VOA标准英语2013--Relief Radio Station Signals Dire State of Communications in Tacloban, Philippines

 

Relief Radio Station Signals Dire¹ State of Communications in Tacloban, Philippines

TACLOBAN, PHILIPPINES — All of Tacloban’s 15 radio stations were knocked off the air when Typhoon Haiyan devastated² the Philippine city of 220,000 people. A response  within 72 hours by volunteers managed to get an emergency station on the air - the only local mass means for the survivors³ there to get instant, reliable information.

“It is now 10:07.  This is 98.7 FM, First Response Radio broadcasting live in Tacloban city.” The voice of Magnolia Yrasuegui is filling a void. Around the clock,  live and on tape, she and others are heard across the destroyed city informing residents on how and where to get help.

The portable station, part of an international non-profit network of radio technicians, is contained in a couple of suitcases that were stored in Manila.

An initial small 50-watt transmitter is being replaced by a more powerful 600-watt unit.

Even the weaker signal, though, could be heard for kilometers emanating⁴ from a small antenna⁵ erected⁶ on the roof of the damaged city hall.

Survivors are seeking accurate information about the fate of family members and their city, according to Yrasuegui. “Rumors have been flying out and they do not know  anything about what happened to them, if their relatives are still there. So communication also is aid.”

With no electricity service in the city and batteries a scarce commodity, volunteers from the station have distributed hundreds of solar and crank-up radios to people  in evacuation centers.

They get to hear from in-studio guests such as Dr. Joji Tomioka of Japan’s medical team for disaster relief, which is now treating patients in Tacloban.   

The five volunteers staffing First Response Radio say they will remain on the air until this city can recover to the point that at least one of its radio stations can  resume broadcasting.

1 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

2 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

3 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

4 emanating   

v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的现在分词 )；产生，表现，显示

参考例句：

• Even so, there is a slight odour of potpourri emanating from Longfellow. 纵然如此，也还是可以闻到来自朗费罗的一种轻微的杂烩的味道。 来自辞典例句
• Many surface waters, particularly those emanating from swampy areas, are often colored to the extent. 许多地表水，特别是由沼泽地区流出的地表水常常染上一定程度的颜色。 来自辞典例句

5 antenna   

n.触角，触须；天线

参考例句：

• The workman fixed the antenna to the roof of the house.工人把天线固定在房顶上。
• In our village, there is an antenna on every roof for receiving TV signals.在我们村里，每家房顶上都有天线接收电视信号。

6 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。