2006年VOA标准英语-Japan Unveils World's First Earthquake Early Al

By Steve Herman
Tokyo
05 August 2006

The world's first earthquake early warning system has begun operating in Japan. The government-developed system takes advantage of the precious seconds between the first indication of a powerful tremor¹ and the arrival of the second, destructive terrestrial shock.  Some people have reservations about broadcasting such alerts. 

---------

Japan Meteorological Agency earthquake operations center  
  
If a large earthquake were to strike Japan today, some people would receive advance notice.

This kind of public address alert, recorded at a Tokyo university, will automatically be triggered at certain locations seconds before a big tremor is felt. In other cases, such as trains, the alert will be transmitted digitally, or by radio.

The secret to the system lies in the anatomy² of an earthquake, which actually generates two waves.  The first is a smaller, primary wave that travels at seven kilometers per second. The second wave, the one that can cause damage, moves at a slower four kilometers per second.

The new system takes advantage of the gap between the two waves to issue a warning that a quake is coming. Japan's nationwide network of some 1,000 seismographs, developed over several decades, is now linked to a computerized system that can trigger the alert.  It became operational this week.

Kenji Kuwashiro of the Keihin Kyuko Railway says its commuter³ train network is already using the early warning system.

Kuwashiro says signals will be sent to all trains to allow engineers to stop quickly, possibly before a potentially damaging seismic⁴ jolt⁵ hits the tracks.

While proponents⁶ of the system tout⁷ its ability to save lives at constructions sites, aboard trains or in hospital operating theaters, others fear the system might pose a new hazard. They worry that people will panic if an alert is issued.

Japan Meteorological Agency's Makoto Saito explains how the earthquake early warning system works  
  
Makoto Saito, the senior coordinator⁸ for the warning system at the Japan Meteorological Agency, acknowledges this possibility.

Saito says national guidelines need to be drawn⁹ up and the public educated about the system so it will save lives rather than endanger them.

In the meantime, out of caution, Japan's television and radio stations are not yet planning to broadcast the alerts. 

Japan is one of the most vulnerable nations to earthquakes in the world.  Some one-fifth of all of the world's earthquakes of magnitude six or stronger originate below or in close proximity¹⁰ to Japan.

1 tremor   

n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震

参考例句：

• There was a slight tremor in his voice.他的声音有点颤抖。
• A slight earth tremor was felt in California.加利福尼亚发生了轻微的地震。

2 anatomy   

n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织

参考例句：

• He found out a great deal about the anatomy of animals.在动物解剖学方面，他有过许多发现。
• The hurricane's anatomy was powerful and complex.对飓风的剖析是一项庞大而复杂的工作。

3 commuter   

n.(尤指市郊之间)乘公交车辆上下班者

参考例句：

• Police cordoned off the road and diverted commuter traffic. 警察封锁了道路并分流交通。
• She accidentally stepped on his foot on a crowded commuter train. 她在拥挤的通勤列车上不小心踩到了他的脚。

4 seismic   

a.地震的，地震强度的

参考例句：

• Earthquakes produce two types of seismic waves.地震产生两种地震波。
• The latest seismic activity was also felt in northern Kenya.肯尼亚北部也感觉到了最近的地震活动。

5 jolt   

v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸

参考例句：

• We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势恶化。
• They were working frantically in the fear that an aftershock would jolt the house again.他们拼命地干着，担心余震可能会使房子再次受到震动。

6 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

7 tout   

v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱

参考例句：

• They say it will let them tout progress in the war.他们称这将有助于鼓吹他们在战争中的成果。
• If your case studies just tout results,don't bother requiring registration to view them.如果你的案例研究只是吹捧结果，就别烦扰别人来注册访问了。

8 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

9 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

10 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。