VOA慢速英语:Quake, Tsunami May Only Add to Economic Struggles for Japan

wash away冲走, 清洗

例句：She washed away the stains.
      她洗去了污迹。

      A ship got stranded along the shore, but last night sea waves washed it away again.
      有条船在岸边搁浅了, 可昨天晚上海浪又把它冲走了。

2.President Obama offered whatever assistance Japan needs.

whatever  no matter what 区别

no matter what 只能引导状语从句，而不引导名词性从句。而 whatever 既可引导名词性从句(＝anything that)，也可引导状语从句(＝no matter what)：

1). 引导名词性从句(只用whatever)：

无论他做什么都是对的。

正：Whatever he did was right.

误：No matter what he did was right.

无论他说什么似乎都有道理。

正：Whatever he says sounds reasonable.

误：No matter what he says sounds reasonable.

山羊找到什么就吃什么。

正：Goats eat whatever they find.

误：Goats eat no matter what they find.

2). 引导状语从句(两者可换用)：

无论你说什么，我都不会相信你。

正：Whatever you say，I won’t believe you.

正：No matter what you say，I won’t believe you.

无论发生什么，都要保持镇定。

正：Keep calm，whatever happens.

正：Keep calm，no matter what happens.

make sure设法确保出现某事物

例句：We and our friends will make sure of that.
      我们和我们的朋友要确保这一点。

3.This is a potentially catastrophic disaster and the images of destruction and flooding coming out of Japan are simply heartbreaking.

come out of由…产生,从…出来

例句：What come out of the meeting?
      会议结果如何？

4.Still, the nineteen ninety-five earthquake in Kobe caused an estimated one hundred billion dollars in damage.

still作为连词时含有“尽管如此，可还是要”、“然而”、“不过”之意。例句：

     (1) Although we are very tired, still we shall work. 虽然我们很累，但我们还将工作。

     (2) She was thirsty, still she wouldn't drink. 她虽然渴了，但仍不喝东西。

     (3) I like cats; still I don't care to own one. 我虽然喜欢猫，但不愿意养猫。

     (4) This is a very unpleasant affair. Still, we can't change it. 这是件很不愉快的事，但是我们无法改变它。     此外，still可以与more连用，相当于much more，常译“至于……更不必说”。例句：

     She can speak English, still more Japanese. 她连英语都会说，日语更不在话下。

needed to fight是过去分词做后置定语，修饰amount。