VOA慢速英语2016 美国死于雷击人数创2010年以来新高

AS IT IS 2016-08-30 Deaths From Lightning Strikes in US at Highest Since 2010 美国死于雷击人数创2010年以来新高

Two people in the United States died over the weekend after they were struck by lightning.

本周，美国有两人被闪电击中后不幸身亡。

The number of deaths from lightning-related accidents in 2016 rose to 29. It is the highest amount of deaths from lightning strikes since 2010, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

2016年，因遭闪电击中的死亡人数已上升至29人。据美国国家气象局(NWS)报道，这是自2010年来因闪电死亡人数最高的纪录。

The latest lightning-related deaths happened in the states of Colorado and Michigan on August 19.

8月19日，在美国科罗拉多和密歇根州新发生了几起因闪电致人死亡的事故。

Even though there are four months left in the year, the 2016 toll 1 has already exceeded 2 last year's 27.

虽然离今年结束还剩四个月时间，但目前因闪电死亡的人数已超越去年的27人。

Eight people have died from lightning in August of this year, making it the deadliest August since 2007. July is usually the month with the most fatalities 3. This year, 12 people were killed by lightning in July.

仅今年8月，美国就已有8人死于闪电，成为2007年来因闪电死亡人数最高的月份。7月往往是闪电致死人数的高峰时期。今年7月，有12人被闪电击中身亡。

John Jensenius, an NWS lightning safety specialist, believes that the rise in lightning-related deaths was due more to people’s behavior than science.

美国国家气象局雷电安全专家约翰·杰森认为，闪电造成死亡人数上升更多归咎于人们的行为而非科学。

"People are outside, enjoying beaches in the summer time. There's not much variance 4 in lightning activity," Jensenius said.

“因为这段时间人们多待在室外、在海滩玩耍，但这与闪电活动没有多大关系。”杰森说。

Fridays have been the deadliest day of the week in 2016, which Jensenius said was unusual.

杰森认为，今年许多闪电致死案例都发生在周五相当不寻常。

Usually, the highest number of incidents occur on Saturdays and Sundays, when Americans are outside barbecuing and enjoying other weekend activities.

通常，周末才是闪电致死的高峰期，因为美国人喜欢在周末在户外烤肉和做户外活动。

Florida has had the highest number of lightning deaths in 2016, with six people. Louisiana followed with four lightning-related fatalities and then New York with three.

今年闪电致死人数最高的地区是佛罗里达州，多达6人，紧随其后的地区为路易斯安纳州和纽约州，死亡人数分别为4人与3人。

Deaths from lightning strikes were reported in the hundreds each year in the 1940s and 1950s because there were more farmers riding tractors 5 in open fields, Jensenius said.

杰森指出，20世纪40到50年代，美国每年都有数百人因闪电意外死亡，因为当时许多人都从事农业，在户外开放空间用牵引机耕田。

Since then, deaths from lightning have decreased significantly 6.

此后，因闪电意外死亡的人数明显下降。

The chances of being struck by lightning in a lifetime remain low. About 1 in 12,000 people will be struck by lightning in their lifetime. Out of every ten people struck by lightning, one of them will die.

人一辈子被闪电击中的概率非常低。12000人中只有1人会被闪电击中。每10位被闪电击中的人中仅1人会不幸身亡。

Even though the odds 7 are low, Jensenius wants people to be more careful. "If you can hear thunder, you're close enough to be struck," he said.

即使如此，杰森仍告诫人们更加警惕。“如果你能听到雷声，说明你离闪电已经很近，可能被击中”。

Jensenius advises people to get inside during thunderstorms to avoid the risk of being struck by lightning. 

杰森建议，雷暴期间人们应该待在室内以避免遭到雷击。

Words in This Story

toll – n. the number of people who are killed or injured in an accident, disaster, war, etc.

exceeded – v. to be greater or more than (something) : to go beyond the limit of (something) ?

variance – n. an amount of difference or change ?

significantly – adv. in a way that is large or important enough to be noticed or have an effect