英语听力精选进阶版 7318

澳大利亚新南威尔士州宣布进入紧急状态，截至目前，森林大火已经烧毁了200间多房屋。消防队员仍在持续灭火工作。预计天气条件将持续恶化，气象预报说未来几天将有高温和强风。

Here amid the smokey haze¹ of the bush, the heat hits the senses. Temperatures are back in the mid-30s making the work of firefighters increasingly difficult. Helicopters whirr overhead dumping water on the nearby fire fronts. They’re trying to stop several fires from merging² into one huge blaze spanning hundreds of kilometres.

In several communities, people are being warned not to try and stay put to defend their homes. With hundreds of houses already destroyed, disaster welfare centres have been set up where families can start the planning needed to rebuild their lives. Most of the firefighters are volunteers. Many look exhausted³; some have even lost their own homes.

The fires follow unseasonably hot weather; conditions are expected to worsen throughout the week with dangerously strong winds forecast on Wednesday and little let-up in the temperature.

Quiz 听力测验

1. True or false? The low temperatures are making the work difficult for fire fighters.

False. Temperatures are back in the mid-30s (Celsius) making the work of firefighters increasingly difficult.

2. Should people try to defend their homes?

No. People are being warned not to try to defend their homes.

3. How much are most of the firefighters getting paid?

Nothing. Most of the firefighters are volunteers.

4. Why might the fires get worse on Wednesday?

Dangerously strong winds are forecast on Wednesday.

Glossary 词汇表

haze 烟雾

hits the senses （迎面而来的）感官冲击

merging 合并起来

spanning 扩散

stay put 停留不动

defend 保护，保卫

welfare 福利

volunteers 志愿者

unseasonably 反季节的

little let-up （气温）没有降低

1 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。

2 merging   

合并（分类）

参考例句：

• Many companies continued to grow by merging with or buying competing firms. 许多公司通过合并或收买竞争对手的公司而不断扩大。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• To sequence by repeated splitting and merging. 用反复分开和合并的方法进行的排序。

3 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。