VOA常速英语:India Holds Large-Scale Drill for a Potential Disaster

by the time到…时候为止
例句：He had left by the time we reached home.
当我们到家的时候他已经走了。

2. At this high-rise government building, volunteers fanned out to get shopkeepers away from the building.

fan out使展示，使分散；【军事】成扇形散开
例句：The searchers fanned out to look for the missing child.
搜索的人们为了寻找失散的小孩，呈扇形散开。

3. Deputy District Commissioner D.K. Mishra says the drill was aimed at teaching people the basic mantra of earthquake preparedness - drop, cover and hold on - but also to evaluate professional rescuers.

aim at (以…)瞄准; 针对, 以…为目标
例句：The visit was aimed at expanding the relations between the two countries.
访问的目的是扩展两国的关系。
hold on（在困境或危险中）坚持住，挺住
例句：If he can just hold on a little longer, we can get help to him.
如果他能再坚持一会儿, 我们就能使他得到帮助了。

4. "How swiftly they operate, they come to the point, and handle the situation.

come to the point开门见山; 直接说要点
例句：I'm in a hurry, so come to the point.
请直说吧, 我很忙。

5. It was supposed to last for half an hour.

be supposed to应该,被期望
例句：Hobbies are supposed to be relaxing.
业余爱好应该是令人放松的。

6. They say decades of corruption have permitted many contractors to bribe their way out of ensuring the city's building are up to code in standing up to earthquakes.

stand up to勇敢地面对，抵抗；经得起，顶得住
例句：My mother was very weak; she could not stand up to this cold weather.
我母亲身体很弱, 经受不住这种寒冷的天气。

7. With the Indian capital situated in a seismically active zone, the ramshackle state of many structures here could dramatically increase the casualty count in a city of more than 16 million people.

count in把...算入
例句：If you're going for a picnic this weekend, count me in.
如果这个周末你们去野餐,把我也算上。