中国西北干旱影响约4.35亿人

 　　LANZHOU, March 26 (Xinhua) -- About 4.35 million people in northwest China's Gansu Province have been affected¹ by a weeklong drought, provincial² authorities said Tuesday.

　　A lack of precipitation and increasingly dusty weather conditions have affected 4.35 million people in 61 counties and districts, of whom 650,000 are facing a drinking water shortage, according to the provincial civil affairs department.

　　The drought has also affected 398,667 hectares of farmland.

　　The provincial government has allotted³ 26 million yuan (about 4 million U.S. dollars) in drought relief funding to alleviate⁴ the drinking water shortage, according to the provincial government's information office.

　　The drought is expected to linger until the end of April. Attempts to induce artificial precipitation will be made if weather conditions suit, according to the provincial meteorological station.

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

3 allotted   

分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I completed the test within the time allotted . 我在限定的时间内完成了试验。
• Each passenger slept on the berth allotted to him. 每个旅客都睡在分配给他的铺位上。

4 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。