【英语时差8,16】夏日又传溺水事件

A report from the Jing Chuan Child Safety Foundation reveals that Taiwanese children are three times more likely to drown than Australian children. The director of the foundation called on schools and parents to make swimming and water education a priority.

Unfortunately, over the past year the foundation's message has not been heeded¹. In fact, this year cases of death by drowning have actually increased. Preliminary reports from the National Fire Agency reveal 140 people — including many children — have died of drowning so far this year, compared with 119 in the same period last year.

Many explanations for the unusually high number of local drowning victims have been offered. A Chinese cultural attitude of fear towards water could be a factor in stymieing² early childhood swimming classes. And perhaps even deadlier is the appalling³ lack of water-related education. When visiting river and beach areas, one can see children bobbing around in waist-high water as parents pay no mind. Young people frequently swim with jeans and clothing on, unaware⁴ that heavy wet clothes can pull a person to a watery⁵ doom⁶.

Therefore, we must both shock and educate the public into taking water more seriously. With the combined educational efforts of schools, parents, and a massive government campaign, deaths from drowning can be significantly reduced. Hopefully, next summer we will be able to report some positive progress.

1 heeded   

v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She countered that her advice had not been heeded. 她反驳说她的建议未被重视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I heeded my doctor's advice and stopped smoking. 我听从医生的劝告，把烟戒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 stymieing   

v.妨碍，阻挠( stymie的现在分词 )

参考例句：

3 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

4 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

5 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

6 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。