VOA常速英语2015--加州州长命令强制削减用水（在线收听）

California Governor Orders Mandatory Water Cuts 加州州长命令强制削减用水

WASHINGTON—

Environmentalists warn the world is facing serious water shortages and the United States is no exception. While parts of the country may get too much snow and rain, that is not the case in the southwest. California has been dealing with the effects of drought for more than two years. The state governor has ordered a mandatory reduction of water usage to prevent waste. The state is also looking into new technologies that will make California more drought resistant.

环境人士警告，全球面临严重水资源短缺，美国也不例外。美国部分地区降雪和降雨过大，但是西南地区的情况并非如此。加州两年多来一直在努力应对干旱。为防止浪费，州长已下令减少用水。另外，加州还在研究能使该州更能抵御干旱的新技术。

While the U.S. Midwest and East Coast struggled with record snowfalls this winter, California experienced its lowest snowpack in recent history.

美国中西部和东部沿海努力应对今冬破纪录降雪的同时，加州的降雪却创造了历了新低。

"We're in a historic drought and that demands unprecedented action, and for that reason I'm issuing an executive order mandating substantial water reductions across our state," said California governor Jerry Brown.

州长杰里·布朗说：“我们脚下的草已经干枯，脚踩的雪本应一点五米厚。这就是一段时间以来的情况。我们正在经历历史性干旱，这就要求采取前所未有的行动。因此我下达行政命令，要求全州大幅度节水。”

The executive order issued by the governor Wednesday requires the State Water Resources Control Board to reduce water use by 25 percent across California. Governor Brown said 38 million people will be affected. The measure is expected to save hundreds of thousands of liters of water over nine months.

布朗州长星期三下达的行政命令要求，州水资源控制委员会在全加州减少用水百分之二十五。布朗州长说，三千八百万民众将受到影响。这一措施未来九个月有望节水数百万公升。

The mandatory water rationing is unprecedented in the United States, and some Californians are against it, saying that water saving should be voluntary. But previous measures to fight a persistent drought have not improved the situation. The governor warned residents to be prepared to change their lifestyle.

强制性用水配给在美国史无前例，一些加州民众对此表示反对，他们说，节水应该是自愿的。但是过去抵御持续干旱的措施并没有使形势得到改善。布朗州长告诫居民要准备改变生活方式。

“The idea of your nice little green grass getting lots of water every day - that's going to be a thing of the past, and we're not going to change everything overnight, but we are in a transition period," said Brown.

他说：“你那片漂亮草坪每天得水浇灌的想法将要成为历史。我们不能一下子改变一切，但是，我们正在过渡。”

The transition already has started in extremely hot parts of southern California. Instead of watering their lawns to keep them green during the summer, many homeowners are now hiring companies that will paint them green.

这种过渡在南加州一些极其酷热的地方已经开始。许多房主夏天不再浇草保青，而是雇佣公司把草染绿。

"You don't have to water it as much with the drought and everything; we're all supposed to conserve water. This is a good idea," said Marta Gomez, a homeowner.

住户马塔·戈美兹说：“由于干旱等原因，你无需多浇。我们大家本应节约水资源，这个想法不错。”

A Lucky Lawn company, specializing in spray painting dried-out lawns, claims the paint is actually good for the grass because it protects the blades from harmful ultra-violet rays.

“幸运草坪”公司专门为干枯草坪喷洒颜色，该公司称，颜料实际上对草很好，因为颜料能够保护草免遭紫外线伤害。

"[It’s] 100 percent non-toxic. Once it's dry, animals, kids, the whole family can go out and enjoy the yard," said Drew Mclellan, founder of A Lucky Lawn.

公司创始人德鲁·麦克利兰说：“（颜料）百分之百无毒。颜料干了后，动物、孩子和全家都可以来到院中，尽情享受。”

California farmers are especially affected by the drought. A group of mathematicians is trying to help.

加州农夫尤其受到干旱的影响，一批数学工作者，正在设法予以帮助。

“A person's going to want to try to make as much profit as possible using the least amount of water, while meeting the demands from the market. And so, as mathematicians, one of the things we were hoping to offer was a different way of looking at a problem. What can we plant? What’s the rotation strategy?" asked Kathleen Fowler, a mathematician working on the problem.

数学家凯瑟琳·费劳尔说：“有人希望尝试，以最少的水，尽可能多地获利，同时满足市场需求。作为数学工作者，我们希望能够提供的帮助之一，是提供分析问题的一个不同方法。这就是，我们能够种什么？什么是所谓轮作战略？”

Governor Brown said California is a pioneering state where people have come together to build a better life, and that, he said, requires conservation, collaboration and innovation.

布朗州长说，加州是具有开拓精神的州，人们来到这里，共铸美好生活，这就需要节约、合作和创新精神。