VOA标准英语2009年-Wildfires Plague Southern Europe, Mediterr

Summer wildfires continue to rage across forests on the Mediterranean¹ islands of Corsica and Sardinia. Spain and Greece are also dealing² with blazes.

Italian and French authorities have detained a number of people suspected of starting the forest fires that have ravaged³ Sardinia and Corsica. Hundreds of firefighters, using helicopters and aircraft, continue to fight blazes that are being fueled by record-high temperatures and summer winds.

In Sardinia, between 15,000 and 25,000 hectares of vegetation have gone up in smoke. Residents are devastated⁴.

This man said the results of the fires are a wound that will not heal for the next 20 years.

Sardinia's governor said he would ask the government to declare a state of natural disaster on the island after he surveyed damage by helicopter.

Ugo Cappellacci said the fire damage presented a ghostly scene that showed an appalling⁵ tragedy.
　
A plane drops water over a forest fire in Segorbe, near Valencia, Spain, 25 Jul 2009

He added that he felt extreme anger at the possibility the fires may have been lit intentionally⁶. The fires in Sardinia are believed to be the worst since August 1989 when 13 people lost their lives in Gallura.

Dozens of people had to be hospitalized for smoke inhalation, tourists were reportedly forced into the sea to avoid the flames, scores of residences had to be evacuated⁷, and a prison was emptied with inmates⁸ taken to the beach under escort.

In Corsica, helicopters and aircraft are busy in the areas of Aulenne and Peri, about 30 kilometers from Ajaccio.

Spain has been hardest hit. Active fires are consuming forests around the ancient town of Aliaga, in Aragon, 180 kilometers north of the Mediterranean port of Valencia. Six firefighters have been killed and the country is on maximum wildfire alert.

In Greece, firefighters are still battling blazes that have hit the southern Peloponnese region and island of Evia.

 

1 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 ravaged   

毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫

参考例句：

• a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
• The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。

4 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。

5 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

6 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

7 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。

8 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》