VOA慢速英语2014 世界各地的科学家预测将会有更严重的风暴

 

AS IT IS 2014-10-02 Scientists Predict More Severe Storms Worldwide 世界各地的科学家预测将会有更严重的风暴

As the world’s population grows, extreme weather conditions affect more and more people. The weather events may include flooding, powerful storms and droughts – or lack of rain. Many scientists are predicting that, while the number of storms may not increase, their strength will.

The issue is of interest to officials with the Aquarium¹ of the Pacific in Los Angeles, California. The aquarium is using a federal government program to help educate people about the effects of extreme weather.

Mark Jackson is a weather expert with NOAA -- the National Oceanic and Atmospheric² Administration.  

“Extreme weather is the norm across the globe. There are certain things such as heat waves, such as droughts, and in some parts of the globe heavy precipitation, that we are seeing an increase in these events.”

But other scientists say extreme weather is here to stay. Glen MacDonald is a professor of geography at the University of California, Los Angeles.

“Places which are dry are probably going to get dryer³ globally. Places which are already wet are probably going to get wetter. They’re going to get the precipitation we’re missing out on.”

Mark Jackson says the number of hurricanes and typhoons has not increased over the past 50 years. But he says those storms have become more powerful, and he believes that will continue.

Professor MacDonald is careful about predicting extreme weather events. He says scientists have just 150 years of weather records to examine.

“In terms of attributing, in terms of general hurricane system, the general flood system, the general drought system that precipitation events have become more extreme or something like that I just don’t think we have the statistics to show that generalization⁴ is true right now.”

Scientists do agree that weather events such as storms and droughts will continue to happen. They say reducing the production of greenhouse gases could help, but that takes time. Studies have linked such gases to rising temperatures in earth’s atmosphere.

A way of predicting weather for a period longer than 14 days could help reduce the costly⁵ effects of extreme weather. Mr. Jackson says NOAA is developing a program that he hopes will be successful in predicting the weather between 15 and 30 days into the future.  

“It’s very possible and it’s something that can be a very powerful tool to help us better adapt and be prepared for these extreme events.”

Jerry Schubel is the president of the Aquarium of the Pacific in Los Angeles. He says people must understand the seriousness of extreme weather, and take action when such weather is predicted. 

“Improved forecast and longer warning times are of little value unless they are heeded⁶.”

NOAA has developed an educational program it calls “Science on a Sphere.” The federal agency hopes the program will help people better understand the environment and the planet, including storms, climate change, and ocean temperature. It shows videos on a large model of the Earth.

Mr. Schubel says severe weather affects everyone everywhere.

“There’s no place in the world that is immune.”

More than 100 museums and other buildings around the world are using the program to educate people about extreme weather. People in Europe, Asia and North and South America are learning about the environment and how to live on our quickly-changing planet.

1 aquarium   

n.水族馆，养鱼池，玻璃缸

参考例句：

• The first time I saw seals was in an aquarium.我第一次看见海豹是在水族馆里。
• I'm going to the aquarium with my parents this Sunday.这个星期天，我要和父母一起到水族馆去。

2 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

3 dryer   

n.干衣机，干燥剂

参考例句：

• He bought a dryer yesterday.他昨天买了一台干燥机。
• There is a washer and a dryer in the basement.地下室里有洗衣机和烘干机。

4 generalization   

n.普遍性，一般性，概括

参考例句：

• This sweeping generalization is the law of conservation of energy.这一透彻的概括就是能量守恒定律。
• The evaluation of conduct involves some amount of generalization.对操行的评价会含有一些泛泛之论。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 heeded   

v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She countered that her advice had not been heeded. 她反驳说她的建议未被重视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I heeded my doctor's advice and stopped smoking. 我听从医生的劝告，把烟戒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》