CNN 2009-11-25

"I couldn't get over this mess."
The federal government is confirming what Joan Glickman of Pompano Beach, Florida suspected all along.

Tainted¹ drywall from China is giving off a harmful gas that's turning her air-conditioning wiring black, causing it to fail. It's also destroying electrical wiring and corroding² metal throughout her home. But what the Consumer Product Safety Commission can't tell her is whether the hydrogen sulfide gas coming from the tainted drywall is making her sick.

"They can't tell me what's happening to me now, and more importantly, they can't tell me what's gonna happen to me in 20 years, you know, am I gonna end up with, like an asbestosis person with lung cancer?"

Federal investigators³ say they will need more time to determine possible health risks. But Florida Senator Bill Nelson whose state has seen more complaints than all others combined, agrees with Joan Glickman.

"I said well when are you going to know? They said we're gonna do another test, and they said they didn't know when that was gonna be done. Well, our people are tired of waiting."

Hydrogen sulfide is a noxious⁴ gas that smells like rotten eggs, and corrodes⁵ metal throughout affected⁶ households. Environmental health engineers did the study for the CPSC, and says warm, humid conditions magnify the problem.

"We found a direct relationship between temperature and humidity levels that were in the homes, and the amount of hydrogen sulfide that was being given off by the wall board."

There had been thousands of complaints about Chinese drywall and on the heels of this new report, the government is expecting more answers. But still to come, a plan for fixing the problem.

"That was a huge letdown because it still didn't tell me how to fix it, who is gonna fix it, how we go about fixing it? where the money comes from? This has left us in such a mess."

For now, Glickman and her family have moved in with her mother, her mortgage company is giving her a temporary break on payments, but she and homeowner's like her will have to wait, wondering if their dream home is actually a ticking time bomb.

Shawn Kalook, CNN, New Orleans.

1 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 corroding   

使腐蚀，侵蚀( corrode的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• That sour nature has started corroding those metal parts. 那酸质已开始腐蚀那金属部件。
• He was driven by a corroding rage for "perfection". 他受追求“完美境界”的极端热情所驱策。

3 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 noxious   

adj.有害的，有毒的；使道德败坏的，讨厌的

参考例句：

• Heavy industry pollutes our rivers with noxious chemicals.重工业产生的有毒化学品会污染我们的河流。
• Many household products give off noxious fumes.很多家用产品散发有害气体。

5 corrodes   

v.使腐蚀，侵蚀( corrode的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Corruption corrodes public confidence in a political system. 腐败可削弱公众对政治制度的信心。
• Iron corrodes unless it is greased or kept clean. 如果不涂油或保持清洁铁便会腐蚀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。