VOA慢速英语2015 印度在10大城市监测空气污染

AS IT IS 2015-04-09 India to Monitor Air Pollution in 10 Cities 印度在10大城市监测空气污染

The Indian capital of New Delhi recently passed Beijing, China, for having the world’s most polluted air. Now, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is launching a national air quality index to monitor pollution levels in 10 of the country’s major cities.

Mr. Modi launched the air quality index at a two-day conference that included the environment and forest ministers from all Indian states. Officials at the conference are considering measures to strengthen environmental laws. Over the next two years, the index will be expanded to about 66 cities with a population of more than one million.

The new air pollution index will measure eight pollutants². The index will use color coding to describe the air’s impact on human health. That will make it easy for citizens in big cities like New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai to know their city’s air quality.

Prime Minister Modi said in launching the index that the country must change the world’s opinion that India does not care about the environment or about climate change.

Mr. Modi said that India has a long tradition of respecting the environment and can show the rest of the world the way in fighting climate change. He also urged Indians to reduce waste and save resources as they become more wealthy.

The high levels of air pollution in Indian cities are a major concern for residents. The World Health Organization says that 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India. The worst is Delhi, the densely³ populated capital territory of India. Indian officials do not agree with the WHO’s findings. However, experts say that the pollutants in Delhi’s air in winter months can reach up to three times the safe limits on some days.

Fumes⁴ from diesel⁵ vehicles have caused the increasingly polluted air of India’s cities. Officials also blame smoke and dust from industrial and building activity.

Doctors have warned that rising levels of air pollution are leading to an increased number of citizens with asthma⁶, chronic⁷ bronchitis and lung cancer.  WHO officials call air pollution a leading cause of premature⁸, or early, death in India. About 620,000 people die of pollution-related diseases every year.

Anumita Roychowdhury leads the air pollution program at New Delhi’s Center for Science and Environment. She calls the launch of the index a good first step in fighting the severe problem. She says the next step should be for city governments to release public health warnings. She also says city officials should plan what to do on days when pollution levels are unsafe.

Ms. Roychowdhury also says the new index could make it easier for governments to demand difficult measures, such as restrictions⁹ on private vehicles.

Words in This Story

monitor – v. to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time

pollutant¹ – n. a substance that makes land, water, air, etc., dirty and not safe or suitable to use : something that causes pollution

fumes – n. smoke or gas that smells unpleasant — usually plural¹⁰

asthma – n. a physical condition that makes it difficult for someone to breathe

chronic – adj. continuing or occurring again and again for a long time

bronchitis – n. an illness in which your bronchial tubes become sore or damaged and you cough a lot

premature – adj. happening too soon or earlier than usual

1 pollutant   

n.污染物质，散布污染物质者

参考例句：

• Coal itself is a heavy pollutant.煤本身就是一种严重的污染物。
• Carbon dioxide may not be a typical air pollutant.二氧化碳可能不是一种典型的污染物。

2 pollutants   

污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
• The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 densely   

ad.密集地；浓厚地

参考例句：

• A grove of trees shadowed the house densely. 树丛把这幢房子遮蔽得很密实。
• We passed through miles of densely wooded country. 我们穿过好几英里茂密的林地。

4 fumes   

n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体

参考例句：

• The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。
• Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。

5 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

6 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

7 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

8 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。

9 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

10 plural   

n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的

参考例句：

• Most plural nouns in English end in's '.英语的复数名词多以s结尾。
• Here you should use plural pronoun.这里你应该用复数代词。