VOA慢速英语2014 长期干旱影响到美国西南部的农民

 

As It Is - Long Drought¹ Affects Farmers in Southwestern US 长期干旱影响到美国西南部的农民

Parts of the southwestern American states of Texas and Oklahoma have experienced² severe dry weather for several years. This droughthas affected³ the growth of cotton and grains. The governor⁴ of Oklahoma says the state has suffered two billion dollars in agriculturallosses since 2011. Some heavy rain fell recently, but for most farmers it did not come soon enough.

Matt Muller is a farmer in southwestern Oklahoma.

“We were doing very well farming until about 2010, the fall of 2010 (when) it basically⁵ stopped raining, and for the past four years we've been in continuous⁶ drought.”

Mr. Muller was hopeful earlier in the year. Spring was cool and wet, and summer came early. But that hope went away when the rains did not come.

“Things looked phenomenal because of the mild weather and the showers we were able to catch, but then August 1st, it's like a blowtorch showed up.”

High temperatures and lack of rain meant most cropsdid not grow. But that was not the case with mung beans. Mr. Muller says that crop did well because it can grow even when there is not much rain.

“When it started rain(ing), we jumped in and tried that crop and it was able to beat the heat of August and finish out and make a decent⁷ crop before it burned up in August.”

Those kinds of crops help farmers survive. Irrigation can also help farms. Irrigation systems use water from underground when there is not enough rain. But crops like cotton are more valuable than mung beans, and it is those kinds of crops that are being hurt by the drought.

Clint Abernathy is a cotton farmer. He has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for machines to help him harvest his crop. He says he has not grown as much cotton in the past few years as he predicted.

“This year we did have enough rain in June and July to, to grow a crop that, that looks better -- it's, it's and it isbetter -- but this is ground that we normally⁸ would want to make three-bale-an-acre-plus on, and right now we're looking at probably a half to three-quarter (of a bale) cotton crop.”

Mr. Abernathy says before drought struck the area, he grew much bigger plants, and each had more cotton on them.

“This is a stressed plant that did not produce what, what it had the potential to do.”

He says insurancehas helped provide money when his crops fail. But he says what farmers really need is more water and better prices for what they grow.

“Even with crop insurance we're still, we're goin' downhill, you know. Our, our insurance yields⁹ just keep goin' down every year. Prices of commodities¹⁰ -- all commodities except livestock¹¹ -- they just keep goin' down.”

Livestock prices dropped a few years ago. That is when the drought forced many ranchers to sell their livestock. But few farmers in the area have anything left to sell now, and that hurts the local economy. So farmers in southwestern Oklahoma are doing what farmers throughout the world have done for centuries: they are hoping for a better year, next year.  

I’m Caty Weaver¹².

Words in This Story

drought – n.a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

agriculture – n. farming

crops – n. plants that are grown and gathered, such as grains, fruits and vegetables

insurance – n.an agreement in which a person makes regular payments¹³ to a company and the company promises to pay money if the person is injured or dies, or to pay money equal to the value of something (such as a house or car) if it is damaged, lost, or stolen

economy – n. the system by which money, industry and trade are organized

1 drought   

n.旱灾，干旱，久旱

参考例句：

• The plants are growing in again,despite the drought.尽管干旱，植物又长出来了。
• The ground is as hard as stone after the drought.长期干旱后土地硬得就像石头一样。

2 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 governor   

n.统治者，地方长官(如省长，州长，总督等)

参考例句：

• The governor was an expert at fencing with reporters.这位州长是搪塞新闻记者的能手。
• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。

5 basically   

adv.基本上，从根本上说

参考例句：

• His heart is basically sound.他的心脏基本上健康。
• Basically I agree with your plan.我基本上同意你的计划。

6 continuous   

adj.继续的，连续的，持续的，延伸的

参考例句：

• She finally got in after 10 years'continuous effort.坚持不懈地努力了十年后，她终于当选了。
• We must be continuous to study.我们必须不断学习。

7 decent   

adj.象样的，不错的，体面的，正派的，恰当的

参考例句：

• We want to raise our children to be decent men and women.我们盼望把孩子们培养成优秀人才。
• There isn't even a decent table in this room.这屋里连张像样的桌子也没有。

8 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

9 yields   

n.产量( yield的名词复数 )；收益量；[财政学]投资实得率

参考例句：

• The yields on his shares have increased in this year. 今年他的股票红利增加了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These high yields have been achieved largely through better methods of cultivation. 这样高的产量主要是通过改良耕作方法取得的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 commodities   

商品( commodity的名词复数 )； 农产品； 有价值的物品； 有用的东西

参考例句：

• rice, flour and other basic commodities 稻米、面粉和其他基本商品
• The manufacturers in some countries dumped their surplus commodities abroad. 一些国家的制造商向国外倾销过剩产品。

11 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。

12 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

13 payments   

n.支付，付款，缴纳，报酬( payment的名词复数 )；付出的[要付出的]款项；报答，报偿

参考例句：

• Welfare payments cease as soon as an individual starts a job. 一旦就业，即停发福利救济。
• The law can compel fathers to make regular payments for their children. 这项法律可强制父亲定期支付子女的费用。