如果你现在放眼欧洲西部，就会发现很难找到能够避开高温的地区。

European farmers are still counting the cost of last year's drought, which saw plummeting yields of crops like maize and corn.

欧洲农民们仍在承受去年那场大旱带来的损失，那场干旱导致玉米和谷物类作物的产量骤降。

But France today reported it's already short of water, and the European Environment Agency expects this to become a continent-wide problem. 

而就在今天，法国已经报告出现水资源短缺的消息。欧洲环境署预计，这将演变成一个影响整个欧洲大陆的问题。

Paradoxically, this will also lead to worse flooding as more water evaporates and then eventually falls back to Earth.

看似矛盾的是，干旱还会导致更严重的洪涝，因为更多的水分蒸发后，最终会以降水的形式回到地面。

The agency's report also warns there'll be about 60 days each year so hot they're dangerous, and that European healthcare needs to adapt to cope with consequent rises in cardiovascular and respiratory illness.

该机构的报告还警告称，未来每年将有大约 60 天的高温达到危险水平；欧洲的医疗系统需要做出调整，以应对随之增加的心血管和呼吸系统疾病。

In the longer term, disease carrying insects like the tiger mosquito will thrive in the warmer climate.

从长远来看，白纹伊蚊等携带疾病的昆虫将在更温暖的气候中更加活跃并大量繁殖。

Predictions like this have previously been dismissed as scaremongering, but climate scientists say the changes are actually happening even faster than they expected.

此前，类似的预测曾被斥为危言耸听，但气候科学家们表示，这些变化发生的速度实际上比他们预期的更快。

词汇表

drought 干旱，旱灾
plummeting 骤降
yields 产量，收成
paradoxically 看似互为矛盾的
evaporates 蒸发
adapt 做出调整、适应
cope 应对
thrive 大量滋生，快速繁殖
dismissed 不予理睬，被驳斥
scaremongering 制造恐慌，危言耸听 

听力练习

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. What is the main topic of this report?

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. It's expected that only France will experience these water shortages.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

2. Why will there be more floods in Europe according to this report?
a. The water that has evaporated will eventually fall again as heavy rain.
b. There are fewer crops, so there will be more water.
c. The melting of glaciers will bring create water.

3. As a result of the rising temperatures, some people may experience problems with _______.
a. breathing
b. hearing
c. seeing

4. All insects that live well in warmer climates can carry diseases.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

5. These changes are in line with scientists’ predictions.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. But France today reported it's already _____________ water, and the European Environment Agency expects this to become a continent-wide problem.

2. Predictions like this have previously been dismissed as scaremongering, but climate scientists say the changes are _____________ even faster than they expected.

答案

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

Extreme water shortages will negatively affect farmers by causing droughts, flooding and increasing the spread of diseases.

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. b. False. … the European Environment Agency expects this to become a continent-wide problem.

2. a. Paradoxically, this will also lead to worse flooding as more water evaporates and then eventually falls back to Earth.

3. a. … European healthcare needs to adapt to cope with consequent rises in cardiovascular and respiratory illness.

4. c. Not given. The story mentioned that some disease-carrying insects will thrive in warmer climate, but did not mention if all insects that thrive in warmer climate could carry diseases.

5. a. False. Predictions like this have previously been dismissed as scaremongering, but climate scientists say the changes are actually happening even faster than they expected.

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. But France today reported it's already short of water, and the European Environment Agency expects this to become a continent-wide problem.

2. Predictions like this have previously been dismissed as scaremongering, but climate scientists say the changes are actually happening even faster than they expected