美国有线新闻 CNN 美国中西部洪灾已致4人死亡 多州宣布进入紧急状态

 

In the U.S. Midwest, the north central part of the country, there are states of emergency in Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin. Lots of rain plus melting snow, plus a late winter snow storm brought by a bomb cyclone¹ have left many places underwater. Part of the problem was that the ground was still frozen when the rain came, and it wasn't able to absorb the water.

So it found its way to rivers and streams and caused them to burst their banks and spread water all over. On Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service said more than 8 million people were under flood warnings. Nebraska was hit particularly hard. Its governor said the flooding was the most widespread disaster Nebraska had ever faced. U.S. Vice² President Mike Pence traveled there yesterday to survey the damage. Nebraska's governor is hoping the Federal government will allow public funding to be used to help those effected.

In 17 places across the state, flood records were broken. And in Iowa 41 of the states 99 counties have been declared disaster areas. In addition to at least four lives that were lost in Nebraska and Iowa, farmers have lost grain and livestock³. Fields are underwater. Private water supplies are threatened. South of Nebraska and Iowa, the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers which are already at minor⁴ or moderate flood stage are expected to rise higher in the next few days. So states like Kansas, Missouri and Illinois could see more flooding in the days ahead. In some places farther north, the water has begun to recede⁵. In others, the threat remains⁶.

1 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

4 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

5 recede   

vi.退(去)，渐渐远去；向后倾斜，缩进

参考例句：

• The colleges would recede in importance.大学的重要性会降低。
• He saw that the dirty water had begun to recede.他发现那污浊的水开始往下退了。

6 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。