-
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Heat Causes Issues during Alaska’s Famous Iditarod Race
Competitors in this year's Iditarod dogsled race in Alaska are dealing1 with another struggle along the trail – unusually high temperatures.
Jason Mackey leads one of the dogsled teams. He told The Associated Press a thermometer2 attached to his sled hit 26.67 degrees Celsius3 at one point last week. The weather is usually very cold. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is a sport better-fitted to temperatures well below zero.
Mackey and other racers had to reconsider their usual plans to deal with the heat and poor trail conditions during the 1,609-kilometer race across Alaska.
Although it is warm along the race path, it was not that warm in interior4 Alaska, said Brian Brettschneider. He is a climate scientist with the National Weather Service in Alaska.
The thermometer on the sled had been in the sun so it could not did not provide an official reading, Brettschneider noted5. However, the warm and sunny conditions are still having clear effects on the people experiencing it, he added.
Not that long ago, the same area was much cooler than normal, which appeared to improve racing6 conditions. The warmer conditions have been driven by an area of high pressure, Brettschneider said.
Many communities in America's largest state hit record highs last week. Along the Iditarod trail, the community of McGrath did not set any records. But, it hit a high Wednesday of 2.22 degrees Celsius. The low in the area was 2.78 degrees. Normally7 at this time of year it is about -18 degrees, Brettschneider said.
Effects of the warmth have been seen all along the Iditarod trail. "There's almost no places that were below freezing...," Brettschneider said.
That was not news to Mackey. "I wish the temperatures would cool down," he said. Mackey added that the heat had created other issues also. At one point on the path, he saw two mosquitoes on his sled. "Yeah, it's spring," Mackey said.
Mackey said the heat has definitely8 affected9 the performance of his dogs, whom he calls "big boys." Each weigh more than 36 kilograms. Mackey noted that while other teams were moving in the heat of the day, he was not willing to do that. "I mean, it zaps them," he said of the dog team.
Kelly Maixner, a children's doctor, said his dogs do not like the heat. He would rather have it be -28.89 degrees Celsius.
The race started March 5 in Willow10, just north of the state's largest city, Anchorage. The dog teams will cross over two mountain areas, the frozen11 Yukon River and the Bering Sea ice before reaching the finish line in the small town of Nome. The winner is expected to be announced sometime this week.
Words in This Story
dogsled – n. a sled designed to be pulled by dogs
trail – n. a path running through the countryside
thermometer – n. a piece of equipment that measures the temperature of the air or of your body
zap – v. to harm or destroy something in a fast and powerful way
1 dealing | |
n.经商方法,待人态度 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 thermometer | |
n.温度计,寒暑表 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 Celsius | |
adj.摄氏温度计的,摄氏的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 interior | |
adj.在内的,内部的,内地的,国内的;n.内部 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 racing | |
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 normally | |
adv.正常地,通常地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 definitely | |
adv.一定地,肯定地;明确地,确切地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 willow | |
n.柳树 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 frozen | |
adj.冻结的,冰冻的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|