VOA慢速英语2015 乌干达应对20年来最强厄尔尼诺现象

AS IT IS 2015-11-12 Uganda Prepares for Worst El Niño in 20 Years 乌干达应对20年来最强厄尔尼诺现象

Uganda is experiencing some of its most unpredictable weather in 20 years.  

乌干达正在经历20年来最不可预测的天气现象。

Weather experts say the reason is El Niño: a climate event that affects weather conditions worldwide. El Niño takes place when water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean warm, and redirect wind movements.  

天气专家表示，原因就是厄尔尼诺——一种影响全世界天气状况的气候现象。当太平洋的水温较暖，导致风向改变时，就会发生厄尔尼诺现象。

Godfrey Mujuni works at Uganda's meteorological data center. He says rains will continue through what should be the country’s dry season. He says that if El Niño remains¹ strong, he expects heavy rainfall during the months of January and February.  

Godfrey Mujuni在乌干达气象数据中心工作。他表示，雨水将持续乌干达原本应该干燥无雨的整个季节。他表示，如果厄尔尼诺仍然非常强烈，他预测1月份和2月份都会出现暴雨。

Heavy rains have already led to a rise in cholera² cases. The disease has killed at least six people in western Uganda. In rural, mountainous areas, people have been asked to leave their homes because of the risk of landslides³.  

暴雨导致霍乱病例增加。这种疾病已经致使乌干达西部至少6人死亡。在乡村地区和山区，由于山体滑坡危险，人们已经收到撤离命令。

In the capital, Kampala, a number of wetland systems are responsible for drainage. These systems remove surplus water during periods of increased rainfall. However, both legal and illegal building projects have blocked the flow of water.  

在首都坎帕拉，一些湿地系统负责排水。这些系统在雨水增多的时候用来转移过剩的雨水。然而，一些合法和非法的建筑项目堵塞了水流。

A World Bank report blames weak rules for the worsening of local wetlands.  

世界银行谴责当地湿地恶化是由于疲软的监管规定。

A spokesman with the Kampala Capital City Authority says his agency working to combat this problem. He says one problem is people leaving wastes and other objects in drainage channels.  

坎帕拉首都城市当局一名发言人表示，他的机构正在努力解决这一问题。他表示，其中一个问题就是人们向下水道中丢弃垃圾和其他物体。

Uganda has increased disaster management teams around the country. But even preventative measures could leave some of the nation's poorest residents with nowhere to go.    

乌干达在全国各地增加了灾难管理团队。但是即使预防性的措施到位，国家最民困的居民也会无家可归。

Words in This Story   

channel – n. a path, tube, or long narrow place where water flows  

drainage – n. the act or process of draining something : the act or process of removing water or liquid from a place or thing  

management – n. the people who make decisions about a business, department, sports team, etc.  

resident – n. someone who lives in a particular place

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

3 landslides   

山崩( landslide的名词复数 )； （山坡、悬崖等的）崩塌； 滑坡； （竞选中）一方选票占压倒性多数

参考例句：

• Landslides have cut off many villages in remote areas. 滑坡使边远地区的许多村庄与外界隔绝。
• The storm caused landslides and flooding in Savona. 风暴致使萨沃纳发生塌方和洪灾。