VOA标准英语2009年-Wildfires and Deaths as Southeast Australia Bak

Southeastern Australia has endured some of the hottest temperatures in a century, which have fanned fires that have destroyed homes and strained emergency power and transport services. At least 20 people may have died from heat stroke as temperatures soared past 46 degrees Celsius¹ in some areas for a third consecutive² day. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses are without electricity.

More than a dozen homes have been lost as bushfires burn across parts of the southern Australian state of Victoria.

The flames have been fuelled by a vicious cocktail³ of strong winds, low humidity and scorching⁴ temperatures. It's thought some outbreaks have been started deliberately⁵ by arsonists⁶.

Residents in the fire zone have felt the sheer brutality⁷ of nature. "It's probably a little like a war zone without the bullets," said a resident.

"A big fire ball ripped through," said another one. "It's burned down our neighbour's house. It started to burn down our house and my husband got out of there. He went back this morning and nearly everything, all the houses are gone."

Towns and cities across southeastern Australia including Adelaide have sweltered in furnace-like conditions.

An explosion at an electrical substation in Melbourne saw the rail network fall into chaos⁸ and power was lost to 500,000 homes and businesses.

To make matters worse, railway lines have buckled⁹ as temperatures reached record highs, leaving commuters stranded¹⁰.

Authorities fear that several elderly people may have died due to the heat wave, after 22 "sudden deaths" in Adelaide on Friday. Autopsies¹¹ will determine whether the victims' fatal heart attacks and strokes were related to the heat.

Officials have advised people to drink plenty of water, stay indoors and refrain from consuming alcohol and taking part in strenuous¹² exercise.

The scorching weather has played havoc¹³ with the Australian Open Tennis Tournament, with several tennis stars forced to retire in the exhausting conditions.

The unusual warm spell has been caused by a high pressure system over the Tasman Sea that is pushing warm and dry northerly winds over the southeastern corner of the Australian continent.

Although temperatures have eased slightly in the last 24 hours, the region's hottest period since 1908 seems set to continue. More unpleasantly hot weather is forecast in the week ahead.

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 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。

3 cocktail   

n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物

参考例句：

• We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。
• At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上，人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。

4 scorching   

adj. 灼热的

参考例句：

• a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
• a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

5 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

6 arsonists   

n.纵火犯( arsonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The factory was destroyed in a fire started by arsonists. 工厂在纵火犯引起的火灾中烧毀了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland said suspected arsonists could face murder charges. 澳大利亚总检察长罗伯特麦克莱兰说，怀疑纵火犯可能面临谋杀指控。 来自互联网

7 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

8 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

9 buckled   

a. 有带扣的

参考例句：

• She buckled her belt. 她扣上了腰带。
• The accident buckled the wheel of my bicycle. 我自行车的轮子在事故中弄弯了。

10 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

11 autopsies   

n.尸体解剖( autopsy的名词复数 )；验尸；现场验证；实地观察

参考例句：

• Autopsies cannot be performed and thus no recent histological examinations have been reported. 不能进行尸体解剖，因此没有新近的组织学检查的报道。 来自辞典例句
• I told you to supervise autopsies, not to set up a lot of fancy rules. 我叫你监督解剖室，不是去制定一些空想的规定。 来自辞典例句

12 strenuous   

adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的

参考例句：

• He made strenuous efforts to improve his reading. 他奋发努力提高阅读能力。
• You may run yourself down in this strenuous week.你可能会在这紧张的一周透支掉自己。

13 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。