2006年VOA标准英语-Slow Recovery in New Orleans Six Months Af

By Deborah Block
Washington, D.C.
27 February 2006
 
watch New Orleans report

  
  

It has been six months since Hurricane Katrina slammed into the city of New Orleans, Louisiana and parts of the U.S. Gulf¹ Coast, causing widespread devastation².  A recent congressional investigation³ blames failures at all levels of government for the suffering and loss of life.  And a White House report advises revamping hurricane responses to include a larger stockpile of emergency supplies and a more active role by the military.  Meanwhile, many residents of New Orleans continue to pick up both the rubble⁴ and their lives. 

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Across New Orleans' devastated⁵ neighborhoods, there is widespread sentiment that the city and its victims have been forgotten.

 

 
Al Hardouin 
  

"It's six months since the storm, more should be happening,” said homeowner Al Hardouin.  “It's six months, look around you, look at the house, look at the streets, look at the city.  They are still not getting the message.  I think they're starting to be forgotten about."

Mr. Hardouin got a government-funded trailer to live in three weeks ago and hopes to move back into his home in a year.  He is one of the lucky ones whose house will not have to be torn down.

Others weren't as lucky.  Thousands of families had to move out of hotel rooms in New Orleans after government funds ran out. 

Kenneth Alfre, a construction worker, was helping⁶ to rebuild his hometown.  But now, with no place to stay, he's leaving. "They keep saying that want the city rebuilt.  How are you going to rebuild the city, if you're sending all your workers… all the workers have to leave again?"

 
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin
  
Families are being offered 18 months of rental⁷ assistance, which could be used to extend their hotel stay.  But many say they have not received the money or it is not enough. 

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin continues to be highly critical of the federal response. "You know, I've gone past the point of upset now.  I think the truth is coming out now.  We needed help and we just did not get the timely help."

Despite the problems, there are many signs New Orleans is springing back to life.  The Superdome sports stadium, which held thousands of evacuees⁸ during Hurricane Katrina, is in the process of being repaired.  Although most hospitals remain closed, one of the city's biggest medical centers is now taking in patients.  

Engineers work during in an early morning fog in a race against the next hurricane season  
  
On the waterfront, the U.S. Army Corps⁹ of Engineers is working hard to restore the levees in New Orleans before the hurricane season begins in three months.  Restaurants are reviving.  The convention center, along with one of the city's largest casinos, just re-opened, luring¹⁰ back tourists. 

And although the crowds are much smaller than in past years, spectators such as Barbie Corte are in the famous French Quarter taking part in Mardi Gras -- an annual festival before the Christian¹¹ fast of Lent.

"It helps to send a message out there that we're rebuilding, that we're coming back and the city.  It's a tradition of the city, and this is a very traditional city, and I think it's important to keep the tradition," she said over the noise of a parade.

The Superdome is planned to reopen in time for the fall football season  
  
It will take enormous amounts of money to bring the city back.  Recently, Louisiana's governor, Kathleen Blanco, detailed¹² the state's first comprehensive plan to provide assistance for ruined homes.  But it will not be enough, and depends on billions more federal dollars being approved by Congress.

While many say it is helpful government officials are investigating what went wrong during Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans' resident Linda Anderson is more concerned about the future.

"I think if they want to make a game plan to make people comfortable, then they need to be looking ahead.  It's right to look back, but they need to be working right now," she said.

And if the past six months are any gauge¹³, it will take everyone a long time to put New Orleans back together again.

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

5 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

8 evacuees   

n.被疏散者( evacuee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Moreover, for multi-exits, evacuees select a exit based on game theory. 在有多个出口时，疏散人员根据对策论选择出口。 来自互联网
• Evacuees wade through flooded area following heavy monsoon rains in Peshawar on Saturday, July 31, 2010. 撤离灾区涉水通过后在白沙瓦沉重的季风降雨在周六，2010年7月31日。 来自互联网

9 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

10 luring   

吸引，引诱（lure的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Cheese is very good for luring a mouse into a trap. 奶酪是引诱老鼠上钩的极好的东西。
• Her training warned her of peril and of the wrong, subtle, mysterious, luring. 她的教养警告她：有危险，要出错儿，这是微妙、神秘而又诱人的。

11 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

12 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

13 gauge   

v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器

参考例句：

• Can you gauge what her reaction is likely to be?你能揣测她的反应可能是什么吗？
• It's difficult to gauge one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。