英语听力—环球英语 1361 Holding Back Water: The Delta Project

 　　Voice 1

 

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Liz Waid.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　And I’m Colin Lowther. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand - no matter where in the world they live.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　In 1953, a flood destroyed Zeeland, a small Dutch state in the Netherlands. During the flood, the system protecting Zeeland failed. The system included dams and dykes². They were supposed to hold back and guide the water. But after the system failed, the water flooded into Zeeland. The flood killed almost 2000 people. In response, Dutch engineers developed a new flood control system: the Dutch Delta³ Project. Today’s Spotlight is on this system.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　After the flood, Dutch officials travelled to Louisiana in the United States. Louisiana is a state similar to Zeeland. Much of the state borders water. And in both Louisiana and Zeeland there are places where the land is below sea-level.  So it is important for each place to have a system that holds back the water.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　In 1953, Louisiana had one of the best flood protection systems. The Dutch officials wanted to see this flood protection system. They hoped to learn from it. They understood that a better system could have saved many lives in Zeeland.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　When the officials returned home, they promised to build a new system. This was the beginning of the Dutch Delta Project. Engineers with the Delta Project worked together. They created quality systems to protect the Netherlands against floods. Because of the Delta Project, the Dutch now have one of the most famous protective⁴ flood systems in the world.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　But, history has a way of changing things. Now the Dutch are helping⁵ Louisiana. In September 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the coast of Louisiana. This large storm started in the ocean. High winds damaged many homes. In particular, people in the famous American city of New Orleans suffered greatly.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Flood water broke through Louisiana’s protective system. The flood destroyed the walls and dams that were supposed to hold the water back. The water washed away homes and businesses. It shut off the electricity. It also destroyed fresh water supplies. The people had no fresh water to drink. Many people had no safe place to stay. Some were even trapped on the tops of their homes. The water had risen around them. They had to be rescued by helicopter.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　After Hurricane Katrina the people of Louisiana did not know what to do. They did not know how protect themselves from another flood. So, officials from Louisiana visited the Dutch in the Netherlands. They wanted to see the famous Dutch Delta Project system. The Louisiana officials hope that they can copy the Dutch system to help protect their state.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　So what makes the Dutch system so special? Dutch engineers built the system to be a storm-surge⁶ barrier. That is, the system protects their cities from the wind and rising water of a strong storm. During a severe storm, waters surge – they rise and move forward. This is what caused the flooding in Louisiana. The system protects against these surges⁷. It took 30 years to build such a system.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The Dutch system was a strong and intelligent design. Dutch engineers had prepared their cities for the future! Scientists expect water levels to rise in the 21st century. This is because of climate change. And the Dutch system, built in the 20th century, will protect their cities when the water rises.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　So, what does the Dutch system look like? And, how does it work? Well, the largest part of the system is the Oosterschelde barrier. The other parts of the system are similar, but smaller. The Oosterschelde barrier has 65 concrete piers⁹. The piers help the barrier to stay in place. They connect to land. And strong concrete supports them. Each pier⁸ can weigh up to 18,000 tons! Between each pier there is a gate. The Oosterschelde barrier has 62 gates in all. And each gate is about 30 metres high!

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Cars can drive along the top of the Oosterschelde barrier. At places, it is 100 metres wide. The gates below are open during calm weather. That is because much of the natural environment of the area depends on the flow of the water - the daily tide. But, when there is a strong storm, the gates close. The rising water does not rise above the barrier to flood the cities.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　This was the system the Dutch started building in the 1950s. It has protected them from storms and rising water. And it will continue to protect them into the future.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　But, as with any project, there are always things to improve. Recently, Dutch scientists have seen a change in the environment surrounding the barriers. The Dutch have lost much of their wetland environment, the natural places at the edge of the water. This includes large sand hills. It also includes flat dirt areas - the mudflats. They have seen a decrease in the salt marshes¹⁰ as well. Each of these areas is special in its own way. They were part of the natural barrier between people and the sea. But they are also home to many animals. This loss is sad. But, the Dutch do need the barriers. They need to protect their cities and the people living there.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　So, Dutch engineers have a new idea. They want to build “soft” protections instead of building “hard” ones. They want to support the pier structures with swamps¹¹ and sand. They want to use the swamps and sand instead of using concrete. They believe that using swamps and sand will act as a natural building method. They hope that the swamps and sand areas will naturally grow bigger.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　People from many countries are learning¹² from the Dutch. The world’s climate continues to change. And this threatens many countries that border the world’s oceans. These countries hope to protect their citizens from rising oceans. And they also hope to protect their natural environment.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Engineers from the Dutch Delta project reacted to one crisis¹³. Now, they are helping people in many countries react to a new crisis. Their ideas continue to change, but by working together, they hope to hold back the flood water of the fiercest storms.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The writer of this program was Rebekah Schipper. The producer was Luke Haley. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, ‘Holding Back Water: the Delta Project’.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　You can also leave your comments on our website. Or you can email us at [email protected]. You can also find us on Facebook - just search for spotlightradio. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 dykes   

abbr.diagonal wire cutters 斜线切割机n.堤( dyke的名词复数 )；坝；堰；沟

参考例句：

• They built dykes and dam to hold back the rising flood waters. 他们修筑了堤坝来阻挡上涨的洪水。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dykes were built as a protection against the sea. 建筑堤坝是为了防止海水泛滥。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

4 protective   

adj.防护的，保护的

参考例句：

• A mother naturally feels protective towards her children.做母亲的天生要保护自己的孩子。
• We feel safe with a protective device in the house.我们因为家里有了防护装置而感到安全。

5 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。

6 surge   

n.汹涌，澎湃；vi.汹涌，强烈感到，飞涨；vt.放开，松手

参考例句：

• The surge travelled southwards along the coast.浪涛沿着海岸向南涌去。
• It failed to stimulate a surge of investment in industry.这没有能刺激工业投资的激增。

7 surges   

n.奔涌向前( surge的名词复数 )；（数量的）急剧上升；（感情等）洋溢；浪涛般汹涌奔腾v.（波涛等）汹涌( surge的第三人称单数 )；（人群等）蜂拥而出；使强烈地感到

参考例句：

• The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping. 黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The raging tide of revolution surges forward. 革命怒潮汹涌澎湃。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 pier   

n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱

参考例句：

• The pier of the bridge has been so badly damaged that experts worry it is unable to bear weight.这座桥的桥桩破损厉害，专家担心它已不能负重。
• The ship was making towards the pier.船正驶向码头。

9 piers   

n.水上平台( pier的名词复数 )；（常设有娱乐场所的）突堤；柱子；墙墩

参考例句：

• Most road bridges have piers rising out of the vally. 很多公路桥的桥墩是从河谷里建造起来的。 来自辞典例句
• At these piers coasters and landing-craft would be able to discharge at all states of tide. 沿岸航行的海船和登陆艇，不论潮汐如何涨落，都能在这种码头上卸载。 来自辞典例句

10 marshes   

n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
• We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 swamps   

沼泽（地）( swamp的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• On the floor of the basins lie deserts, lakes and swamps. 这几个盆地的底部有沙漠、湖泊和沼泽。
• The lowest parts of the flood plain may form "back-swamps". 河漫滩最低的部分可以形成河漫滩沼泽。

12 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

13 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。