VOA标准英语2009年-Pacific Island Nations Dig Out From Tsunam

By Kate Pound Dawson
Bangkok
01 October 2009
 
Survivor walks through ruins of Salebata village on south coast of Samoa, 30 Sep 2009
Aid is starting to reach the Pacific islands devastated¹ by a powerful earthquake and a resulting series of tsunami² waves. The death toll³ is now above 120 on American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga and is expected to rise as authorities reach villages cut off by the disaster.

Power and telecommunications remain cut on much of Samoa and American Samoa, as island residents struggle to recover from the disaster.

There are reports of entire villages being washed away by the tsunami waves that hit moments after a magnitude eight earthquake struck the islands.

Getting a full assessment⁴ of the damage and the loss of life is difficult. The United States, New Zealand, Australia and other nations are still rushing rescue and recovery workers to the distant islands.

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency has sent a plane carrying members from several agencies to help American Samoa, including Defense⁵ Department officials and medical staff.

Veronica Verde is the FEMA spokeswoman in Oakland, California, where the relief effort is being coordinated⁶.
 
"We're also trying to really concentrate on life-saving, life-sustaining efforts," Verde said. "So one of the things that we're looking at is making sure that we get resources on the ground, food, water, cots, tents, tent kits⁷, Coleman stoves, lanterns, tarps to cover, because I know it's their rainy season…. Those are right now some of the resources that we're moving."
 
More help is on the way, including a U.S. Navy ship carrying a helicopter and supplies. In addition, the U.S. Pacific Command says that troops from the Hawaii National Guard are headed to American Samoa.

There are reports that law enforcement on the islands is overwhelmed, trying to conduct rescues and assess damage and to prevent looters from ransacking⁸ homes and businesses.

One small bit of good news is that the port on American Samoa is in working order, which means that ships carrying supplies, generators⁹ and vehicles will be able to quickly unload their cargoes¹⁰.

American Samoa is a U.S. territory; nearby Samoa and Tonga are independent nations. Their combined population is around 400,000. The islands are about 3,700 kilometers southwest of the U.S. state, Hawaii.

1 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

2 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

3 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

4 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

8 ransacking   

v.彻底搜查( ransack的现在分词 )；抢劫，掠夺

参考例句：

• She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present. 她正在彻底搜寻各家店铺，为吉姆买礼物。 来自英汉文学 - 欧亨利
• Ransacking the drawers of the dresser he came upon a discarded, tiny, ragged handkerchief. 他打开橱柜抽屉搜寻，找到了一块弃置的小旧手帕。 来自辞典例句

9 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 cargoes   

n.（船或飞机装载的）货物( cargo的名词复数 )；大量，重负

参考例句：

• This ship embarked cargoes. 这艘船装载货物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The crew lashed cargoes of timber down. 全体船员将木材绑牢。 来自《简明英汉词典》