VOA常速英语:US Sets Extreme Weather Records in 2011

短语讲解：

1. For Bill Wing, it began 12 months ago, on New Year’s Day, as he surveyed the damage from a tornado that touched down in Cincinnati, Arkansas.

touch down降落, 着陆
例句：We should touch down very soon now.
我们很快就要着陆了。

2. “It sounded like a freight train coming," he says.

sound like听起来像
例句：What he said sounded like a fairy tale.
他说的听上去简直像一篇神话。

3. Twelve weather-related disasters accounted for $1 billion or more each in economic losses, a new record, according to Chris Vaccaro, spokesman for the National Weather Service.

account for说明〔解释〕…原因，证明
例句：His illness accounts for his absence.
他因为生病, 所以才缺席。

4. So in terms of snow storms, and hurricanes and floods and droughts, all of these events this year ranked in the top three or even the highest ever recorded.

in terms of就…而言, 从…方面说来
例句：He referred to your work in terms of high praise.
他对你的工作大加赞扬。

5. The extreme weather affected millions of people, claimed 1,000 lives, resulted in 8,000 injuries and totaled more than $52 billion in economic losses.

result in导致,结果是
例句：The flood resulted in a considerable reduction in production.
这次水灾造成相当大的减产。

6. Vaccaro says a growing population and expanding infrastructure account in part for the damages, but also large-scale cyclical weather patterns came into play in 2011.

come into play积极活动, 起作用
例句：All your faculties have come into play in your work.
在你的工作中, 你的全部才能已起到了作用。

7. That was a big factor in the winter and spring months, allowing cold air to flow into the United States that helped spawn snow storms and also support the tornado season.

flow into流入
例句：The Yellow River flows into the Bohai Sea.
黄河流入渤海。

8. While there is no evidence to connect global warming with specific local weather events, Vaccarro says this past year’s weather extremes are consistent with what climate experts are projecting for the long-term.

connect with使有关系
例句：His research work is connected with these experiments.
他的研究工作与这些实验有联系。
consistent with与某事物并存〔一致〕
例句：His action is always consistent with his words.
他始终言行一致。

9. The agency is taking steps to build a weather-ready nation, which calls on a growing network of partners in the public and private sector to work together to prepare for future disasters.

take steps采取措施
例句：They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.
他们采取措施阻止流感的传播。
call on要求, 请求, 号召
例句：He called on his friends to help him.
他向朋友求助。
prepare for (使)为…作准备
例句：We should prepare well for the negotiations.
我们应该为这次谈判做好准备。