2006年VOA标准英语-Happy Reunions for Four-Legged Katrina Survivor

By Paul Sisco
Washington, DC
30 August 2006
 
watch Katrina Rescued Animals

One year ago thousands of people fled New Orleans and surrounding areas because of Hurricane Katrina. Many left behind beloved pets.  This is the story of one, named Faith. 

-----

Racelle Carlson  
  
In the aftermath of Katrina, Racelle Carlson went to New Orleans to rescue stranded¹ and abandoned pets.  Her volunteer team often had to sedate² scared animals before bringing them to safety.  Today she's rescuing animals in her home state of Arizona. But she remembers her lifesaving work in New Orleans, and particularly, one special puppy she found in a crate³.

"We see these two eyes with some liquid around them, and it ended up being a pit bull puppy where its litter mate had died. And we opened the kennel⁴ and she walked out and when we saw her we just grabbed her and we just started back," said Carlson, who works with the Arizona Humane⁵ Society.

Rescued from Hurricane Katrina   
  
They rushed her to safety, stabilized⁶ her and named her Faith.  Racelle's team went on to save as many of the thousands of marooned⁷ pets as they could.  Animals were not allowed on evacuation buses.  

 
Joe Moses 
  
Joe and Dorine Moses left ''Wimpy⁸'' home when they left. They believed -- like many people -- the storm would soon blow over.  They lost everything, including, they thought, their pet.

"I had tears in my eyes," said Joe.  "I used to sit up and think about him.”

Joe, who had a heart transplant three years ago, was devastated⁹.  A best friend was gone.  Months later, their daughter found a picture of Wimpy on the Internet.  Last April, after several temporary shelters and homes for both family and pet, they were reunited in the apartment the Moses now call home.

''I tell him often, 'God saved you, and he saved me too.' "

 
Vicky Payne and Faith
  
Faith never found her owner.  But one year later, she is happy, healthy, and living with volunteer Vicky Payne. "When we found her and the situation she was in, my heart went out to her, and I really did everything I could to make sure she was going to be OK.  Every animal has a story behind it. Hers is just a little more special."

These two stories are happy exceptions.  One year after the floods there are still hundreds of lost pets on the Internet and hundreds of owners still searching.

1 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

2 sedate   

adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的

参考例句：

• After the accident,the doctor gave her some pills to sedate her.事故发生后，医生让她服了些药片使她镇静下来。
• We spent a sedate evening at home.我们在家里过了一个恬静的夜晚。

3 crate   

vt.(up)把…装入箱中；n.板条箱，装货箱

参考例句：

• We broke open the crate with a blow from the chopper.我们用斧头一敲就打开了板条箱。
• The workers tightly packed the goods in the crate.工人们把货物严紧地包装在箱子里。

4 kennel   

n.狗舍，狗窝

参考例句：

• Sporting dogs should be kept out of doors in a kennel.猎狗应该养在户外的狗窝中。
• Rescued dogs are housed in a standard kennel block.获救的狗被装在一个标准的犬舍里。

5 humane   

adj.人道的，富有同情心的

参考例句：

• Is it humane to kill animals for food?宰杀牲畜来吃合乎人道吗？
• Their aim is for a more just and humane society.他们的目标是建立一个更加公正、博爱的社会。

6 stabilized   

v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The patient's condition stabilized. 患者的病情稳定下来。
• His blood pressure has stabilized. 他的血压已经稳定下来了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 marooned   

adj.被围困的；孤立无援的；无法脱身的

参考例句：

• During the storm we were marooned in a cabin miles from town. 在风暴中我们被围困在离城数英里的小屋内。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Five couples were marooned in their caravans when the River Avon broke its banks. 埃文河决堤的时候，有5对夫妇被困在了他们的房车里。 来自辞典例句

8 wimpy   

adj.懦弱的，无用的，哭哭啼啼的

参考例句：

• I'd rather have a wimpy kid than a dead one, you know? 你知道么？我宁可要一个懦弱的孩子，也不想要一个死的。 来自互联网
• I hate wimpy drinker. 我讨厌酒量差的人。 来自互联网

9 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。