VOA标准英语2009年-Australian Wildfires Kill 108

Bushfires in southeastern Australia have killed 108 people and the authorities are warning that the number of victims could increase as outbreaks continue to burn out of control. Giant walls of flame have destroyed hundreds of homes, forests and farmland in the country's worst ever wildfire disaster.
　
A fire erupts in a pine tree plantation¹ northeast of Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, 08 Feb. 2009

Witnesses recount seeing trees explode and the sky raining ash as temperatures reach 47 degrees Celsius².

Up to 400 fires raged around the southern city of Melbourne, where embers rode on furnace-like winds pushing the front forward, devouring³ hundreds of homes and vast areas of forest and farmland. There are concerns that entire towns may have been lost.

Charred⁴ bodies have been found in cars. It is thought many of the victims had tried to escape the onslaught only to be overcome by its sheer speed and ferocity.

Many communities have seen whole streets reduced to smoking ruins, with piles of blackened bricks and iron roofing sheets twisted in the heat, while burned-out cars littered the roadside.

The Victorian state Premier⁵, John Brumby, says the fires are the worst the region has ever endured.

"They are unprecedented⁶ conditions the likes of which we have never seen before in the history of the state. We've also had some cases of arson⁷ as you know across the state," Mr. Brumby said.
　
Vehicles and a barn burn in bushfires close to Labertouche, some 125 kilometres west of Melbourne, Australia, 07 Feb 2009

Residents who did manage to escape have spoken of their close encounters with the bushfires.

"I just said to my wife pack all your stuff, let's go. Before we knew it there were flames all around the house, behind us and we just sort of evacuated⁸ straight away. We're unsure if the house is still standing⁹ but it didn't look good when we left."

Touring the devastated¹⁰ region, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was "absolutely horrified¹¹" by the disaster.

Thousands of exhausted¹² volunteer firefighters are still battling dozens of uncontrolled outbreaks in Victoria, although conditions have eased considerably¹³ in the past 18 hours.

Australian government officials said the army would be deployed¹⁴ to help out, and officials have announced immediate¹⁵ emergency aid of seven million dollars.

Australia's deadliest fires were in 1983, when blazes killed 75 people and destroyed more than 3,000 homes in Victoria and South Australia.

The continent's southeastern corner is one of the world's most fire-prone regions. Criminologists have said that half of all bushfires are set deliberately¹⁶ by arsonists¹⁷. Others are started by lightning strikes, sparks from trains or accidentally by discarded cigarettes.

1 plantation   

n.种植园，大农场

参考例句：

• His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
• The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

2 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

3 devouring   

吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光

参考例句：

• The hungry boy was devouring his dinner. 那饥饿的孩子狼吞虎咽地吃饭。
• He is devouring novel after novel. 他一味贪看小说。

4 charred   

v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦

参考例句：

• the charred remains of a burnt-out car 被烧焦的轿车残骸
• The intensity of the explosion is recorded on the charred tree trunks. 那些烧焦的树干表明爆炸的强烈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

6 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

7 arson   

n.纵火，放火

参考例句：

• He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。
• He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

8 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 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。

11 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

12 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

13 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

14 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

15 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

16 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

17 arsonists   

n.纵火犯( arsonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The factory was destroyed in a fire started by arsonists. 工厂在纵火犯引起的火灾中烧毀了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland said suspected arsonists could face murder charges. 澳大利亚总检察长罗伯特麦克莱兰说，怀疑纵火犯可能面临谋杀指控。 来自互联网