VOA慢速英语附字幕：科学家称需为厄尔尼诺和极端天气做好准备 2014-07-03

Scientists: Prepare for El Nino and Extreme Weather

Many places have experienced severe flooding after heavy rains this year. Last Thursday, football lovers traveled through flooded streets in Recife, Brazil to watch the World Cup match between Germany and the United States. Many were unsure if the game would be played at all because of the weather.

Last week, the World Meteorological Organization predicted a return of the weather event known as El Nino later this year. Experts say one sign of it is unusually warm ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific. El Nino can affect weather conditions worldwide.

The flooding in Recife followed hours of heavy rainfall. Major flooding hit the former Yugoslavia earlier this year. It killed more than 50 people in Serbia alone.

Michel Jarraud is Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization.

“This winter, meaning December 2013 to February 2014, was the wettest winter ever recorded in more than a quarter of a millennium.”

Mr. Jarraud spoke at a climate conference in Japan earlier this year. He said there is no question that temperatures around the world are going up.

“Every decade has been warmer than the preceding one over the last 40 years.”

Experts say the extreme heat warms the ocean surface above its normal levels, affecting climate worldwide. The weather event is called El Nino.

Philip Klotzbach is an American research scientist. He spoke to VOA on Skype.

“El Nino is warmer than normal waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. When those warmer normal waters occur in the tropical Pacific, it tends to increase upper level westerly winds.”

The World Meteorological Organization says El Nino is forming again this year. The WMO says the weather event will be fully established in a few months. It is expected to be strongest toward the end of this year and in early 2015. As Michel Jarraud notes, El Nino causes higher than normal temperatures in some parts of the world, and extremely high rainfall in others.

“I am thinking, for example, of the big heat wave which hit Russia in 2010. A lot of research has been done and now the scientists believe that without the climate change, which has already occurred, it would have been very unlikely to occur. So you see, we are making some progress on the attribution of extreme events to climate change.”

Scientists have long sought to prove that the release of greenhouse gases, industrial pollution, causes climate change and affects our weather. Mr. Jarraud says there is more and more evidence that this is true. But it is difficult to persuade politicians to take steps to cut pollution.

Kaisa Kosonen is with the environmental group Greenpeace International.

“What does it mean if we want to prevent dangerous climate change? It means that we need to get rid of this coal, gas and oil as soon as possible and change to renewable energy, get more energy efficient systems in place and so forth.”

The World Meteorological Organization is urging governments to prepare for El Nino and the extreme weather conditions it can bring.

词汇解析

settlement

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.解决;结算;协议;安置;殖民;定居

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

After much discussion the negotiators hammered out a compromise settlement.

双方经多次谈判达成一项折衷的解决办法。

The long French sojourn in Canada before English settlement has left its marks.

在英国殖民者之前，法国人在加拿大的长期居留也留下了痕迹。

repeatedly

难度：2星扩展词汇，属常用10000词

英汉解释

adv.重复地;再三地

参考例句

用作副词 (adv.)

He drew a long breath and repeatedly chanted the name of Rama, every word showering nectar into the hearts of the devotees.

他深深地吸了一口气，重复地唱颂着罗摩的名字，每一个字都像甘露般地洒落在奉献者的心里。

B. However, in order to restore peace and social order, individual states or the international community has repeatedly used force in history.

然而，历史上为了恢复和平和社会秩序，个别的国家或国际社会再三地使用武力。

violence

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.猛烈;暴力;暴行;强暴

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The young man was charged with robbery with violence.

这个年轻人被控暴力抢劫。

The act of violence made people boil with anger.

这种强暴的行为令人发指。

issue

难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词

英汉解释

n.议题;问题;期刊号;一次发行额;发行;<律>子女

v.发表;公布;正式发给;发行;流出

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Parliament will debate the nationalization issue next week.

议会将在下周辩论国有化议题。

The new issue will be divided into four tranches.

新一批发行的债券分为四部份。

用作动词 (v.)

New members will be issued with a temporary identity card.

新成员将配发临时身分卡。

Banknotes of this design were first issued 10 years ago.

这种图案的钞票是十年前首次发行的。

ought

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

aux.应该;应当;本该

n.<古>零

参考例句

用作助动词 (aux.)

I don't think you ought to.

我看你不应该。

slave

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.奴隶;像奴隶般受制的人;【机】从动装置

v.做苦工;做奴隶;拼命干

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

This slave dreamed of becoming a freeman.

这个奴隶梦想着成为一个自由人。

用作动词 (v.)

Why should I slave away all my life !

我为什么要辛辛苦苦地干一辈子呀!

jail

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.监牢;监狱;拘留所

vt.监禁;下狱

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

On the other hand, at least he didn't leave his dinner on the floor of the county jail.

可是，从另一方面来说，他至少没有吐在拘留所的地板上。

用作及物动词 (vt.)

He can be punished by long jail sentences.

他可能受到长期监禁的处罚。

dismiss

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

vt.开除;解散;屏除;(法律)驳回

参考例句

用作及物动词 (vt.)

If you are late again, you will be dismissed.

如果你再迟到，你将被解雇。

The justice dismissed his evidence out of hand.

法官当即驳回了他的证据。