VOA标准英语2010年-New Zealand Begins Post-Earthquake Cle

New Zealand's second-biggest city, Christchurch, is facing an enormous clean-up after being struck by the country's worst earthquake in 80 years.  The magnitude 7 quake devastated¹ parts of Christchurch early Saturday.

 

Christchurch awoke Sunday to another grim day as shell-shocked residents assess the damage inflicted² by one of the country's most powerful earthquakes.

Mayor Bob Parker is urging residents to stay indoors.

This is not a good time to go out, as curious as you may be, and have a look around if it means driving out onto the streets because we need to keep them free for emergency services," Parker advised. "Use common sense; emergency services are flat out at the moment. The assessment³ is underway. Take sensible precautions, but don't go out sightseeing. Check on your neighbors. Do the things that communities do so well at times like this."

Authorities say it is a miracle no one was killed after disaster struck Saturday before dawn, when most people were still asleep.  A small number of serious injuries have been reported.

Roads and bridges have been left in ruins and troops are expected to be deployed⁴ to help in the emergency effort.  Power and water supplies have also been disrupted.  Authorities say the clean-up will be long and expensive.  The damage bill is estimated at about $1.5 billion.

A night time curfew was imposed in parts of Christchurch, while schools offered emergency shelter to those left homeless.

A series of aftershocks have unnerved a wary⁵ population.

New Zealand sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a vast area of unpredictable seismic⁶ activity.  The South pacific country of more than 4 million people experiences more than 14,000 earthquakes each year.  Most are minor⁷ but occasionally nature displays its destructive power.

This weekend's earthquake is among the 10 strongest the country has ever recorded.
 

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 inflicted   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

3 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？

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

5 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

6 seismic   

a.地震的，地震强度的

参考例句：

• Earthquakes produce two types of seismic waves.地震产生两种地震波。
• The latest seismic activity was also felt in northern Kenya.肯尼亚北部也感觉到了最近的地震活动。

7 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。