VOA标准英语2012--Midwest Farmers Battling Worst US Drought in Generation

 

Midwest Farmers Battling Worst US Drought in Generation

In this year's record setting heat under the hot summer sun, McLean County Illinois farmer Matt Hughes' crops are wilting¹.

Each day without rainclouds brings new disappointment and worry for Hughes.

"The crop I planted right now - I have more invested in this crop than any other crop in my life," said Hughes.

Hughes says that's because with commodity prices at all-time highs, so is the cost of seed and fertilizer.

Now, he's watching his potential profits evaporate.

"This is the one year that can make or break a lot of farmers," added Hughes.

Farmers in Illinois, one of the top corn and soybean producing states in the country, are facing the worst drought conditions in decades.

Part of the corn crop in southern Illinois is already beyond salvage², and the problem is spreading, says Illinois Farm Bureau president Philip Nelson.

"I will tell you from north to south and east to west, this corn crop is in severe trouble and in dire³ need of a healthy amount of rainfall," Nelson noted⁴.

June was one of the driest months on record in many parts of the country, depriving corn stalks of much needed water during pollination⁵.

"We've got over 50 percent of the corn crop in Illinois that's in poor or very poor condition. There are only two states worse than that by the statistics service and that's Missouri and Kentucky," Nelson added.

Nelson says the poor crop has a ripple⁶ effect on other farmers throughout the country.

"The pork is the biggest user of soybean products. Corn, its biggest user is beef cattle. So with all due respect, everybody keeps an eye on what type of crop you are raising because it really affects the bottom line of livestock⁷ producers in this state," said Nelson.

Whatever the bottom line is for Matt Hughes is now beyond his control.

"This is the most productive ground in the world, it's not like I'm going to make a choice to not produce it because I think we're going to have a drought. We produce it, and we take what we can get," said Hughes.

What Hughes is not getting is help from meteorologists. They only predict a few scattered⁸ showers in the coming weeks. 

1 wilting   

萎蔫

参考例句：

• The spectators were wilting visibly in the hot sun. 看得出观众在炎热的阳光下快支撑不住了。
• The petunias were already wilting in the hot sun. 在烈日下矮牵牛花已经开始枯萎了。

2 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

3 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 pollination   

n.授粉

参考例句：

• The flowers get pollination by insects.这些花通过昆虫授粉。
• Without sufficient pollination,the growth of the corn is stunted.没有得到充足的授粉，谷物的长势就会受阻。

6 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

7 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

8 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。