Australia records second wettest summer in 111 years

    CANBERRA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Due to one of the strongest La Nina events, 2010-11 has seen Australia's second wettest summer on record, and above average rainfall is expected to continue, a weather meteorologist(气象学者) said on Monday.
    "Nationally we averaged 354.7mm - 70 percent above normal and second only behind the infamous¹ summer of 1973-74 when 419.8mm was recorded," Weather Channel meteorologist Tom Saunders said in a statement released² on Monday.
    All states and territories(地区,领土) recorded above average rainfalls, due to one of the strongest La Nina events on record, Saunders said.
    Victoria has never seen a wetter summer since records began 111 years ago, and it was Western Australia's second wettest.
    South Australia had its third wettest summer, New South Wales its 5th, Queensland its 6th and the Northern Territory it's 8th.
    "Looking ahead into autumn, the La Nina is now past its peak and has been weakening³ since early January.
    "However, until the Pacific Ocean returns to neutral⁴ in winter we can expect above average rain to continue over most of the country," he said.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

2 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

3 weakening   

v.（使）削弱， （使）变弱( weaken的现在分词 )；消震

参考例句：

• The currency of that country is weakening on foreign exchanges. 那个国家的货币在外汇市场上疲软。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Bad and irregular eating was weakening every function of his body. 吃得又差又没有规律，使他身体的每一个官能都在衰退。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

4 neutral   

adj.中立的，不偏不倚的；中性的

参考例句：

• Behaviour is never culturally neutral.人的行为从来都受文化的影响。
• They have maintained a consistently neutral stance.他们一直持中立态度。