时间:2018-12-07 作者:英语课 分类:Take Away English


英语课






Fallen tree on a car
A fallen tree crushes a car in London





On 16th October 1987, southern Britain was hit by hurricane force winds, the worst storm to occur in Britain since 1703.

Twenty years on, Britain is remembering the devastation 1 caused by what came to be known as 'The Great Storm.' 15 million trees across the region were uprooted 2 due to the wind, as well as the fact that a wet autumn in general had made the ground very muddy.


The falling trees caused destruction to buildings and vehicles and blocked roads and railway lines, causing everyone from commuters to school-children to stay at home.


There were also black-outs across the area, as power lines were damaged by falling trees and flying debris 3. People resorted to candles and torches for light, and gas stoves and open fires to cook food.


The storm raged for 4 hours before dawn, and claimed 18 lives. The effects of the bad weather were heightened by the fact that most people were completely unprepared, because the weather forecasters were caught out.


Earlier that week, weather forecasts had predicted severe weather. But forecasters thought it would miss Britain, and only affect the English Channel. A weatherman, Michael Fish is infamous 4 for saying the storm wouldn’t happen, though in fact he was talking about a hurricane in Florida at the time.


The freak storm caused damage of more than £1billion pounds (15 billion RMB), and hundreds of people sustained injuries.


But could the same thing happen today in Britain? Well, as a result of climate change many people think that sudden and severe weather changes are more likely. However, meteorological technology has improved, and now uses satellites to get a much more accurate picture of future weather. So if another Great Storm comes along, the British public should be better warned and prepared!







GLOSSARY 词汇表


 








hit by
遭受打击




devastation
灾难性破坏




destruction
破坏




black-out
停电;断电




resorted to
诉诸于;




raged
肆虐;持续




heightened
加重




weatherman
天气预报员




freak storm
破天荒的/不寻常的风暴




meteorological
气象学的






hurricane force winds
飓风般的大风




uprooted
(大树)连根拔




commuters
乘公交车上下班的人




debris
废墟;瓦砾




open fires
明火




claimed
报道称




caught out
纰漏被发现




infamous
声名狼藉的




climate change
天气变化




the British public
英国公众








 




1 devastation
n.毁坏;荒废;极度震惊或悲伤
  • The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
  • There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 uprooted
v.把(某物)连根拔起( uproot的过去式和过去分词 );根除;赶走;把…赶出家园
  • Many people were uprooted from their homes by the flood. 水灾令许多人背井离乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The hurricane blew with such force that trees were uprooted. 飓风强烈地刮着,树都被连根拔起了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 debris
n.瓦砾堆,废墟,碎片
  • After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
  • Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上,导致蛀牙。
4 infamous
adj.声名狼藉的,臭名昭著的,邪恶的
  • He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
  • I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。
学英语单词
7-Methoxyflavonol
Aalen
aalst (alost)
acetalized
adrenal gland-iodocholesterol scan
agingipain
agricultural output value
air slide
air-speed computer
all personnel labor productivity
apodous larvae
ardent fever
bank long bill
bioengineer
biplanar node
bobsleighers
carotid endarterectomy
certain suggestions
Chikungunya fever
cohibas
congestion termination
core-level
data deck
debleating
decay constant
democratic values
department of industry
disequilibrium assemblage
distillation with steam
diversion of household deposits
driving-chain
dwellest
elastic strength
emotional handicap
Engaugyn, Bukhta
FACMH
fantasying
fayard
gear-stocking cutter
glass filament windup
gulonic acid
hex cap nuts
Hou.
hydrogen ion concentration indicator
in the bollocky
in-cameras
infracilliary rod
Kandinskyclerembault
lanostenol
laser spectrometry
Lolui I.
main drain system
many sided
molybdenum single crystal
monopolar force
NanoBoard
oarfish
open policy insurance
optical add-drop module
optically active enantiomorph
oudemansiella radicata
outer casing of joint
Oxytropis hirta
piert
planes of stretching
pneumatic analog
position relay set
postracism
preliminary correction
prelusion
pss method pss
Punishment fits the crime.
quinellas
re-nominate
republics of armenia
rescoping
reversed emulsion drilling fluid
roundeleer
rudimentary nephrostome
Saint-Nazaire
schirra
shot cardigan
silicobenzoic acid
strohman
succeeding in
Sulfadiamine
syncytioma
tadd
tetramines
threaded for union
tranquilise,tranquillise
traveling cableway
tulkas
uncoupling lever arm
underenforces
use one's block
Vanda coerulea
wave beam angle
wfsu
Wheatstone, Sir Charies
win the championship
winding-stairs