seconds， I realized “Eearthquake！” “Big one，” I added， noting that the neighborhood dogs had joined in the weird⁴ sounds the hill around my hourse were making. Within moments I was out of bed and on my feet， contemplating⁵ leaving the house. “I'll wait，” I comforted myself. “Even these big ones pass in a few seconds.”

　　This one wouldn't. It kept coming； everything was shaking and trembling， rattling⁶. I heard a pane⁷ of glass crash oneto the floor. The walls of the house and the things attached to them seemed to heave， not just shudder⁸. I then noticed that the street lights had failed and my heart was pounding harder than when I used to lift weights. I acknowledged my fear.

　　Realizing that there was no time to flee the house， I simply waited and waited. The nearly one-minute long tremblor finally subsided⁹， and my reasoning came back to me. All was well， or well enough. I walked unsteadily to another room and looked outside. A neighbor with a flashlight was checking on his and others' homes for damage.

　　I knew it had been a major quake， though not centered where I lived. The next day I learned that a 7.6 Richter-scale earthquake had devastated¹⁰ the lovely rural communities of central Taiwan. For the next few weeks， everyone's life was centered around the quake due to the constant media coverage¹¹ and electricity rationing¹².

　　Taiwan is but one of many places situated¹³ along the “Ring of Fire” encircling nearly half the globe around the Pacific Ocean. Constant volcanic¹⁴ and earthquake action occurs here， sometimes with cataclysmic results. In this century alone， major earthquakes have taken more than one million lives. Many more have been injured and made homeless.The economic， social， and personal costs are immeasurable.

　　Over the past quarter century， many countries in earthquake-prone areas have begun to educate their citizens on how to take appropriate precautions for earthquakes. The following list has been compiled from experience.

　　Before the earthquake：

　　Prepare an “earthquake kit” near everyone's bed； these kits¹⁵ should include drinking water， a flashlight with fresh batteries， and dry food.

　　Place an extra pillow， blanket， or quilt near the bed to be placed over the head during the earthquake and for warmth if trapped afterwards.

　　During the earthquake：

　　If possible， get out of the building you are inside of and into a clear area.

　　If escape from a building is impossible， get away from windows and doors； try to find shelter under structural¹⁶ beams or under any heavy piece of furniture， like a large table or bed.

　　After the major earthquake （remember that aftershocks will occur）：

　　When shaking ends or subsides¹⁷， turn off gas lines.

　　Leave the building （never use elevators） quickly but not in a panic.

　　If uninjured， be ready to assist rescue workers with information or labor¹⁸.

　　When a Big One happens， there is little anyone can do. Then above contingency¹⁹ preparations， however， could make the difference between life and death.

 

1 groggily   

adv.酒醉地；东倒西歪地

参考例句：

2 latch   

n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁

参考例句：

• She laid her hand on the latch of the door.她把手放在门闩上。
• The repairman installed an iron latch on the door.修理工在门上安了铁门闩。

3 lumbered   

砍伐（lumber的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• A rhinoceros lumbered towards them. 一头犀牛笨重地向他们走来。
• A heavy truck lumbered by. 一辆重型卡车隆隆驶过。

4 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

5 contemplating   

深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想

参考例句：

• You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
• She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。

6 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

7 pane   

n.窗格玻璃，长方块

参考例句：

• He broke this pane of glass.他打破了这块窗玻璃。
• Their breath bloomed the frosty pane.他们呼出的水气，在冰冷的窗玻璃上形成一层雾。

8 shudder   

v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动

参考例句：

• The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。
• We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。

9 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

11 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

12 rationing   

n.定量供应

参考例句：

• Wartime austerities included food rationing and shortage of fuel. 战时的艰苦包括食物配给和燃料短缺。
• Food rationing was abolished in that country long ago. 那个国家早就取消了粮食配给制。

13 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

14 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

15 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

16 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

17 subsides   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的第三人称单数 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• Emotion swells and subsides. 情绪忽高忽低。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His emotion swells and subsides. 他的情绪忽高忽低。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

18 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

19 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。