Lavon 和 Paul 两人下课后一起去吃晚餐,等餐同时看到了澳洲野火的报导。
Lavon: Those bushfires have been ripping through Australia for five months already.
Lavon: 野火已经肆虐澳洲五个月了。
Paul: Yeah, I’ve heard they have devastated many animals’ habitats.
Paul: 对啊,据说野火毁了许多动物的家园。
Lavon: Is there anything we can do to help?
Lavon: 我们帮得上什么忙吗?
Paul: I know of a nonprofit organization that is raising funds to provide drinking stations for koalas.
Paul: 我知道有个非营利组织在募款要买饮水站给无尾熊。
Lavon: Look! The report says there’s a koala adoption program
Lavon: 你看!还有认养无尾熊的计画欸。
Paul: Oh no, those poor burnt koalas! How do we sign up to adopt one?
Paul: 噢…看这些被烧伤的无尾熊!要怎么才能认养它们?
Lavon: It says to go to the organization’s website and choose the koala you want to adopt.
Lavon: 上面说只要去它的网站,然后选你想领养的无尾熊就可以了。
Paul: Oh, but they are all so adorable! How could I possibly choose just one?
Paul: 喔,但它们都好可爱!我怎么可能只选一只?
bushfire (n.) 野火
bush 是「灌木;草丛」,所以 bushfire 就是「野火」,也可以说 wildfire。
The bushfires have swept through southern Australia.
野火横扫澳洲的南部海岸。
rip through (phr.) 肆虐
动词 rip 有「撕裂;撕除」之意,动词片语 rip through 则是指灾害快速、猛烈地「肆虐;横扫」某地,动词也可以改为 sweep (横扫),sweep through。
More than 1,000 tornadoes rip through the U.S. annually.
每年都会有超过一千个龙卷风肆虐美国。
nonprofit organization (n.) 非营利组织
profit 是「盈利;利益」,因此 nonprofit organization 就是指「非营利组织」,常缩写为 NPO。 charity (慈善组织) 就是 NPO 的一种。
The nonprofit organization endeavors to address public health issues.
这个非营利组织致力于解决公共卫生议题。
raise (v.) 募款
raise 当动词时除了有「抬起;举起;养育」的意思之外,还可以表达「募款」,后面可以加上 money、capital (资本)、funds (资金) 等金钱相关名词。
The students raised money for underprivileged children.
这些学生募款帮助弱势族群。
adoption (n.) 领养
adoption 是「领养;采纳」,其动词形是 adopt,须注意容易与 adapt (适应) 混淆。
You will receive a certificate of adoption after adopting a koala.
你领养无尾熊后就会收到一张领养证书。
过了几天,两人一起吃饭时又看到一则令人心痛的新闻…
News anchor: A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey yesterday. As of now, the death toll has climbed to 20…
新闻主播:昨日土耳其发生规模 6.8 的强震,截至目前为止,死亡人数已攀升到 20 人…
Lavon: It seems that natural disasters have become commonplace.
Lavon: 天然灾害似乎越来越常见了。
Paul: My dad told me that Turkey was the first country to send a rescue team to Taiwan during the 921 earthquake.
Paul: 我爸说 921 大地震的时候,土耳其是第一个派搜救队来台湾的国家。
Lavon: We should donate some money to help them get through this rough period.
Lavon:那我们应该也要捐钱帮助他们度过难关。
Paul: But I’m almost broke…
Paul: 但我的钱几乎都花完了…
Lavon: How come?
Lavon: 怎么会这样?
Paul: Because I adopted three koalas last week!
Paul: 因为我上礼拜领养了三只无尾熊!
Lavon: Maybe you can donate some relief supplies instead.
Lavon: 那或许你可以捐一些救援物资。
Paul: Or maybe we could hold a fundraising event!
Paul: 或者或许我可以办一个募款活动!
Lavon: Even better!
Lavon: 那更好!
世界各地的灾难频传,有钱出钱,有力出力,如果没钱不同的方式都可以
magnitude (n.) 地震规模
magnitude 是指「地震规模」,每个地震只会有一个规模值,但不同地方则会感受到不同的「震度」,也就是 intensity。补充:「震央」是 epicenter,「余震」则是 aftershock。
The tsunami hit Japan following an 8.4 magnitude earthquake.
在规模 8.4 的地震之后,海啸随之侵袭日本。
death toll (n.) 死亡人数
toll 在此为不可数名词,表示「伤亡;破坏」,因此 death toll 则是「死亡人数」,补充:casualty 则是事故、战争中的「伤亡人员」。
Italy’s official COVID-19 death toll has exceeded China’s, rising to 5,400.
义大利的新冠肺炎死亡人数已经超过中国,达到 5,400 例。
rescue team (n.) 搜救队
动词 rescue 意为「营救;救援」,所以 rescue team 就是「搜救队」,也可以说 search and rescue team。
The rescue team finally found the climbers who had gotten trapped during the blizzard.
搜救队终于找到受困暴风雪中的登山客。
donate (v.) 捐赠;捐助
donate 意思是「捐赠;捐助」,后面直接加上要捐的东西,比方说:donate money (捐钱)、donate blood (捐血)。其名词是 donation (捐赠;捐赠物)。
The charity donated masks to frontline healthcare workers.
该慈善机构捐赠口罩给前线的医疗人员。
relief supplies (n.) 救援物资
relief 可以指「宽慰;解脱」,也有「救济;救援」的意思,supplies 在此为名词,恒用复数形,意思是「日常用品,物资」,所以 relief supplies 就是「救援物资」。
The relief supplies were delivered to the disaster shelters.
救援物资已被送到灾区的避难所。