VOA慢速英语2014 AS IT IS 2014-07-02 U.S. Works to Protect Itself from Next Big Storm

 

AS IT IS 2014-07-02 U.S. Works to Protect Itself from Next Big Storm

Nearly two years have passed since Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeastern United States.  Water levels rose almost four meters in some areas as the storm moved inland from the Atlantic Ocean.  It caused major property damage along the Northeast coast.

Since then, the federal government has promised $920 million for a program to help plan for the next major storm.  The program is called “Rebuild by Design.”  It is bringing together experts on water control from around the world, and is welcoming ideas from storm survivors¹. 

Hurricane Sandy flooded New York City’s famous underground train system, many streets and buildings.  Thousands of people lost electricity, and 60 people died. 

Now, a team of experts from 11 countries is working on six projects to limit damage from the next big storm.

Amy Chester is executive director of Rebuild by Design.

“The first part that’s getting funded is the Lower East Side and that’s East River Park. And they are looking at the park not only as a park, but a burm.  So a burm would protect the community, but it also will create a space, create new space for recreation 365 days a year.”

A project team called the “Big U” developed the plan to protect the Lower East Side of Manhattan.  Hurricane Sandy flooded much of the area, displacing many families.  The recovery is continuing.

Bjarke Ingels is a Danish architect who is working on the project.

“Think of it as a string of pearls that constantly changes shape and form and character.  And for each part of the Big U, we’ve had intensive meetings with the local communities and they’ve told us what they wanted, which things they were missing, which things they were afraid of.  Then we designed the flood barrier in a way that it also becomes pavilions for markets or different sort of public amenities².”

Damaris Reyes is the executive director of a group called GOLES.  Its name comes from the words Gold Old Lower East Side.  Ms. Reyes says the Big U design team listened to what she and her neighbors had to say.

“They know that we were part of this broader coalition³ that was really representative of community folk and they came to us and asked to work with us.”

The Big U project is the first link in a series of barriers that will protect almost 13 kilometers of the coastline -- from one side of the city to the other.

New York’s Staten Island has plans for a fish hatchery -- a place where fish can safely grow before they are moved into the wild.  Staten Island also has plans for a beach and a harbor school.  Wetlands in New York and New Jersey⁴ will be improved to reduce the effect of a storm like Sandy.

Holly⁵ Licht is a government administrator⁶ who is working on the project.  She says she looked all over the world for ideas.

“It’s much more sophisticated in other parts of the world than it is here right now.  So that element of people who have built real projects for resilience for other parts of the world and seeing what works and what hasn’t worked as well, we wanted to tap into that experience and that knowledge base.”

Completing the plans may not be the hardest part of the project -- the Rebuild by Design team will have to work with federal agencies, and city and state governments to get their approval to carry them out.  I’m Jonathan Evans.

1 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

2 amenities   

n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快

参考例句：

• The campsite is close to all local amenities. 营地紧靠当地所有的便利设施。
• Parks and a theatre are just some of the town's local amenities. 公园和戏院只是市镇娱乐设施的一部分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

5 holly   

n.[植]冬青属灌木

参考例句：

• I recently acquired some wood from a holly tree.最近我从一棵冬青树上弄了些木料。
• People often decorate their houses with holly at Christmas.人们总是在圣诞节时用冬青来装饰房屋。

6 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。