新奇事件簿 美国遭遇极度严寒（在线收听）

Much of mid-and northeastern America is in the middle of a deadly cold snap. Many states from Michigan in the north to Georgia in the south are experiencing freezing temperatures not experienced for decades. It is currently colder in many parts of the USA than it is in Antarctica. The cold spell is because of what is called a polar vortex. This is a swirling mass of air and wind that has come down from the Arctic, which is where the North Pole is. The government has declared states of emergency in Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. Many schools and businesses have been closed due to the extreme cold. People have been warned not to travel, and even not to go outside and breathe in the icy air.

很多中部和北部的美国人正经历着致命的寒流。从北部密歇根到南方乔治亚的很多州正经历着几十年未体验过的冻结温度。现在美国很多地区比南极洲还冷。此次寒潮是由极地涡旋所致。这是从北极区，即北极所在地下来的旋涡气团和风。政府已经宣布威斯康星州、伊利诺斯州以及密歇根州进入紧急状态。由于严寒，很多学校以及商店都已经关门了。大家收到警告称不要旅游、甚至不要出门呼吸这冰冷的空气。

The weather website AccuWeather said that the temperature in Thief River Falls, in the state of Minnesota, dropped to a real-feel minus sixty degrees Celsius. Many parts of the Chicago River turned to ice, Niagara Falls turned into a winter wonderland and parts of Lake Michigan froze over. The bitter freeze is believed to be responsible for the deaths of at least eight people so far. Health officials are urging people to go outside only if it is absolutely necessary. They warned that exposing the skin to the freezing air was dangerous. It could lead to frostbite or breathing problems. People were also urged to be careful when shoveling snow outside and be careful of blocks of snow and ice falling from the roof.

气象预报网站 AccuWeather称明尼苏达州锡夫里弗福尔斯的气温已经低至零下60摄氏度。芝加哥河多段已经结冰，尼亚加拉大瀑布变成了冬日仙境，密歇根湖很多部分已经结冰。据称截止目前为止，此次严寒刺骨的冰冻已经致至少8人死亡。卫生部官员要求人们只在能在迫不得已的情况下出门。他们警告称让皮肤暴露在冷空气中是很危险的。可能会导致冻伤或呼吸问题。同样也要求人们在外铲雪的时候要注意安全，小心从屋顶上落下的雪块和冰块。