Workers Continue Efforts to Prevent a Nuclear Disaster in Ja

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

这里是美国之音慢速英语时事新闻节目。

A huge earthquake and tsunami 1 destroyed a large part of northeastern Japan last week. Survivors 2 and rescue workers stopped for one minute on Friday to remember the hour when the earthquake struck.

上周，一场大地震和海啸摧毁了日本东北部大部分地区。周五，幸存者和救援人员默哀一分钟，纪念地震来袭的那一刻。

The quake and tsunami killed at least six thousand people. More than nine thousand others are missing. About three hundred eighty thousand people have left their homes after they were heavily damaged or destroyed. Those displaced are now living in more than two thousand shelters.

这次地震和海啸造成至少6千人丧生，9千多人失踪。大约38万人在家园遭受重创后流离失所，住进了2千多处避难所。

There are shortages of food, water and fuel. Each day more roads are being reopened for trucks to take supplies to the survivors. But some communities remain cut off.

灾区食物、水和燃料都出现短缺。每天不断有道路抢通以便于将生活必需品运到幸存者身边。但一些社区仍与外界隔绝。

On Friday night, Prime Minister Naoto Kan spoke 3 of the problems in a speech to the nation. The Prime Minister said he understands that people in shelters are cold and do not have enough food. But he said the government is doing all it can. And he said he hopes to return a sense of security to the survivors soon.

上周五，日本首相菅直人在一次全国讲话中谈到了这一问题。他表示，他知道避难所的人们又冷又饿，但政府已经竭尽其能。同时他表示希望尽快还幸存者以安全感。

Mister Kan also said the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power center is the worst Japan has ever faced. He said police, firefighters and military workers were risking their lives to prevent a wider disaster. On Friday, workers continued to direct water on the damaged reactor 4 buildings. It was an attempt to cool the highly radioactive fuel rods from overheating. Workers used powerful hoses to shoot fifty tons of water on the buildings. But the military and civilian 5 firefighters had to keep their distance and limit the time they could be in the area because of the radiation.

菅直人还表示，福岛第一核电站危机是日本有史以来面临的最糟糕的一次。他表示，警察、消防队员和军方人员冒着生命危险阻止事故恶化。周五，工作人员继续向受损核反应堆注水，试图冷却高放射性燃料棒防止其过热。工作人员使用高压水枪向核电站注入了50吨水。但由于辐射，军、民两类消防队员不得不保持距离并限制在事故现场的时间。

Fires, explosions and a partial melting of cores have taken place at four of the six reactors 6 at the Fukushima nuclear center.

福岛核电站6个反应堆已经有4个发生火灾、爆炸和堆芯部分熔毁事故。

Officials say the situation in the number three reactor is the most serious. Mixed oxide 7 fuel rods are partly made of plutonium. These fuel rods are partly exposed. Without water, they will continue to heat up and possibly release a large amount of radiation.

有关官员称，3号反应堆情况最为严重。混合氧化物燃料棒含钚，这些燃料棒已经部分暴露。如果缺水，它们将继续升温，并可能释放出大量放射性物质。

On Friday, the government raised the severity rating of its nuclear disaster from four to five on a seven-point international nuclear event scale. Level five means an accident with wider results, including some release of radioactive material. It also means a high possibility of the material making contact with people.

周五，日本政府在七级国际核事故分级表基础上，将福岛核泄漏事故等级从四级提升至五级。五级是指影响广泛的事故，包括一些放射性物质的释放。这也意味着人类接触到这些物质的可能性非常高。

In Washington on Thursday, President Obama said the United States will stand with Japan as it contains its nuclear crisis, recovers and rebuilds.

奥巴马周四在华盛顿表示，当日本面临核危机、灾后恢复重建时，美国将和日本站在一起。

PRESIDENT OBAMA: "The Japanese people are not alone in this time of great trial and sorrow. Across the Pacific, they will find a hand of support extended from the United States as they get back on their feet."

奥巴马：“在这次巨大的考验和悲伤中，日本人民并不孤单。他们会发现，在他们重新站起来的时刻，美国会从大洋彼岸伸出援手！”

The president noted 8 some of the steps the United States has taken to help.

奥巴马指出了美国已经采取的一些援救措施。

PRESIDENT OBAMA: "Search and rescue teams are on the ground in Japan to help the recovery effort. A disaster assistance and response team is working to confront the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami. The U.S. military, which has helped to ensure the security of Japan for decades, is working around the clock."

奥巴马：“美国搜救队已经在日本当地帮助灾后恢复。一个灾后援救和快速反应部队正致力于处理地震和海啸次生灾害。数十年来帮助日本维护安全的美国军方正夜以继日地工作。”

Mr. Obama said the military has completed hundreds of flights to bring food and water to Japan.

奥巴马表示，美国军方已经完成数百架次飞行将食物和水运往日本。