原版英文小故事 10. The Big One

According to geologists¹, a huge earthquake will probably hit California within the next 20 years. If it hits a populated area, the number of deaths will greatly exceed the 1,070 deaths caused by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana.

Three California quakes between 1987 and 1994 killed more than 100 people and caused billions of dollars in damage. From 1994 to 2000, the state spent several billion dollars reinforcing bridges, overpasses², and buildings. But budget problems have halted these repairs. Today, more than 1,000 schools and hospitals—not to mention thousands of other government and private structures—throughout the state do not meet earthquake standards. Many of these buildings will collapse³ like a house of cards if they are in the immediate⁴ area of a quake.

As usual, the state is between a rock and a hard place. If schools use their budgets to reinforce their buildings, they will have little money for teachers. Classes will be discontinued. Everyone’s priority, of course, is to keep the schools open.

“All we’re doing is crossing our fingers,” said a state legislator. “But that’s exactly what they did in Louisiana. They could have fixed⁵ the levee system for about $10 billion. But they didn't; they just crossed their fingers. Now it’s now going to cost $100 billion to rebuild New Orleans. Here in California, we’re saying that we can’t afford the $10 billion. But where are we going to get the $100 billion to rebuild everything afterward⁶? People never learn. They always close the barn door after the horse escapes.”

 

1 geologists   

地质学家，地质学者( geologist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Geologists uncovered the hidden riches. 地质学家发现了地下的宝藏。
• Geologists study the structure of the rocks. 地质学家研究岩石结构。

2 overpasses   

n.立交桥，天桥，高架道路( overpass的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Is that why they're constructing so many underpasses, overpasses and highways? 那就是他们建这么多天桥、地下通道和公路的原因吗？ 来自辞典例句
• I also find more overpasses and elevated highways have been built. 我也发现建造了更多人行天桥和高架道路。 来自互联网

3 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

6 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。