新闻类英语翻译

干旱导致物价上涨

中国西南部的干旱已经导致商品物价开始飙升，影响了许多食物链，其中包括花卉，茶叶，药材，水果和谷物。“今年春天花卉的交易总量已经减少了30% 到40%，并且花卉的批发价格一直在上升。”昆明国际花卉拍卖交易公司的副经理张丽星期一告诉中国日报记者。花卉公司的拍卖师杨柳说，“满天星的价格翻了3倍，现在每千克大约需要30元（约合4.4美元）。”他还说，“满天星对水的需求量特别大，这就是它价格飙升的原因。”

但是高价格并不意味着高质量。王瑞婷，33岁，她在昆明开红叶花店已经4年了，近几天她正为花卉的低品质感到发愁。“由于受干旱影响，导致我店里的话颜色苍白，尺寸偏小，花瓣稀少。”

云南作为普洱茶（一种风靡全国的茶叶）主要的生产出口基地，当地的干旱也让茶商十分困扰。茶叶行家和投机商常常花高价购买普洱茶，有时到达数千美元一千克。“受干旱影响，今年市场上新茶的供应量相比往年较少，所以估计普洱茶的价格将继续上涨。”昆明天府茶室的女店员王晓燕说。于禹期，云南经营三七公司的老板说，这场严重的干旱已经影响了超过20000公顷的茶田，大约20%到30%的春茶不能按时采摘。他又说，“这次干旱可能会带来一个商机。三七是最广泛使用的药材之一，它拥有巨大的市场潜力。由于这场干旱，许多农民都提前开始挖掘三七。”他告诉中国日报的记者说，“所以我计划尽可能多的从这些农民手中购买三七，然后将它出售在价格已经翻倍的市场上，并且该价格还会继续上升。”一位姓郭的昆明市民告诉我们说，超市货物的价格，从水果到蔬菜，都变得更贵了。价格都已翻倍。

在面临云南与邻省贵州受到干旱造成的巨大损失的同时，很多商人都在寻求购买谷物的新渠道。“上周，我看到许多来自云南和贵州的商人来本地市场购买粮食。过去我们只是和当地的买家做生意。”一位姓周的商人说，这些买家昨天还在他店里买了大约300吨的粮食。他认为他们已经从四川攀西粮油批发市场上购买了至少2000吨的粮食。中国国家救灾委员会表示，这场严重的干旱已经对

5100万中国人造成了影响，造成超过1600万群众和1100万牲畜缺少饮用水的局面。

自从去年秋天以来，中国西南部，包括云南省，四川省，贵州省，重庆市和广西壮族自治区在内区域的降水量只有年平均值的一半，引起了饮用水供给的枯竭。在贵州省安顺市，中国乃至全亚洲最大的黄果树瀑布正面临着史上最严峻的水源缺乏问题。为了平衡景区内水资源的利用和干旱作斗争，黄果树水库采取了白天储水晚上防水的措施。

干旱迫使云南南部的傣族人民在泼水节时只能用喷洒器来代替水桶庆祝节日，这让他们感到有些扫兴。

沙尘暴横扫中国

北京：本周六，首都遭受今春第一场严重沙尘暴之后的两天，北京和中国东部许多地区再遭沙尘侵袭。北京气象台高级工程师张明英预计，“这场来自蒙古的沙尘暴于周一早晨抵达北京，势力将在当天傍晚有所减弱。”他说，“因强风而引起的沙尘暴席卷了中国北方的内蒙古，山西，河北等地区。北京现在仍然受到上星期六沙尘暴的影响。”“虽然今天的天空看起来不像星期六那样昏黄，但是沙尘的气味还是弥漫在空气中。”北京当地居民李南说。北京环境质量检测中心已经将周一的空气质量等级认定为“四级”——空气质量的中度污染，比星期六的五级严重污染低一级。

根据气象中心在中午发出的报道说，“周一早晨，北京城内的沙尘颗粒密度大约为每立方米1500毫克，引起了严重的空气污染。”北京气象台首席气象播报员段丽预测，北京在本周内可能不会发生沙尘暴天气，但是由于这连续两场的沙尘暴，城市空气质量在接下来的两天中不会有明显的改善。内蒙古自治区气象站的副主任康灵说，与周六的沙尘暴有所不同，周一的沙尘暴完全源自蒙古，而内蒙古自治区正处于该路线上，但是却没有受到严重的影响。据中心气象台报道，此次沙尘暴的影响已经延伸到东部和南方地区。气象台呼吁大家管好门窗，捂住脸。

中国东部浙江省，以湖景而闻名的旅游城市杭州，周一也蒙上了一层阴霾。位于东南海岸的福建省也是如此，该省份的许多城市的能见度下降到大约只有3000米。福建气象台的副主任刘爱明将此次阴霾天气归因于北方沙尘暴的影响。

江苏医院的儿科医生屠劲方说，“自周末以来，大量的颗粒物和粉尘被吹到许多沿海地区，并造成了这些城市的阴沉天气。”

Wen visits SW China, urges redoubled drought-relief efforts Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) adds soil to the plastic bags to rear corn seedlings in the field in Luliang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 20, 2010. During a three-day inspection trip in the drought-plagued Yunnan Province ending on Sunday, Premier Wen visited Qujing City, one of the regions that suffered the most from the severe drought ravaging since last October, to comfort the affected locals and direct relief work.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for intensified and consistent efforts to relieve drought in the country and help the affected people overcome the difficulty. On his trip, Wen went to drought-hit villages, farmlands and reservoirs to learn about the impact that the drought had on local life and farm production.

“I believe that men will not be beaten by the nature, and tough time will not last forever,” he said to local villagers.

Wen said priority should be given to the guarantee of drinking water supply for local people, and the preparations for the spring farming, urging local authorities to make utmost efforts and prepare for the worst as the drought "is likely to continue". More efforts should be given to the spring farming this year for a good harvest, which is needed to ensure a steady and rapid economic growth and stable commodity prices, Wen said.

Wen also stressed the provision of enough food supplies to avoid significant fluctuations in food prices and fulfill the basic needs of the affected people.

To fundamentally address water-shortage, Wen ordered intensified efforts on water conservancy project construction and promised more government support in this field. The severe drought has affected 51 million Chinese and left more than 16 million people and 11 million livestock with drinking water shortages, China's State Commission of Disaster Relief said Friday.

Since autumn last year, southwest China, including Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chongqing Municipality, has received only half its annual average rainfall and water stores are depleted.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao inspects the cracked bottom of the Degehaizi Reservoir in Luliang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 20, 2010. During a three-day inspection trip in the drought-plagued Yunnan Province ending on Sunday, Premier Wen visited Qujing City, one of the regions that suffered the most from the severe drought ravaging since last October, to comfort the affected locals and direct relief work.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao checks the barley affected by drought at Shizikou Village of Fanghua Town in Luliang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 19, 2010. During a three-day inspection trip in the drought-plagued Yunnan Province ending on Sunday, Premier Wen visited Qujing City, one of the regions that suffered the most from the severe drought ravaging since last October, to comfort the affected locals and direct relief work.