Earth Day in Washington Part of Global Celebration

 　　Earth Day events were held around the globe Sunday, including in Washington. Inclement¹ weather kept away all but the most-dedicated environmentalists.

　　Months of near-drought conditions gave way to steady rain that drenched² the nation’s capital and the grassy³ open mall near the Washington Monument, where small groups of people huddled⁴ under tents and umbrellas while bands played on a covered stage.

　　Advocacy groups and ecologically friendly product vendors⁵ manned booths and beckoned⁶ passers-by to stop in.

　　David Dolnick, marketing⁷ manager for California-based SolarCity, said “We are trying to offset⁸ energy [consumption] and try to get people as off the [electrical] grid⁹ as possible.  We cannot get you entirely¹⁰ off the grid, but we would like to take the power of the sun and turn that into energy.”

　　Braving the elements was Washington resident Kie Riedel. “A little too much rain, but I guess that is a good thing - April showers bring May flowers," she said.

　　Reidel said Earth Day has a simple purpose. “I think it is just to raise awareness¹¹ of some of the environmental issues that the world is facing, to make people aware and get them to, maybe, take action," she said.

　　She said she thinks people are aware of environmental challenges like global warming, but added, “I think the types of actions people are taking are more to adapt [to environmental degradation] and not to mitigate¹².”

　　Arizonan Kathy Darrow is visiting Washington and ventured to the National Mall for Earth Day.  She says Americans get conflicting messages when it comes to the economy and the environment. “We [Americans] are the largest consumers, and I think the topic of the day is about our economy and how to boost the economy.  And the answer to that in our culture is to be bigger consumers, and I do not think that is the answer," she said.

　　President Barack Obama has touted¹³ green, environmentally-friendly energy production as an industry the United States should foster and promote.  Darrow says that message is falling on too many deaf ears.

　　“I think people are pretty numbed-out [non-responsive] to environmental concerns.  I was thinking a few minutes ago that, if this were a gun show, there would probably be a lot more people here," she said.

　　Earth day began in the United States in the 1970s and has since spread worldwide.

1 inclement   

adj.严酷的，严厉的，恶劣的

参考例句：

• The inclement weather brought forth a host of diseases.恶劣的天气引起了种种疾病。
• They kept on going,even through the inclement weather.即使天气恶劣，他们还是执意要去。

2 drenched   

adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体）

参考例句：

• We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨，淋得浑身透湿。
• The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 grassy   

adj.盖满草的；长满草的

参考例句：

• They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。
• Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。

4 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

5 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

6 beckoned   

v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
• The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

8 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

9 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

10 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

11 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

12 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

13 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句