VOA标准英语2009年-Recovery Effort Beginning in American Samo

By Mike O'Sullivan
American Samoa
06 October 2009

Recovery efforts are underway in American Samoa, which was struck last week by a major earthquake and tsunami¹, along with the nearby nations of Samoa and Tonga. One-hundred-77 are confirmed dead in the three island groups. Life is returning to normal for many survivors², but they face a massive cleanup.

 
Aid workers distribute items to villagers at the village of Saleapag on Samoa, 05 Oct 2009
Workers are clearing rubble³ in the hard-hit coastal⁴ neighborhoods and power and telecommunications have been restored in most parts of American Samoa. The U.S. Army Corps⁵ of Engineers has helped restore the water supply, although residents are being urged to boil their water.  The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard have delivered meals, blankets and cots for those forced from their homes.

U.S. Park Service employees are helping⁶ in the effort. Pua Tuaua is leading a crew of workers from the National Park of American Samoa.

"There's a lot of work to be done," said Tuaua. "So the boys are here. We're all out here trying to work hard and trying to clean up this mess."

Several crew members have been affected⁷ themselves. Three lost their homes. Tuaua lost two of his relatives to the tsunami and the huge waves damaged his home and destroyed his furniture.

In the same beachside neighborhood, a truck and tangled⁸ mass of corrugated⁹ steel are wedged against the house of Fai Faaita.  He says that people farther from the coast escaped the serious damaged, but he and his neighbors took the brunt of the huge waves.

"The majority of people that live here in the coastal area got hit bad. And, houses right now are unlivable," said Faaita. "So most of the people are either living with their families or living in families and so forth¹⁰."

He says the woman in the truck that was swept into his house was injured and was flown to hospital in Hawaii. Her daughter, who was with her, later died.

More than 30 people died in American Samoa. The neighboring nation, Samoa, was harder hit. More than 130 people died there, and nine others in Tonga.

In American Samoa, life is returning to normal and most schools and businesses have reopened.

Those affected by the disaster look to the government for help. Federal and local officials hosted a meeting of residents, Monday, explaining how to apply for emergency aid and low-interest loans. Officials say they will soon begin the process of long-term recovery, as American Samoans begin to heal their wounds.

 

1 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。

2 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

3 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

4 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

5 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 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。

8 tangled   

adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Your hair's so tangled that I can't comb it. 你的头发太乱了，我梳不动。
• A movement caught his eye in the tangled undergrowth. 乱灌木丛里的晃动引起了他的注意。

9 corrugated   

adj.波纹的；缩成皱纹的；波纹面的；波纹状的v.（使某物）起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• a corrugated iron roof 波纹铁屋顶
• His brow corrugated with the effort of thinking. 他皱着眉头用心地思考。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。