VOA慢速英语2018 加州火灾受害者家属要求提供DNA协助确认身份

California Fire Victims’ Families Asked to Give DNA 1

Officials in Northern California say a deadly wildfire that began two weeks ago is almost completely contained.

加州北部的工作人员表示，2周前烧起来的一场致命大火基本上已经全部扑灭。

The Associated Press reports that the wildfire, known as the “Camp Fire,” was 95 percent contained Thursday. It has been blamed for more than 80 deaths. Three other people died in a second major fire near the city of Los Angeles.

据美联社报道，周四，这场名为“营火”的大火有95%的部分已经扑灭。这次火灾导致80多人死亡。还有3人在洛杉矶附近的第二场大火中死亡。

State officials are using DNA tests in an effort to identify those killed by the Northern California wildfire. DNA is a substance that carries genetic 2 information in the cells of plants and animals. The testing tool produces results in just two hours.

加州工作人员正在通过脱氧核糖核酸（DNA）检测来确认加州北部大火中的死者身份。DNA这种物质携带着遗传信息，存在于植物和动物体内。DNA检测仅需要2小时就可以出结果。

The test, called Rapid DNA Identification 3, can examine DNA from small pieces of bone or other human remains 4. It then compares it to genetic material provided 5 by relatives of the missing 6 individuals.

这项测试名为快速DNA鉴定。该测试可以鉴定骨头等人类残骸中的细小部分。然后将得到的结果与失踪者家属提供的遗传物质进行比对。

But the technology depends on people willing to volunteer their DNA for testing. And there have not been nearly as many volunteers as officials had hoped for.

但这项技术需要有人自愿做DNA检测的志愿者。而志愿者的人数比工作人员希望的人数少。

The Camp Fire destroyed the town of Paradise 7 and caused heavy damage to nearby areas. As of Thursday night, at least 84 people were confirmed dead. And the official list of those missing had about 700 names.

这场大火摧毁了天堂镇，导致邻近地区损失严重。截至周四晚上，至少有84人已确认死亡。官方的失踪者名单有700个名字。

The Associated Press noted 8 Wednesday that only about 60 people had provided DNA samples to area laboratories 9. That number came from Annette Mattern, a representative of ANDE – the company that donated the technology.

美联社称，周三，只有近60人提供了DNA样本给地区的各实验室。这个数字是安妮特提供的，她是安德森公司的代表。正是该公司捐献了这项技术。

Mattern said, “We need hundreds. We need a big enough sample for us to make a positive identification on these and to also give a better idea of how many losses there actually are.”

安妮特表示，我们需要上百名志愿者，我们需要足够大的样本数量才能较为准确地确认死者身份，让大家更了解实际损失情况。

Differences in information, the inability of relatives to travel to Northern California and mistrust of the government may be keeping the sample number low.

安妮特表示，当地的执法人员正在想办法让生活在加州北部之外的家庭更容易提供样本。

当地执法机构和该公司都表示，DNA样本如果不需要了，就会销毁。

One woman’s story

Tara Quinones says she had not heard from her uncle, David Marbury, for eight days before she drove from the San Francisco area to give a DNA sample. A worker took samples from her skin and inside her cheek and then asked questions about who she was looking for and their relationship.

The owner of her uncle’s home confirmed the house burned down. The uncle’s car was still on the property.

But Quinones had no idea if any remains were found. She said giving her DNA sample is the one way she could help find her uncle.

Like Quinones, some people have offered their DNA after learning 10 about the identification effort. Others offered it after officials told them that remains from a probable 11 family member had been found.

Mattern said it has been surprisingly easy to get DNA from the remains of those who died in the fire.

ANDE won a contract in 2009 to do research and development for federal 12 government agencies 13. The company’s technology has been used in test programs for many years.

But this is the first time ANDE has helped identify victims after a natural disaster. The company has donated seven machines and over 10 workers to the effort.

Mattern said local law enforcement 14 officials are seeking a way to make it easier for families who live outside northern California to provide samples.

Local law enforcement and the company have said that the DNA samples would be destroyed once they are no longer needed.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

positive – adj. sure or likely; hopeful

contract – n. an agreement between two or more persons or sides

uncle – n. the brother of someone’s father or mother; the husband of the sister of a parent

cheek – n. skin inside the mouth