VOA慢速英语2015 印度遭受世界历史上第五大致命性高温

AS IT IS 2015-06-03 India Suffers Fifth Deadliest Heat Wave Ever Reported 印度遭受世界历史上第五大致命性高温

Hot weather has been a serious problem across India for nearly two weeks. Rainfall brought lower temperatures and relief to a few places. But across large parts of the country, the heat wave has showed no sign of letting up.

This is the world’s fifth-deadliest heat wave. That finding comes from the Emergency Events Database, a disaster center based in Belgium.

Chandra Bhushan works for the New Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment. He says India is used to dealing¹ with high temperatures. But he says this year, the heat turned deadly as temperatures rose very quickly. He says the temperatures rose “very, very fast,” from the first week in May, increasing by close to 15 to 20 degrees Celsius².

In Andhra Pradesh state, officials have advised people to stay in the shade, out of the sun. But many poor people cannot follow that advice. They earn their wages by working outside, with little or no protection from the hot weather.

In crowded cities, it is difficult for people to keep cool. Paved road surfaces and the lack of tree cover drive temperatures higher. 

In many places, the air temperature has been around 45 degrees Celsius.

R.S. Deshpande is with the Indian Institute of Social Science Research. He says that like most disasters, poor people are hit the hardest. They do not have the right clothing to keep cool. They also do not have homes equipped to protect them from hot weather. Their earnings³ can drop, he says, because there are more health costs and maybe less work during the summer heat.

Experts say that while heat waves are now considered “disasters,” they do not get the same attention as cyclones⁴ and earthquakes. But as the killer⁵ heat wave continues, there are more calls for Indian officials to do more to be ready for this kind of weather crisis.

To date, only one Indian city has put in place a “Heat Action Plan” to protect its residents. That city is Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat. Its measures include public information campaigns and setting up “cooling spaces” in shopping malls and other public buildings. The action plan also calls for training of doctors, and helping⁶ construction supervisors⁷ protect their workers.

Dileep Mavalankar is director of Ahmedabad’s “Heat Action Plan.” He says the plan helped reduce deaths during a major heat wave last June. He says its many measures are like those used in Europe after the continent’s killer heat wave 12 years ago.

He says efforts to help other Indian cities develop their own action plan were not well received. Only two states showed interest in using a plan like the one in Ahmedabad.

Climate experts warn these large heat waves could become more common in the future. The recent heat wave could put pressure on governments to come up with plans to deal with the future extreme heat waves.

Chandra Bhushan is calling for better weather forecasting systems.  He wants authorities to take measures to help people deal with the extreme temperatures. If a warning is announced, he says, the first need is to stop manual work outside during the middle of the day. That is the hottest time of the day.

“The second concern is we will have to upgrade our public infrastructure⁸ much more for heat waves, whether it is about providing water at public places, having dehydration⁹ salts at public places, much more, you know, alert health care systems.”

As experts discuss what to do in the future, most Indians are looking for a break from the heat today. For now, people are waiting for seasonal¹⁰ monsoon¹¹ rains to begin. Usually, those rains hit India’s southern coast by this time.  Weather officials say they could come any day.

Words in This Story

relief – n. a good feeling that someone has when something unpleasant stops.

pave(d) – v. covered

promote – v. to raise something (or someone) to a higher position

manual – adj. to do something by

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

3 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

4 cyclones   

n.气旋( cyclone的名词复数 )；旋风；飓风；暴风

参考例句：

• The pricipal objective in designing cyclones is to create a vortex. 设计旋风除尘器的主要目的在于造成涡旋运动。 来自辞典例句
• Middle-latitude cyclones originate at the popar front. 中纬度地区的气旋发源于极锋。 来自辞典例句

5 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 supervisors   

n.监督者，管理者( supervisor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I think the best technical people make the best supervisors. 我认为最好的技术人员可以成为最好的管理人员。 来自辞典例句
• Even the foremen or first-level supervisors have a staffing responsibility. 甚至领班或第一线的监督人员也有任用的责任。 来自辞典例句

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 dehydration   

n.脱水，干燥

参考例句：

• He died from severe dehydration.他死于严重脱水。
• The eyes are often retracted from dehydration.眼睛常因脱水而凹陷。

10 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

11 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。