龍卷風Tornado

字號:

ELIZA: There is a tornado warning on. My mother just told me she heard it on the radio.
    LEE: What is a tornado warning?
    ELIZA: It means that a tornado has been seen somewhere in the area.
    LEE: Really? In New Berlin?
    ELIZA: No. Not necessarily in town. But in southern Wisconsin somewhere.
    A tornado has been spotted. They have two stages here.
    This is what is called a “tornado watch.”
    That means that the weather conditions are perfect for a tornado.
    LEE: I understand. They think a tornado might come.
    ELIZA: Yes. People should look out, because maybe there will be tornadoes coming.
    So it's called a “watch.”
    LEE: And the second stage is called a “tornado warning”。
    ELIZA: Yes. If a tornado has been spotted, they announce a “tornado warning”。
    So if there's a tornado warning on, it means a tornado is out there somewhere.
    LEE: It's scary.
    ELIZA: Well. Tornadoes can be dangerous, it's true.
    If we hear something like a loud train coming, then we have to go in the basement.
    LEE: What do you mean “a loud train”?
    ELIZA: That is what tornadoes sound like. They sound like trains. They're very loud.
    LEE: But if you hear them coming, isn't it already too late?
    ELIZA: Maybe. It depends on the tornado.
    Some can move across the ground at 200 miles an hour.
    That is very fast. Others aren't so fast.
    LEE: Have you seen a lot of them?
    ELIZA: I've only seen one in my life. I was looking out the window.
    It was around two miles away. It was very interesting to watch.
    But it was heading toward my friend's house. So I quickly called them on the phone.
    LEE: Did it hit their house?
    ELIZA: No, it didn't. But they are glad I called them.
    LEE: What were they doing when you called?
    ELIZA: They were all sitting in the living room watching TV.
    They had no idea a tornado was coming toward their house.
    If it had hit them, they could have all been killed.
    LEE: That's terrible. Do many people die in tornadoes?
    ELIZA: Not so many really. But a lot of houses are destroyed sometimes.
    艾麗沙:有一個龍卷風的警報,我媽剛剛告訴我她從收音機聽到的。
    李:什么是龍卷風警報?
    艾麗沙:就是有一個龍卷風已經(jīng)在這個區(qū)域出沒。
    李:真的?在新柏林?
    艾麗沙:不,并不一定在城里,但在南威斯康辛州某處。
    有一個龍卷風已經(jīng)被監(jiān)控。他們分為兩個等級,
    現(xiàn)階段稱做“龍卷風警戒”,
    表示天氣狀況是形成龍卷風的狀態(tài)。
    李:我懂了,他們認為龍卷風可能會來襲。
    艾麗沙:是的,大家要當心,因為也許龍卷風就要來襲,
    所以稱做警戒。
    李:而第二等級稱做“龍卷風警報”。
    艾麗沙:是的,如果龍卷風已經(jīng)被監(jiān)測到,他們就會宣布“龍卷風警報”。
    因此,若已提出龍卷風警報,那表示一個龍卷風已在某處。
    李:真可怕。
    艾麗沙:嗯,龍卷風可以很危險的,是真的。
    如果我們聽到什么像轟隆的火車接近聲的,我們必須進入地下室。
    李:什么是“轟隆的火車”?
    艾麗沙:那就是龍卷風聽起來的聲音,他們聽起來像火車聲,非常大聲。
    李:但是如果你聽到它們來臨了,不是已經(jīng)太晚了嗎?
    艾麗沙:很可能,要視龍卷風而定。
    有些一小時可以在地面橫越兩百里。
    那是非??斓?,其他的沒這么快。
    李:你看過很多龍卷風嗎?
    艾麗沙:我這生只看過一次,從窗戶望出去的,
    大概在二里外的地方,觀看是很有趣的。
    但是它直掃向我朋友的房屋,所以我趕緊打電話給他們。
    李:它有打中他們的房屋嗎?
    艾麗沙:沒有,但是我朋友很高興我打電話給他們。
    李:你電話時,他們在做什么?
    艾麗沙:他們?nèi)甲诳蛷d看電視,
    一點也不知道龍卷風正向他們的房子接近。
    如果當時真打中他們,他們可能全都一命嗚呼。
    李:真是太可怕了。有很多人喪生于龍卷風嗎?
    艾麗沙:是不太多啦,但是有時候很多房屋被摧毀。