VOA慢速英语--加州死亡谷创下最热月份新纪录

California's Death Valley Sets New Record for Hottest Month

This is What’s Trending Today…

California’s Death Valley may have just set a world record for hottest month ever.

The area’s average temperature for the month of July was 42.28 degrees Celsius¹. That is higher than the earlier world record, set last July in Death Valley as well.

Todd Lericos, a weather expert for the National Weather Service, said the record beat last year’s record by “quite a bit.” He added that the data still needed to be further examined before going into official record books.

The temperatures are measured at Furnace Creek² in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley got its name from a group of pioneers who became lost there in 1849 and 1850. They feared they were all going to die, the National Park Service says. And one person in the group did before the rest found their way out.

In the springtime, Death Valley National Park bursts to life with visitors who come to see the desert wildflowers. But by May, Death Valley is already extremely hot, the National Park Service says. Visitors from around the world still come, but not to see the blooms. Instead, they want to experience one of the hottest places on earth.

Summer heat there is so extreme that travelers are warned to drink at least four liters of water each day, carry extra water in their cars, stay close to their vehicles, and watch themselves and others for signs of heat illness.

Summer visitors are urged to “travel prepared to survive,” avoid hiking at low elevations⁴ and return to their air-conditioned cars after just 10 to 15 minutes of being outside.

Last month, Death Valley recorded high temperatures of above 48 degrees Celsius for 17 of the last 18 days of July. For four consecutive⁵ days, high temperatures reached 52 degrees Celsius.

And that’s What’s Trending Today.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

quite a bit? - expression a fairly large amount : a lot

further - adv. to a greater degree or extent

pioneer - n. someone who is one of the first people to move to and live in a new area?

bloom - n. the flower part of a plant

illness - n. a condition of being unhealthy in your body or mind?

hiking - n. the act of walk a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise

consecutive - adj. following one after the other in a series: following each other without interruption

elevation³ n. the height of a place

1 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

2 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

3 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

4 elevations   

（水平或数量）提高( elevation的名词复数 )； 高地； 海拔； 提升

参考例句：

• Weight of the crust changes as elevations are eroded and materials are deposited elsewhere. 当高地受到侵蚀，物质沉积到别的地方时，地壳的重量就改变。
• All deck elevations are on the top of structural beams. 所有甲板标高线均指结构梁顶线。

5 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。