VOA慢速英语:For Japan Farmers, Radiation Fears Mean Economic Pain

Japan's nuclear crisis may mean greater demand for imported food and less competition from Japanese products on world markets. But it also means that Japanese farmers and others who make and sell food have to worry about their future.
日本的核危机可能意味着日本进口食品的需求量增大，日本产品在国际市场上的竞争力减小。但是，这也意味着日本农民和其他生产和销售食品的人们要担心他们的未来。

Yasumichi Tanaka sells fish at one of Japan's busiest fish markets. But now there are fewer fish to sell.
Yasumichi Tanaka在日本最繁忙的一个鱼市上卖鱼。但是现在那里几乎没有鱼卖了。

YASUMICHI TANAKA: "Fish supplies from the radiation-contaminated regions have been totally halted."
YASUMICHI TANAKA:“辐射污染区的鱼肉供应已经被完全禁止了。”

The radiation is from the Fukushima nuclear power station that was damaged by the March eleventh earthquake and tsunami. The extent of the problems are still not clear.
辐射来源于在3.11地震和海啸中遭破坏的福岛核电站。问题的严重程度还不清楚。

Last Friday, China joined a number of other countries that have banned imports of food from the affected areas. Chinese media said the banned items include milk products, fruit, vegetables and seafood.
上周五，中国和其它一些国家禁止从核污染区进口食物。中国媒体称，被禁止进口的食品包括乳制品，水果，蔬菜和海产品。

Singapore also has a ban in place. Restaurant manager Connie Hon says some people are worried about eating Japanese food.
新加坡也适时地出台了禁令。一餐馆经理Connie Hon称有些人害怕食用日本食品。

CONNIE HON: "Consumer confidence is yes, somewhat shaken I would say amongst some of the Singapore populace, but that can't be helped, I think."
CONNIE HON:“ 我想说，在一些新加坡民众的心目中，消费者的信心在某种程度上已经动摇了。但是我认为这是无法弥补的。”

The United States has also banned foods from radiation-affected areas, and so has the Japanese government itself.
美国已经禁止了从辐射污染地区进口食物，日本政府也一样。

Radioactive particles travel in the wind and get absorbed into soil with the help of rain and snow. Then plant roots take up the material and the plants become contaminated. Animals eat the plants and their products become contaminated.
放射性粒子能够随风飘浮，并且在雨雪的作用下被土壤吸收。植物的根吸收了这些物质，植物就会被污染。动物食用了这些受污染的植物和它们的产品也会受污染。

Some kinds of radiation stay in the environment longer than others.
一些放射物在环境中存在的时间比其它放射物还要长。

Medical physicist Jerrold Bushberg is a radiation expert at the University of California, Davis. Professor Bushberg says removing the topsoil might make the land safe for use. But it depends on the depth of the radioactive material. And for now, he says, it is too early to take any measures.
医学物理学家Jerrold Bushberg是加利福尼亚大学的一个辐射研究专家。Bushberg教授表示，除去土壤的表层可以保障土地使用的安全。但是这取决于放射性物质的厚度。他表示，目前采取任何措施都为时过早。

Experts say the ocean will help dilute radiation in seawater. But the tsunami also destroyed seafood, sank fishing boats and leveled processing plants.
专家表示，海洋对稀释海水中的放射物起帮助作用。但是海啸也毁灭了海产品，淹没了渔船，摧毁了加工工厂.

Charles Ebinger studies the politics of energy at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Mr. Ebinger says the danger to adults from radiation-contaminated food is overstated. Still, the affected areas of northeastern Japan are deeply dependent on agriculture and fish, he says. So their economy could suffer the most.
Charles Ebinger在华盛顿布鲁金斯学会研究能源政策。Ebinger先生称，受辐射污染的食物对成年人构成的危险被夸大了。他表示，在受辐射污染的日本东北部地区，仍然有很多人深深依靠农业和渔业而生存。因此他们遭受的经济损失是最惨重的。