VOA慢速英语：Extreme Cold Affecting Many Areas across US
美国多地遭遇极寒天气
燕山大学 刘立军 宋葳 编写
TRANSCRIPT
Extremely cold weather is a problem in many parts of the United States.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that record-setting temperatures have been blamed for at least 12 deaths in recent weeks.
Some forecasters say the worst weather is yet to come.
On Tuesday, the U.S. National Weather Service announced wind chill advisories and freeze warnings for 40 of the 50 states.
The weather service predicted a "period of much-below-normal temperatures and dangerously cold wind chills to the central and eastern U.S. over the next week."
Air temperatures fell to -13 Celsius near Cullman, Alabama, which usually has a mild winter. In the port of Mobile, Alabama, temperatures reached as low as -7 Celsius.
City officials opened warming shelters across the southern United States, as the cold weather brought light snow as far south as Austin, Texas.
On Wednesday, a winter storm dropped snow, sleet and freezing rain from northern Florida up the Southeast coast. Some cities reported snowfall for the first time in over 20 years. Cars spun out of control on icy roads from Texas to Georgia.
Hospitals across the country are reporting an increase in emergency room visits for hypothermia and other conditions linked to extreme cold.
The record-setting cold weather began in the central U.S. early last week. Omaha, Nebraska, broke a 130-year record when temperatures fell to -29 Celsius. The city of Aberdeen, South Dakota broke a 99-year record with temperatures of -36 Celsius.
In Florida, several water parks closed because of the cold weather. New York's Hudson River froze in some parts, forcing officials to cancel passenger ferry service.
At Niagara Falls, people took photographs of the Horseshoe Falls, where flowing water had turned to ice.
Frozen sharks were washing up along the coast south of Boston, Massachusetts, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy reported.
Forecasters warned that weather conditions could worsen, especially in the Northeast.
A winter storm warning extended from the Florida panhandle all the way up the Atlantic coast. Coastal flooding, downed trees and power lines were possible along the East Coast.
I'm Susan Shand.
VOCABULARY
1. sleet n. a mixture of rain and snow 雨夹雪
2. spin v. spin (sth.) (round / around) to turn round and round quickly; to make sth. do this （使）快速旋转
- The plane was spinning out of control. 飞机失去控制，不停地旋转。
- a spinning ice skater做旋转动作的溜冰者
- My head is spinning (= I feel as if my head is going around and I can't balance). 我觉得天旋地转。
3. hypothermia n. a medical condition in which the body temperature is much lower than normal 体温过低
4. ferry n. a boat that carries people, vehicles and goods across a river or across a narrow part of the sea 渡船；摆渡。例如：
- the cross-channel ferry service横渡海峡轮渡服务
- We caught the ferry at Ostend. 我们在奥斯坦德及时赶上了渡船。
- the Dover-Calais ferry crossing多佛尔——加来轮渡
- the Staten Island ferry斯塔滕岛渡船
5. panhandle n. （伸展到另一地区的）狭长土地，锅柄状地区 A panhandle is a narrow strip of land joined to a larger area of land.
QUESTIONS
Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question.
How many people were dead in recent weeks according to the news?
A At least 12.
B At least 13.
C At least 14.
D At least 15.
Which of the following statements is FALSE?
A Some forecasters say the worst weather is yet to come.
B Hospitals across the country are reporting an increase in emergency room visits for hypothermia and other conditions linked to extreme cold.
C Forecasters warned that weather conditions could get even worse, especially in the Southeast.
D Coastal flooding, downed trees and power lines were possible along the East Coast.
KEY
A。命题出处：The Associated Press reported Wednesday that record-setting temperatures have been blamed for at least 12 deaths in recent weeks.
C。选项C为Forecasters warned that weather conditions could get even worse, especially in the Southeast. 正确表达：Forecasters warned that weather conditions could worsen, especially in the Northeast. could get even worse是could worsen的同义转述。