新视野大学英语视听说教程 4 Unit 3-13

Task 2: Drought in South Africa
Script
South Africa is heading for a disaster in the new year because of a drought. The water level at some dams have dropped below 20% while the ground water table has dropped by as much s 30 meters
Emergency measure have been introduced ensure that millions of people have enough water to survive. In rural areas without dams, the government has to send water by truck and sink new, deeper wells to provide drinking water. Tanked water is provided about 3.5 million South Africans. People here normally use barely 30 liters a day, and is impossible to further limit their usage. That is why agricultural use has to be restricted.
More than 100,000 farm workers might lose their jobs if it does not rain soon. Water restrictions¹, which have a negative influence on the agricultural sector² in particular, have already been imposed in several districts. Farmers have been forced to stop irrigating³ their crops to ensure that enough water is available for domestic use. Maize⁴ farmers in the eastern parts of the country have almost no hope of planting their crop in time. They need rain within the next two weeks to be able to start planting. Where farmers did sow, the seedlings⁵ have been scorched⁶ under the sun.
An estimated 40,000 head of livestock⁷ have died because of the dry spell. Thousands of stock farmers will have to slaughter⁸ their livestock on a large scale because there is no grass left.
The parts suffering the most were rural areas without dams. If it does not rain, the people there will face a huge crisis.

Keys: FFTFT

1 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

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 irrigating   

灌溉( irrigate的现在分词 )； 冲洗（伤口）

参考例句：

• Derrick and I have been laying out the system of irrigating ditches. 德里克跟我在一起修建那个灌溉网。
• He had been in command at the irrigating ditch the day before. 上一天，在灌溉渠边，是他担任指挥的。

4 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

5 seedlings   

n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ninety-five per cent of the new seedlings have survived. 新栽的树苗95%都已成活。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• In such wet weather we must prevent the seedlings from rotting. 这样的阴雨天要防止烂秧。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 scorched   

烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦

参考例句：

• I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
• The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。

7 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

8 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。