万花筒 2011-12-24&12-26 新西兰基督城发生5.8级地震

 Tens of thousands homes are without power following the 5.8 magnitude¹ quake. There are two aftershocks with similar magnitude. There are no reports of major damage or injuries though. Authorities² are still trying to rebuild the city after 180 people were killed there in an earthquake in February. 

 

 

 

Quake, and it's all quite sharp in a very short period of time. It's like when this long rolling sort of things instead of what's gonna out of the ceiling, what's gonna fall down and things, and what's gonna finish. 

 

 

 

Pretty freaky, actually. We are used to, we are locals, but new sortable...

 

 

 

It's quite scary, yeah, watching the ceiling, make sure nothing's gonna come down. 

 

 

 

It was a big shake inside. It is. We've been through the last three and this was a big shake. Yeah, I almost sat on the ground.

1 magnitude   

n.大小；重大；星等

参考例句：

• I want to know the magnitude of this equipment.我想知道这个设备的大小。
• I hadn't realized the magnitude of the problem.我没有认识到这个问题的重要性。

2 authorities   

n.当局，权力，权威；权威( authority的名词复数 )；权力；学术权威；[复数]当权者

参考例句：

• They interceded with the authorities on behalf of the detainees. 他们为被拘留者向当局求情。
• At his instigation we conceal the fact from the authorities. 我们受他的怂恿向当局隐瞒了事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》