VOA新闻杂志2022--智利中部一湖泊干涸

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A Lake Dries Up as Chile’s Severe Lack of Rain Continues

Until 20 years ago, the Penuelas Reservoir was the main water supply for the city of Valparaiso on the coast of central Chile.

But today, it is almost dry. A huge open area of dried earth that was once the lake bed is now covered with fish skeletons and animals looking for water.

The South American nation is facing a 13-year drought. Higher air temperatures have meant snow in the Andes Mountains is less dense¹. So, it is melting faster or just drying up. The snow in the mountains once provided important meltwater during the spring and summer.

The capital, Santiago, has also been affected². Officials there are making plans to place limits on water use because of disputes between the mining and farming industries.

Amanda Carrasco is a 54-year-old who lives near the Penuelas Reservoir. She said, "We have to beg God to send us water." She added, "I've never seen it like this. There's been less water before, but not like now."

Jose Luis Murillo works at ESVAL, the company that supplies Valparaiso with water. He said the reservoir needs rainfall and that it "is just a puddle³" now. A puddle is a small area of water. He added that, years ago, the Penuelas Reservoir "was the only source of water for all greater Valparaiso."

Duncan Christie is a researcher at the Center for Climate and Resilience in Chile. He said research on trees suggests that conditions are drier than they have been in about 400 years.

A 2016 study by weather scientists suggested that low-pressure storms from the Pacific Ocean bring rain and snow to Chile in the winter under normal conditions. That weather activity brings snow to the Andes Mountains.

Miguel Lagos is an engineer and a water specialist. Lagos said the top layers of mountain snow are melting faster than in the past or are turning straight into a gas, or vapor⁴, through a process called sublimation⁵. Normally, he said, snow builds up, creating new layers. This helps keep the area colder for a longer period of time.

In 2019, a group of researchers from Chile published a study about the country's drought in the International Journal of Climatology. Their research covered the period from 2010 to 2018. The researchers found that both natural and human-caused forces were affecting the huge drought in Chile. But they warned that heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere and similar problems "will keep pushing Central Chile toward a dry condition" for many years.

Researchers at the University of Chile predict the country will have 30 percent less water over the next 30 years. That prediction is based on mathematical models and historical data.

Lagos said, "What we call a drought today will become normal."

Words in This Story

drought – n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

ration⁶ – n. a particular amount of something (such as gasoline or food) that the government allows you to have when there is not enough of it

beg – v. to ask (someone) in a very serious and emotional way for something needed or wanted very much

source –n. the place where something comes from or where it starts

layer – n. an amount of something that is spread over an area

1 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

2 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。

3 puddle   

n.(雨)水坑，泥潭

参考例句：

• The boy hopped the mud puddle and ran down the walk.这个男孩跳过泥坑，沿着人行道跑了。
• She tripped over and landed in a puddle.她绊了一下，跌在水坑里。

4 vapor   

n.蒸汽，雾气

参考例句：

• The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
• This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

5 sublimation   

n.升华，升华物，高尚化

参考例句：

• Presently, entrepreneurship, innovation and excellence-creating are the sublimation of the spirit. 在新的历史条件下，“创业创新创优”的三创精神是新时期江苏人文精神的升华。 来自互联网
• Luleng deems that public will is a sublimation of human's free volitions. 摘要卢梭认为，公意就是人类自由意志的升华。 来自互联网

6 ration   

n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应

参考例句：

• The country cut the bread ration last year.那个国家去年削减面包配给量。
• We have to ration the water.我们必须限量用水。