奥运资金短缺 巴西里约热内卢宣布进入公共灾难状态

 Just seven weeks before the opening ceremony of the Olympics, the governor of Rio de Janeiro has declared a "state of calamity¹."

距离巴西奥运会开幕只剩7周，而巴西里约热内卢州州长却宣布进入“公共灾难状态”。

Interim² Governor Francisco Dornelles says the "serious economic crisis" threatens to stop the state from honouring commitments for the Games.

里约代州长弗朗西斯科?多内莱斯表示，“严重的经济危机”正妨碍里约州兑现对国际奥运会作出的承诺。

Most public funding for the Olympics has come from Rio's city government, but the state is responsible for areas such as transport and policing.

筹备奥运会的公共基金大多来自里约市政府，但里约州要为公共交通和治安警务等领域负责。

奥运资金短缺 巴西里约热内卢宣布进入公共灾难状态

Interim President Michel Temer has promised significant financial help.

巴西代总统米歇尔?特梅尔已承诺将全力提供财政支持。

The governor has blamed the crisis on a tax shortfall, especially from the oil industry, while Brazil overall has faced a deep recession.

里约代州长将危机归因于税收不足，特别是来自石油行业的税收。巴西全国都面临严重的经济衰退。

The measure could accelerate the release of federal emergency funds.

这一举措将加速联邦应急基金的下拨。

Rio state employees and pensioners³ are owed wages in arrears⁴. Hospitals and police stations have been severely⁵ affected⁶.

里约州的雇员和退休人员被拖欠了工资和养老金。医院和警察局也深受影响。

In a decree, Mr Dornelles said the state faced "public calamity" that could lead to a "total collapse⁷" in public services, such as security, health and education.

多内莱斯在颁布令中说，里约州面临“公共灾难状态”，这将导致公共服务体系的“全面崩溃”，包括安保、健康、和教育。

The state has projected a budget deficit⁸ of $5.5bn (?3.9bn) for this year.

里约州今年财政赤字估计高达55亿美元。

Rio's mayor Eduardo Paes said on Twitter the state's decision "in no way delays the delivery of Olympic projects and the promises assumed by the city of Rio".

里约市长爱德华多-帕埃斯发推文说，州政府的决定“不会延迟奥运项目的完工，里约市承诺能做到。”

There are also concerns over an outbreak of the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects, and the impact it could have on the city's tourism.

此外，人们还担心寨卡病毒的爆发，这会影响里约的旅游业。寨卡病毒会导致出生缺陷。

Rio expects about 500,000 foreign visitors during the Olympics.

据预计，奥运会期间，里约将接待大约50万名外国游客。

Vocabulary

calamity: 灾难，不幸事件

in no way: 决不，一点也不

1 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

2 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

3 pensioners   

n.领取退休、养老金或抚恤金的人( pensioner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He intends to redistribute income from the middle class to poorer paid employees and pensioners. 他意图把中产阶级到低薪雇员和退休人员的收入做重新分配。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am myself one of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. 我自己就是一个我们的高贵的施主遗留基金的养老金领取者。 来自辞典例句

4 arrears   

n.到期未付之债，拖欠的款项；待做的工作

参考例句：

• The payments on that car loan are in arrears by three months.购车贷款的偿付被拖欠了三个月。
• They are urgent for payment of arrears of wages.他们催讨拖欠的工钱。

5 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

8 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。