VOA常速英语:US Drought Could Trigger Higher Beef Prices

短语讲解：

1. Beef prices may be headed upward due to a severe, lingering drought in the southern United States which is putting a major financial squeeze on the region’s cattle producers.

due to由于，因为
例句：Due to the extreme cold, we were unable to plant the trees.
由于天气很冷, 所以我们无法去植树。
put on增加; 增加(费用); 强使承担(责任等)
例句：The rise in taxation will put pounds on the cost of living.
提高税收将使生活费用大大增加。

2. As grazing lands dried up, cattlemen have been selling their livestock earlier in the season and at a younger age than normal.

dry up (使…)干涸
例句：The long drought dried up all the wells.
长期的干旱使所有的井都干涸了。

3. We've sold pretty much all of our herd throughout the summer little by little waiting on the rain, and it never came.

wait on等待; 继续等候
例句：We waited on for another hour, but still she didn't come.
我们又等了一个小时, 但她仍然没来。

4. That has Kellison looking for alternatives.

look for寻找(某人或某物)
例句：She is looking for her lost child.
她正在寻找失去的孩子。

5. Kellison says some in his situation are getting out of the business.

get out of离开; 停止; 改掉; 戒掉; 脱离, 摆脱, 克服; 避免做某事
例句：My illness got me out of having to see him.
我的病使我不用见他。

6. If you just look at the numbers, and there's no emotions involved, the thing to do is sell out and punt
.
sell out脱销, 卖掉; 出售股份
例句：I've decided to sell out and go and live in the country.
我决定卖掉股份, 去乡村生活。

7. He says it's a bad idea for a cattleman to get attached to his livestock, but, "most of these cows have names. They're what we take care of first.

attach to (使)相关; (使)牵连; (使)依附
例句：The blame of the accident attached to the boy who put out the street lamps.
事故的责任在熄灭路灯的那个男孩身上。
take care of照顾
例句：Please take care of the baby for me for a while, will you?
请替我照顾一下这孩子,好吗?

8. So he and his family are holding on for now.

hold on（在困境或危险中）坚持住，挺住
例句：He was determined to hold on this job whatever difficulties he might run into.
他下定决心, 不管碰到什么困难, 都要坚持做这工作。

9. That's helping many cattlemen get through the drought.

get through度过，熬过(困难时期等)
例句：I don't know how they get through these cold winters.
我不知道他们是如何熬过这些寒冷的冬天的。

10. The bad news for consumers is that the rapidly shrinking beef herd means prices will likely be going up.

go up上升, 上涨, 提高, 增加, 增高
例句：The goods have gone up in price.
这些商品的价格已经上涨。

11. The La Niña weather pattern that contributed to this year's drought appears to be back for another year.

contribute to促成
例句：Your suggestion has greatly contributed to the accomplishment of our work.
你的建议大大地促进了我们工作的完成。