leeshumei的部落格

轉自蘋果派生活美語

●閱讀英文

Japan crews 1)scramble to restore cooling systems
Smoke 2)billowed from a building at Japan’ s 3)crippled nuclear power plant today as emergency crews worked to reconnect electricity to cooling systems and spray more water on the overheating reactors at the tsunami- 4)ravaged plant.
Four of the troubled Fukushima Dai-ichi plant’s six reactors have seen fires, explosions or partial meltdowns in the week since the tsunami. While the reactor cores where energy is generated are a concern, Japanese and U.S. officials believe a critical danger are the pools used to store spent nuclear fuel: Fuel rods in one pool were believed to be at least partially exposed and in danger of leaking radiation.(Associated Press, March 18)

●中譯

 日本核電廠員工搶修冷卻系統
日本遭海嘯毀損的核能電廠今天從一棟建物噴出煙霧，救難人員努力重新接通電力至冷卻系統，並噴灑更多水至過熱的反應爐。
海嘯來襲後的一週內，福島第一核電廠受影響的六座反應爐中，已有四座起火、爆炸或部分熔毀。負責發電的反應爐核心固然令人擔憂，但日本及美國官員認為，更重大的危險是用來貯存用過核燃料的廢料池：一般認為，其中一池的燃料棒至少有一部分暴露出來，有輻射外洩之虞。（美聯社，3月18日）

英檢字彙 Vocabulary Bank

1) scramble (v.) 急忙、賣力地做事
Programmers are scrambling to develop applications for the new iPhone
2) billow (v.)（煙霧、蒸氣等）湧出，冒出
Clouds of steam billowed from the hot spring.
3) crippled (a.) 嚴重受損的，殘廢的
All passengers and crew were rescued from the crippled boat.
4) ravaged (a.) 被蹂躪、摧毀的
Thousands of refugees fled the war-ravaged country.

英語通 Language Guide

地震相關用字
● earthquake 地震，也可簡寫為 quake
● temblor 地震
● tremor 微震，顫抖
● foreshock 前震
● aftershock 餘震
● epicenter 震央
● magnitude 震級（地震規模）

轉自蘋果派生活美語

●閱讀英文

Japan Relief Effort Hampered by Snow as Homeless Quake Victims Go Hungry

Snowstorms and fear of leaks from a 1)stricken nuclear plant are hampering efforts to get aid to hundreds of thousands left homeless and without food, power and water a week after the nation’s strongest earthquake. Doctors around the city of Sendai, the area that took the brunt of the 23-foot tsunami 2)unleashed by the March 11 quake, were sending patients to 3)evacuation centers because there is no food in the hospitals. The snow and poor visibility limited the U.S. Navy’s efforts to fly in aid by helicopter to areas 4)devastated by the 9-magnitude temblor. (Bloomberg, March 27)

●中譯

日本救災工作受大雪阻礙，無家可歸的地震災民飢寒交迫

該國史上最強烈地震發生一週後，暴風雪來襲，再加上擔心受損的核電廠輻射外洩，使得救援行動受阻，數十萬災民無家可歸，缺乏糧食、電力與用水。仙台市附近的醫師正陸續將病患送至疏散中心，因為醫院裡已經沒有食物。三月十一日的地震引發高達 23 呎的海嘯，仙台地區首當其衝。大雪與能見度不佳，造成美國海軍無法派遣直升機運送救援物資至遭到規模九強震摧殘的地區。（彭博社，3月27日）

英檢字彙 Vocabulary Bank

1) stricken (n.) 為（災難、疾病等）所困的，遭到打擊的
Oil from the stricken tanker is leaking into the harbor.
2) unleash (v.) 引發，使爆發
The president’s assassination unleashed violent demonstrations.
3) evacuation (n.) 疏散，避難
The volcanic eruption forced the evacuation of thousands of villagers.
4) devastate (v.) 摧毀，重創
Parts of the town were devastated by the tornado.

EZ 好用句型Tongue-tied No More

●take the brunt of 首當其衝
brunt 是「主要衝擊，最主要的力量」，take 則是「遭受」的意思，這句型也可以用 bear the brunt of 表達。

Coastal towns are expected to take the brunt of the coming hurricane.
沿岸城市預計會受到即將來臨的颶風侵襲。