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It's not just humans who are at risk from the spreading bush fires
媒體英語會帶大家一起學習 BBC 撰稿人在報道世界大事時常用到的單詞和短語。
澳大利亞新南威爾士州宣佈進入緊急狀態，截至目前，森林大火已經燒燬了200間多房屋。消防隊員仍在持續滅火工作。預計天氣條件將持續惡化，氣象預報說未來幾天將有高溫和強風。以下是 BBC 記者
Jon Donnison 從悉尼發回的報道：
Here amid the smokey haze of the bush, the heat hits the senses. Temperatures are back in the mid-30s making the work of firefighters increasingly difficult. Helicopters whirr overhead dumping water on the nearby fire fronts. They're trying to stop several fires from merging into one huge blaze spanning hundreds of kilometres.
In several communities, people are being warned not to try and stay put to defend their homes. With hundreds of houses already destroyed, disaster welfare centres have been set up where families can start the planning needed to rebuild their lives. Most of the firefighters are volunteers. Many look exhausted; some have even lost their own homes.
The fires follow unseasonably hot weather; conditions are expected to worsen throughout the week with dangerously strong winds forecast on Wednesday and little let-up in the temperature.
Quiz 聽力測驗
1. True or false? The low temperatures are making the work difficult for fire fighters.
False. Temperatures are back in the mid-30s (Celsius) making the work of firefighters increasingly difficult.
2. Should people try to defend their homes?
No. People are being warned not to try to defend their homes.
3. How much are most of the firefighters getting paid?
Nothing. Most of the firefighters are volunteers.
4. Why might the fires get worse on Wednesday?
Dangerously strong winds are forecast on Wednesday.
Glossary 词汇表 （点击单词收听发音）
haze煙霧
hits the senses（迎面而來的）感官衝擊
merging合併起來
spanning擴散
stay put停留不動
defend保護，保衛
welfare福利
volunteers志願者
unseasonably反季節的
little let-up（氣溫）沒有降低