VOA常速英语2021--美国龙卷风造成的死亡人数持续上升

This is VOA News. Via remote, I'm Liz Parker.

这里是美国之音新闻。我是莉兹·帕克。

The U.S. state of Kentucky's governor says the death toll¹ from this weekend's tornadoes² continue to rise.

美国肯塔基州州长表示，本周末的龙卷风造成的死亡人数持续上升。

At least 74 people were killed in the state during a devastating³ cluster of tornadoes.

该州至少有74人在这场毁灭性的龙卷风中丧生。

At least 14 people are dead in four other states: Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri.

另外四个州至少有14人死亡：伊利诺伊州、田纳西州、阿肯色州和密苏里州。

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear told reporters Monday that it could take days to tally⁴ the final death toll because of the sheer devastation⁵.

肯塔基州州长安迪·贝希尔星期一告诉记者，由于破坏严重，最终的死亡人数可能需要几天时间才能统计出来。

President Biden is pledging his administration will do whatever is needed to help the states ravaged⁶ by these tornadoes.

拜登总统承诺，政府将采取一切必要措施帮助遭受龙卷风袭击的各州。

AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports.

美联社驻华盛顿记者萨加尔·梅格哈尼报道。

In the Oval Office, the president pointed⁷ to a map of Kentucky's hardest-hit areas.

在总统办公室里，总统指着一张肯塔基州受灾最严重地区的地图。

"The devastation is just stunning⁸."

“破坏程度令人震惊。”

He'll see for himself Wednesday with a visit to Kentucky.

星期三他将亲自去肯塔基州视察

He's already signed emergency declarations for the state and says the message is clear to other states hit by storms.

。他已经签署了该州的紧急状态声明，并表示已向其他遭受风暴袭击的州清楚传达了这一信息。

"...whatever they need when they need it."

“……任何他们需要的东西，在任何他们需要的时候。”

Besides lives lost and property damaged, the president says he worries about the emotional toll on survivors⁹.

除了生命和财产损失，总统说他担心幸存者的精神损失。

"...the peace of mind of people being able to actually put their head on a pillow, lie down in a bed, and be able to know their kids are gonna be okay."

“……那种内心的安宁，人们可以把头枕在枕头上，躺在床上，知道自己的孩子不会有事。”

Sagar Meghani, at the White House.

萨加尔·梅格哈尼于白宫。

The leader of U.K.'s opposition¹⁰ Labour Party on Monday added his voice to the government in urging people to get their coronavirus booster jabs.

英国反对党工党领袖周一加入了政府的行列，敦促人们接种新冠病毒疫苗。

Keir Starmer also confirmed his party would support in a vote in parliament the return of some rules and restrictions¹¹ for England.

基尔·斯塔默还证实，工党将在议会投票中支持恢复对英格兰的一些规则和限制。

The rules fall under the government term Plan B, which brings in mandatory¹² mask-wearing in public spaces and transport.

这些规定属于政府的B计划，该计划规定在公共场所和乘坐公共交通时必须佩戴口罩。

His announcement came after a similar address by the prime minister.

在他宣布这一消息之前，首相也发表了类似的讲话。

This is VOA News.

这里是美国之音新闻。

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 tornadoes   

n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。 来自互联网
• Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。 来自互联网

3 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

4 tally   

n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致

参考例句：

• Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
• The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。

5 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 ravaged   

毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫

参考例句：

• a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
• The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

8 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

9 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

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

12 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。