美国有线新闻 CNN 威尼斯遭50年一遇洪灾侵袭 水城进入紧急状态

 

Meanwhile in the story of Italian city Venice, it's a high tide that's being blamed for unusually high amounts of flooding and there's rain in the forecast. At least 45 percent of the city and some observers¹ say as much as 80 percent of it was flooded on Tuesday. The tide turned Venice's lowest point, St. Mark's Square into what looks like a swimming pool. Venice is built on a lagoon². It's no stranger to flooding. Tides that cause water rises like this are known as Acqua alta in Italian and they usually occur in winter time.

But the one that washed in on Tuesday night was more than 73 inches high, that's over six feet and it caused the worst flooding the city has seen since 1966 when a tide of more than 76 inches was recorded. Local officials have as?ked for a state of emergency to be declared. Venice's mayor³ called the tide a wound that would leave a permanent mark on the city. He says the damage would cost hundreds of millions of euros and officials say the weather doesn't look like it's going to help at all. More rain and strong winds are expected over the next few days setting⁴ the scene for another possible high tide.

1 observers   

n.观察者( observer的名词复数 )；遵守者；观测者；目击者

参考例句：

• According to observers, the plane exploded shortly after take-off. 据目击者说，飞机起飞后不久就爆炸了。
• Some military observers fear the US could get entangled in another war. 一些军事观察家担心美国会卷入另一场战争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 lagoon   

n.泻湖，咸水湖

参考例句：

• The lagoon was pullulated with tropical fish.那个咸水湖聚满了热带鱼。
• This area isolates a restricted lagoon environment.将这一地区隔离起来使形成一个封闭的泻湖环境。

3 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

4 setting   

n.背景

参考例句：

• The play has its setting in Vienna.该剧以维也纳为背景。
• Where and when a story takes place is called the setting.故事发生的地点和时间称为故事背景。