CNN 2010-05-01

When it comes to the stock market, are you smarter than a first grader? You’d better wait a few minutes before you answer. I’m Carl Azuz. This is CNN Student News.

Authorities around the Gulf¹ of Mexico are in a race against time. They are trying to control an oil spill that’s heading toward the Louisiana Shore. Yesterday, it was about 23 miles off the coast of Louisiana, could reach land by Friday. If that happens, officials say it could create an ecological² disaster. This is all from the Deepwater Horizon. That’s the oil rig that sank in the Gulf last week. The company that owns the rig is trying to stop the leak underwater. Meantime, authorities on shore are trying to block the oil from getting to sensitive areas. Reynolds Wolf takes us over the spill to get a closer look.

From the air, the spill appears massive.

'You can definitely see it.‘

'Those are the skimmers and booms trying to recover oil.’

'Even from this height, there’s plenty to see. On the surface, there’s a little bit of a rainbow-like sheen and much of that is going to be burnt away by the sun’s rays. But there’s also a thicker layer of crude oil in places. You know, that’s gonna have to be skimmed away. ’

NOAA scientist Ed Levine says the oil moves with sea currents and winds, both affecting the slick shape and size.

Probably about 97% of the floating oil on the surface is very thin sheen. Sheens, molecules³ thin, thinner than a coat of paint on the side of your house. The area where the thick oil is is in about that 3% of the surface.

Currently, this slick continues to grow and scientists estimate the well is leaking some 42,000 gallons of oil a day. Failure to contain could be catastrophic to the people, beaches, and business along the gulf coast.

'The thing we are trying to minimize is land impacts, because of the environmental and socio-economic damage that it can do. One of NOAA's concerns is also guaranteeing the safety and security of the sea food that no tainted⁴ products get to market.’

'The previous location of Deepwater Horizon is at eleven o’clock.’

And it’s going to take a huge effort, as we fly over the location with Deepwater Horizon was once operational. All that remains⁵ is a blanket of oil and boats.

'The number of assets on scene each day increases.’

Working to stop the leak, and what Coast Guard Officials say might become one of the most significant oil spills in US history.

Reynolds Wolf, CNN, over the Gulf of Mexico.
 

1 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。

2 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

3 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

4 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》

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。