极端异常天气来袭：长江流域发生严重干旱【吉言英语】

【头条播报】

State and local governments are on high alert every summer, especially in areas near major rivers in China. This year, however, Yangtze, the longest river in China, is shrinking due to less rainfall and high temperatures. The Poyang Lake, which plays a major role in regulating Yangtze water flows in the summer, has shrunk to levels normally seen during the winter dry season after a 50 percent decline in rain in July.  Villages relying on water from the lake have been forced to deploy pumps to irrigate rice fields.

【分句讲解】

①State and local governments are on high alert every summer, especially in areas near major rivers in China.

国家和地方政府每年夏天都处于高度戒备状态，尤其是在中国主要河流附近的地区。

1. alert n. 警惕，戒备，警报

alert adj. 警惕的，戒备的

a fire alert 火警警报

a bomb alert 炸弹警报

be on high alert 高度警戒

The armed forces were on high alert to guard against any retaliation. 

武装部队保持高度警惕，以防发生任何报复行为。

stay alert 保持警觉

be alert to 意识到，对……有警觉

Parents should be alert to sudden changes in children's behavior.

父母应该对孩子行为的突然变化有所警觉。

②This year, however, Yangtze, the longest river in China, is shrinking due to less rainfall and high temperatures. 

然而，今年，由于降雨减少和高温，中国最长的河流长江正在萎缩。

1. shrink v. 缩小，减少（过去式shrank 过去分词shrunk）

My sweater shrank in the wash. 

我的毛衣缩水了。

The market for their products is shrinking.    

市场对他们产品的需求在减少。

2. due to 因为

The accident was due to excessive speed. 

事故的原因在于速度过快。

③The Poyang Lake, which plays a major role in regulating Yangtze water flows in the summer, has shrunk to levels normally seen during the winter dry season after a 50 percent decline in rain in July. 

鄱阳湖在调节长江夏季水流量方面发挥着重要作用，在7月份降雨量减少了50%之后，鄱阳湖的水位已经下降到通常的冬天旱季水平。

1. shrink to 缩小到，下降到

2. play a ... role in doing sth 在做某事方面发挥……作用

play a ... role in sth 在某事上发挥……作用

Schools play an important role in society.

学校在社会中起着非常重要的作用

Pottery used to play an important role in the daily lives of Chinese people. 

陶器曾经在中国人的日常生活中扮演着重要的角色。

④Villages relying on water from the lake have been forced to deploy pumps to irrigate rice fields.

依赖鄱阳湖水的村庄被迫使用水泵灌溉稻田。

1. rely on 依赖（depend on）

reliance n. 依赖

reliance on 依赖，依靠

These days we rely heavily on computers to organize our work. 

现在，我们在很大程度上依赖电脑来安排我们的工作。

I wouldn't place too much reliance on these figures.   

我不会太相信这些数字的。

2. be forced to do sth 被迫做某事

force sb to do sth 强迫某人做某事

She was forced to marry against her will. 

她被迫违心地嫁了人。

She forces herself to keep going. 

她强迫自己坚持下去。

3. deploy v. 部署，利用，调动

deploy resources 调动资源

4. irrigate v. 灌溉

irrigate fields 灌溉田野