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Heat and Cold Waves Strike the Planet

極端氣候衝擊全球

Extreme weather with record-breaking temperatures created havoc for millions of people in January 2014. In the southern hemisphere, Australia was hit by a heat wave that saw temperatures soaring to nearly 50 degrees Celsius for days on end. Meanwhile, parts of the northern hemisphere suffered through a cold wave that caused temperatures to drop down to around minus 40 degrees Celsius in some areas. Called the polar vortex by meteorologists, the cold front brought Arctic air and heavy snowfall to southern Canada and most of the East and Midwestern US. Both of these freak weather conditions were unusual for January, and many people, including scientists, attribute the changes in weather to global warming.

中譯

2014 年一月有著破紀錄高／低溫的極端天氣，造成數百萬人生活大亂。在南半球，澳洲熱浪來襲，連續好幾天氣溫飆升至將近攝氏五十度的高溫。同時，北半球的部分地區則飽受寒流之苦，一些區域氣溫驟降至將近攝氏零下四十度的低溫。這波被氣象學者稱作極地渦旋的冷鋒為加拿大南部和美國東部及中西部大部分的地區帶來了北極冷空氣和龐大的降雪量。就一月來說，這兩種怪異的天氣狀況皆不尋常，包括科學家在內的許多人都將天氣異變歸究為全球暖化。 

生活必備字詞：

1. havoc [ˋhævək]　 n. [U] 大破壞，浩劫; 大混亂，大雜亂

They had to rebuild their homes after the havoc of the hurricane.   
（遭受颶風的巨大破壞後，他們不得不重建家園。）

A cow got into the garden and made sad havoc among the cabbages.  
（一頭牛跑到菜園裡，把包心菜弄得亂七八糟。）

2. hemisphere [ˋhɛməs͵fɪr]　 n. [C] （地球的）半球；半球體　hemispheres

the southern hemisphere（南半球）

the northern hemisphere（北半球）

3. soar [sor]　
n. [U] 高飛; 高聳; 高漲; 猛增的程度; 高飛的高度
vi. 往上飛舞，升騰; 飛騰，昂揚; 猛增；暴漲

soar - soared - soared - soaring

Australia was hit by a heat wave that saw temperatures soaring to nearly 50 degrees Celsius.
（澳洲熱浪來襲，氣溫飆升至將近攝氏五十度的高溫。）

The singer’s popularity soared after she won a Grammy.
（那位歌手得到葛萊美獎後，聲望猛增。）

4. on end　連續地; 直立

It snowed heavily for three days on end.
（連續下了三天大雪。

We studied for final exams for hours on end. 
（我們連續花了好幾小時準備期末考。）

5. meanwhile [ˋmin͵hwaɪl]　
n. 其時，其間 [ the meanwhile ]
In the meanwhile I ' ll visit an old friend of mine.  
（在這期間我將去拜訪我的一位老朋友。）

ad. 其間；同時
Mother went shopping. Meanwhile, I cleaned the house.  
（母親去買東西。同時，我打掃屋子。）

6. minus [ˋmaɪnəs]　
a. 負的，減去的
The temperature is now minus 5 degrees.（現在氣溫為零下五度。）

n. [C] 【數】負號，減號；負數，負量　minuses
There is a minus before the number to be subtracted.  
（在要減去的數字前有一個減號。）

7. polar [ˋpolɚ]　a. 北極的，南極的；極地的
　vortex [ˋvɔrtɛks]　 n. [C] 渦; 旋風; 旋渦; 渦流　vortexes 或 vortices

the polar vortex（極地渦旋）

8. meteorology [͵mitɪəˋrɑlədʒɪ]　n. 氣象學; 氣象狀態
　meteorologist [͵mitɪəˋrɑlədʒɪst]　 n. [C] 氣象學者　meteorologists

9. front [frʌnt]　n. 【氣】鋒

the cold front（冷鋒）

10. Arctic [ˋɑrktɪk]　
n. 北極圈; 北極地帶
a. 北極的; 極寒的; （態度）冰冷的；冷淡的

The cold front brought Arctic air and heavy snowfall to southern Canada.
（這波冷鋒為加拿大南部帶來了北極冷空氣和龐大的降雪量。）

11. freak [frik]　
n. [C] 任性的舉動; 怪誕的行動; 突發的怪念頭; 反常現象　freaks
Snowing in this area is a real freak.（這個地區下雪真是反常現象。）

a. 反常的，怪異的，稀奇的
a freak shape（奇特的形狀）

Both of these freak weather conditions were unusual for January.
（就一月來說，這兩種怪異的天氣狀況皆不尋常。）

12. include [ɪnˋklud]　vt. 包括, 包含; 算入，包含於……裡面

include - included - included - including

S + V………, including + N.
S + V………, N + included.
S + V………, inclusive of + N.

13. attribute [əˋtrɪbjʊt]　

attribute - attributed - attributed - attributing

vt. 把……歸因於；把……歸咎於 [（+ to）]
He attributed his good health to exercise.
（他認為自己之所以身體好是因為運動。）

vt. 認為……是某人所有 [（+ to）]
Do you think it proper to attribute weakness to women ?  
（你覺得把軟弱當作女性的屬性適當嗎？）

vt. 認為……是某人所做 [（+ to）]
That play was wrongly attributed to Bacon.  
（那個劇本被錯誤地認為是培根的作品）

14. global warming（全球暖化）