2007年VOA标准英语-Series of Earthquakes Hit East Africa

By Arjun Kohli
Nairobi
18 July 2007

Kenya and Tanzania have experienced seven earthquakes in the past five days. Arjun Kohli reports for VOA from Nairobi that the Kenyan government asks people remain calm and go about their daily business as usual.

The first earth tremor¹ was felt on July 12. Its magnitude was 4.4 on the Richter Scale, but subsequent earthquakes have risen to a magnitude of six.

Tremors² were felt in Dar es Salaam³ in Tanzania and Nairobi in Kenya as well as other major towns. The main effect has been to shake buildings, but there has been no loss of life or major structural⁴ damage reported.

The epicenter is close to the Kenya-Tanzania border, around the active volcano, Ol Doinyo Lengai.

A senior Kenyan geologist⁵ from the Department of Mines and Geology, Shadrack Kimomo, says the department is ill-equipped to address the situation. He adds that seismologists from the United States have submitted an analysis, which Kenyan geologists⁶ are depending on.

"Most of the information we are getting is from the USA, because here in Kenya we do not have the monitoring equipment for seismology," Kimomo explained. "What we gather is there is an active volcano near the border of Kenya and Tanzania called Ol Doinyo Lengai and that is where the tremors are originating. Given the intensity⁷ and frequency with which these ones are coming we expect the aftershocks not to be big but to be moderate. But if the intervals⁸ were longer, we would expect a bigger one. The rift⁹ valley, the place we are, is very active seismically¹⁰."

A television report released by the Kenyan government called for a review of existing safety laws in buildings and work places. Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said every building should have a drill timetable and a fire evacuation plan to be put in place with immediate¹¹ effect.

A report released by a U.S.-based Earthquakes Hazard Program says volcanic¹² eruptions¹³ are often preceded and accompanied by earthquakes of this nature. The report said there is not enough information to say for sure if this will happen.

The report added that it is that the earthquakes are being caused by the movements of two tectonic plates, the Somali plate and the Africa plate. Kimomo said that Kenyan officials are preparing themselves for both possibilities.

"We are in an active plate. We say the African plate and the Somali plate are separating along the rift valley," Kimomo said. "So we are in an active zone. It could be either that one or the volcano, but if it is the volcano, given the intensity, we expect some eruptions, but we hope not."

The volcano is surrounded primarily sparsely¹⁴ populated area, but he densely¹⁵ populated town of Arusha is within 100 kilometers of Ol Doinyo Lengai.

1 tremor   

n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震

参考例句：

• There was a slight tremor in his voice.他的声音有点颤抖。
• A slight earth tremor was felt in California.加利福尼亚发生了轻微的地震。

2 tremors   

震颤( tremor的名词复数 )； 战栗； 震颤声； 大地的轻微震动

参考例句：

• The story was so terrible that It'sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。
• The story was so terrible that it sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。

3 salaam   

n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼

参考例句：

• And the people were so very friendly:full of huge beaming smiles,calling out "hello" and "salaam".这里的人民都很友好，灿然微笑着和我打招呼，说“哈罗”和“萨拉姆”。
• Salaam is a Muslim form of salutation.额手礼是穆斯林的问候方式。

4 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

5 geologist   

n.地质学家

参考例句：

• The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley.在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。
• He was a geologist,rated by his cronies as the best in the business.他是一位地质学家，被他的老朋友们看做是这门行当中最好的一位。

6 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。

7 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

8 intervals   

n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息

参考例句：

• The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
• Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

9 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

10 seismically   

地震

参考例句：

• The crust and mantle are separated by a seismically determined boundary known as the Moho-discontinuity. 改译为：地壳与地幔的交接处系根据地波走失而确定的一个界面，通称为莫霍界面。 来自互联网
• China's code is now on par with similar codes in seismically active areas of the world. 中国现在施行的标准与世界其他地震活跃地区施行的标准基本一致。 来自互联网

11 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。

12 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

13 eruptions   

n.喷发，爆发( eruption的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year. 今年火山爆发了好几次。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Over 200 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions. 火山喷发已导致200多人丧生。 来自辞典例句

14 sparsely   

adv.稀疏地；稀少地；不足地；贫乏地

参考例句：

• Relative to the size, the city is sparsely populated. 与其面积相比，这个城市的人口是稀少的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The ground was sparsely covered with grass. 地面上稀疏地覆盖草丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 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。