【新唐人2010年8月26日訊】 【看新聞學英語】

Moscow’s Heat Wave Kills Thousands

莫斯科熱浪造成數千人死亡

By Rainbow Lai, David Lee

【新聞關鍵字】

1. unprecedented adj. 空前的；前所未有的

2. exceed v. 超出

3. estimate v. 估計

4. monstrous adj. 巨大的

5. cite v. 引用…為證

6. discrepancy n. 不一致之處

7. vulnerable adj. 有弱點的

8. adequately adv. 適當地

9. ambulance n. 救護車

10. shelter n. 避難所

11. death toll n. 死亡總數

Several thousand Muscovites may have died in July alone due to this summer’s unprecedented heat wave.

單單在七月份，就已經有數千名莫斯科居民死於今夏前所未有的熱浪。

That’s according to Boris Revich, scientist and researcher at Russia’s Academy of Sciences.

這項訊息是來自一位俄國科學研究院中的科學家以及研究人員Boris Revich。

He had expected high death rates for July, but says the actual figures exceeded his predictions.

他曾預期七月份會有高死亡率，但他說實際的數字超出他的預測。

[Boris Revich, Senior Demography Researcher, Academy of Sciences, Russia]:

“We have never had experience estimating such monstrous heat, merely because we have never had such heat before."

[Boris Revich，俄國科學研究院老年人口統計學家]：

「因為我們從沒經歷過這樣高溫的生活環境，所以沒有估計像這樣酷熱的經驗。」

Day temperatures in Moscow soared since June, at times nearing 40 degrees Celsius.

從六月以來，莫斯科白天的溫度不斷往上攀升，有時還會出現接近攝氏40度的高溫。

Revich, citing a report by the Moscow Registry Office, says that almost 6,000 more Muscovites died in July than in the same month last year—a discrepancy he says is due to the heat wave.

Revich引用一份由莫斯科戶政事務所提供的資料證明，光是在今年七月死亡的莫斯科居民就較去年多出6,000位──這項差異是因為襲擊莫斯科的熱浪。

Over 27,000 forest fires have been detected in the country since July, casting a thick blanket of smog over the Russian capital.

莫斯科自七月以來，被偵測到的森林大火就超過27,000起，火災產生的厚重煙霾籠罩在莫斯科上空。

Russia is particularly vulnerable to severe hot weather as it is not adequately prepared for intense heat.

俄羅斯特別容易受到炎熱天氣的影響，因為俄羅斯尚未適當地準備好來應付酷暑。

Moscow’s ambulances, maternity houses and hospitals are not air conditioned ; neither are specially created social centres opened to provide shelter from the smog.

莫斯科的救護車、產房還有醫院，都沒有空調設備；另外，特別設立的社區中心、開放來提供庇護所以遠離霾害，也沒有安裝冷氣。

Even though the heat is now subsiding, the death toll for August due to be released in September, could still be high due to the effect of the smog and smoke.

儘管現在熱浪稍稍平息，但由於煙霾的影響，即將在九月公佈的八月份死亡人數，仍會居高不下。

本新聞影音出處：新唐人電視台英語新聞

http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/2010-08-19/588617774482.html

本專欄由李大衛英語教研機構提供