新奇事件簿 印度城市空气质量达到危险水平

Many of India's big cities are experiencing such hazardous¹ air pollution that it almost defies belief. The standard measurement for healthy, normal, breathable air is set at a level of 50 according to the Air Quality Index (AQI). A level of 300 means the air is hazardous to breathe. The AQI website says 300 represents a health alert and the city should be put under emergency conditions. The website says that, "everyone may experience more serious health effects". On November 8, the city of Chandrapur in Maharashtra reached an AQI level of 824, to become India's most polluted city. The capital New Delhi has reached an AQI of 724. Environmentalists say many cities are now like "gas chambers²".

印度许多大城市都经历了如此危险的空气污染，几乎让人难以置信。按照空气质量指数AQI，健康，正常，可呼吸的空气标准为50。300意味着呼吸这种空气是危险的。AQI网站表示，300意味着健康预警，这座城市应该进入紧急状态。这个网站表示：“每个人都可能遭遇更加严重的健康影响。”11月8日，马哈拉施特拉邦Chandrapur市AQI达到824，成为印度污染最严重的城市。首都新德里的AQI达到724。环境保护主义者表示，许多城市现在就像毒气室。

A toxic³ haze⁴ shrouds⁵ India's capital and residents are being warned to wear masks. Schools were ordered closed for three days. New Delhi generally has its fair share of pollution problems due to the nine million vehicles that clog⁶ its streets, most not conforming to emissions⁷ standards. The situation has been made worse recently due to a number of factors. These include chemical pollution blowing in from nearby states, farmers setting fire to straw as autumn arrives, and a lack of wind. To alleviate⁸ the crisis, city officials have ordered roads to be doused⁹ with water to stop dust from rising. They have also banned diesel-powered electricity generators¹⁰ for 10 days, except at hospitals and cellphone towers.

一场有毒浓雾笼罩着印度首都，政府警告居民们佩戴面具，并下令学校停课三天。由于900万车辆拥堵着街道，大多数并未遵循尾气排放标准，新德里的空气污染问题也同样严重。最近，由于几个因素的共同作用，形势更加恶化。其中包括附近邦吹过来的化学污染，秋季来临农民点火燃烧秸秆，以及风力不足。为了缓解空气污染危机，城市官员已下令街道洒水，防止尘土飞扬。他们还禁止柴油发电机停工10天，医院和手机塔除外。

1 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

2 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

3 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

4 haze   

n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊

参考例句：

• I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。
• He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

5 shrouds   

n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 )；寿衣；遮蔽物；覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 )；保密

参考例句：

• 'For instance,' returned Madame Defarge, composedly,'shrouds.' “比如说，”德伐日太太平静地回答，“裹尸布。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• Figure 3-10 illustrates the result of a study or conical shrouds. 图3-10表明了对锥形外壳的研究结果。 来自辞典例句

6 clog   

vt.塞满，阻塞；n.[常pl.]木屐

参考例句：

• In cotton and wool processing,short length fibers may clog sewers.在棉毛生产中，短纤维可能堵塞下水管道。
• These streets often clog during the rush hour.这几条大街在交通高峰时间常常发生交通堵塞。

7 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

8 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

9 doused   

v.浇水在…上( douse的过去式和过去分词 )；熄灯[火]

参考例句：

• The car was doused in petrol and set alight. 这辆汽车被浇上汽油点燃了。
• He doused the lamp,and we made our way back to the house. 他把灯熄掉，我们就回到屋子里去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》