2022年经济学人 密歇根水污染，人们只能喝瓶装水(2)

Things moved quickly.

事情进展很快。

Michigan's governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has secured more than half of the $30m needed to replace all Benton's lead lines.

密歇根州州长格雷琴·惠特默已经获得了更换本顿所有水管所需3000万美元资金的一半以上。

And she has called on the state legislature to allocate¹ $11.4m from the American Rescue Plan, the stimulus² package passed in March.

她还呼吁州立法机关从3月份通过的刺激计划中拨款1140万美元。

But other cash-strapped towns must vie for limited funding.

但其他资金短缺的城镇必须争夺有限的资金。

Even low levels of lead in children can result in behavioural problems, lower IQ and anaemia.

即使儿童体内的铅含量很低，也会导致行为问题、智商下降和贫血。

In pregnant women, it can induce premature³ birth and reduced fetal growth, and in adults more generally it can decrease kidney function and cause reproductive problems.

在孕妇中，它会导致早产和胎儿发育减缓，而在成年人中，更普遍的是，它会降低肾功能并导致生殖问题。

The EPA allocates⁴ roughly $1bn a year to supporting water-infrastructure⁵ projects, including lead-pipe replacements⁶, through grants and loans.

环境保护署通过政府津贴和贷款，每年约有10亿美元用于支持水基础设施项目，包括更换铅管。

Poorer places may struggle to repay even low-interest loans, however.

然而，即使是低息贷款，贫困地区可能都难以偿还。

A lack of robust⁷ testing means that several communities are likely to be unaware⁸ of the level of lead in their water.

缺乏可靠的测试意味着一些社区可能不知道水中的铅含量。

Hence the importance of the money promised by the Biden administration.

因此，拜登政府承诺的资金至关重要。

The bipartisan infrastructure bill sets aside $15bn for lead-pipe replacements.

两党共同制定的《基建法案》拨出150亿美元用于更换含铅水管。

The $1.7trn Build Back Better bill, still stuck in the Senate, could provide nearly $10bn on top of that, for pipe replacements and mitigation tactics such as filters aimed at schools.

这项耗资1.7万亿美元，仍停留在参议院的《重建法案》，除此之外，还可能提供近100亿美元，用于管道更换和针对学校的过滤器等缓解策略。

Though not as much as originally promised, the money will go a long way towards tackling the problem.

虽然没有最初承诺的那么多，但这笔钱将大大有助于解决这个问题。

Because Benton Harbor does not need to depend on this money, it is luckier than many communities left hoping for federal funds.

因为本顿港不需要依赖这笔钱，它比许多希望得到联邦资金的社区更幸运。

The town should have clean water before long. In the meantime, its residents will remain wary⁹.

这个城镇不久就会有干净的水了。与此同时，其居民仍将保持警惕。

Every day, Mr Pinkney drives a U-Haul truck through town to pass out water bottles with some of his two dozen volunteers.

平克尼先生每天都开着一辆U型运货卡车穿过小镇，和他的24名志愿者中的一些人一起分发瓶装水。

Long before the state ramped¹⁰ up its efforts, he distrusted the water supply.

早在国家加大力度之前，他就不信任供水。

"It wasn't the right colour," he grimaces¹¹.

他做了苦脸说：“颜色不对。”

He has not drunk from his tap for nearly a decade.

他近十年没有喝自来水了。

Mr Pinkney blames the city and state governments for not doing more to fix the city's lead problems, citing years of mismanagement and environmental racism¹².

平克尼先生指责市和州政府没有采取更多措施来解决该市的铅污染问题，列举了多年来的管理不善和环境种族主义。

The pipes should have been replaced three years ago, he says, as soon as testing showed the town to be falling foul¹³ of federal standards.

他说，三年前，在测试表明该镇不符合联邦标准时，这些管道就应该换了。

That's why they had to petition, he says: "It got people moving that never would have moved before."

这就是他们不得不请愿的原因，他说：“这让以前永远不可能搬家的人都搬走了。”

1 allocate   

vt.分配，分派；把…拨给；把…划归

参考例句：

• You must allocate the money carefully.你们必须谨慎地分配钱。
• They will allocate fund for housing.他们将拨出经费建房。

2 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

3 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

4 allocates   

分配，分派( allocate的第三人称单数 )； 把…拨给

参考例句：

• The state allocates huge funds for the development of aid-agriculture industries. 国家拨出大批资金，发展支农工业。
• The value that then I create value allocates part to discuss. 于是我把价值创造的价值分配分别开来论述。

5 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。

6 replacements   

n.代替( replacement的名词复数 )；替换的人[物]；替代品；归还

参考例句：

• They infiltrated behind the lines so as to annoy the emery replacements. 他们渗透敌后以便骚扰敌军的调度。 来自辞典例句
• For oil replacements, cheap suddenly looks less of a problem. 对于石油的替代品来说，价格变得无足轻重了。 来自互联网

7 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

8 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

9 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

10 ramped   

土堤斜坡( ramp的过去式和过去分词 )； 斜道； 斜路； （装车或上下飞机的）活动梯

参考例句：

• With the arrival of George Lucas, the pace has ramped up. 随着乔治·卢卡斯的到来，速度大大加快。
• They also sold corporate bonds as the global financial crisis ramped up. 在全球金融危机加剧之际，他们还抛售了公司债券。

11 grimaces   

n.（表蔑视、厌恶等）面部扭曲，鬼脸( grimace的名词复数 )v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Clark winked at the rude child making grimaces. 克拉克先生假装没有看见那个野孩子做鬼脸。 来自辞典例句
• The most ridiculous grimaces were purposely or unconsciously indulged in. 故意或者无心地扮出最滑稽可笑的鬼脸。 来自辞典例句

12 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

13 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！