Disaster Earth 地球災難

 On March 11 of 2011, Japan and the world were given a wake-up call1 when a powerful natural disaster nearly destroyed the country. The 9.0-magnitude2 earthquake that struck northeastern Japan also led to a massive3 tsunami with over 40-meter waves. Even worse, the tsunami caused a series of nuclear4 accidents at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station. All this resulted in more than 15,000 deaths, nearly 13,000 people being injured or missing, and an estimated US$300 billion in damages.
2011年三月十一日，一場威力強大的天然災害幾乎摧毀日本，給予該國和全世界一個警訊。這場規模九點零的地震侵襲了日本東北部，並引發浪高超過四十公尺高的巨大海嘯。更不幸的是，這場海嘯還導致福島核電廠發生一連串的核能意外。上述災害共造成一萬五千多人死亡、將近一萬三千人受傷或失蹤，損失估計達三千億美元。
　　While Japan is recovering from the disaster, it is only a matter of time before Seattle, Washington suffers the same fate. This city is located just east of the Cascadia fault, which stretches nearly 1,000 kilometers from Vancouver Island, Canada to northern California. Scientists fear that a megathrust earthquake5, like the one that hit Japan, is likely to destroy the entire area. Megathrusts are the world's largest earthquakes and occur when one tectonic plate is forced under another. This month, National Geographic Channel works with experts to discover more about this huge threat on "Disaster Earth."
當日本正慢慢從這場災難中復原時，相同的命運降臨在華盛頓西雅圖地區只不過是時間早晚的問題而已。卡斯凱迪亞斷層從加拿大溫哥華島到加州北部綿延了將近一千公里長，而該城市就座落在此一斷層的東方。科學家害怕襲擊日本的這種大型逆衝區地震可能會再度發生、摧毀這整塊地區。大型逆衝區地震是地球上規模最大的地震，當某個板塊被擠壓到另一個板塊之下的時候就會發生。本月份，國家地理頻道將在《地球災難》節目中，連同專家進一步探索這種巨大的威脅。

@Building Your Vocabulary
★1. disaster　n. 災難，災禍
Droughts, earthquakes, and floods are all natural disasters.
乾旱、地震和水患全都是天然災害。
★2. destroy　vt. 毀壞，破壞
The scandal destroyed Scott's political career.
這則醜聞毀了史考特的政治生涯。
★3. strike　vt.（天災、災難等）侵襲，降臨（三態為：strike, struck, struck。）
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck a city on the northern coast this morning.
一起規模六點零的地震在今早襲擊了北邊沿岸的某座城市。
★4. injure　vt. 使受傷
The pitcher left the game because he injured his throwing arm.
那位投手因為弄傷了他投球的那隻手臂而中途退場。
5. estimated　a. 估計的，估算的
The estimated cost of completely remodeling the living room is NT$200,000.
將整間客廳重新翻修的預估價格為二十萬元。
★6. recover　vi. 復原；恢復健康
Ned recovered from the fever after taking medicine for a few days.
在吃了好幾天的藥之後，奈德開始退燒並恢復健康。
7. stretch [ strEtS ] vi. 延伸，綿延
The beautiful beach stretches nearly 80 kilometers.
那片美麗的沙灘綿延了將近八十公里長。







@Phrases for Learning
★* be a matter of...　　只是……的問題
Whether or not Mark likes the wine is a matter of personal taste.
馬克喜不喜歡那種酒純粹是個人品味的問題。






@Extra Words
1. wake-up call　n. 警訊，警鐘
2. magnitude　n.（地震）震級，規模
3. massive　a. 巨大的，大規模的
4. nuclear　a. 核子的，核能的
5. megathrust earthquake　n. 大型逆衝區地震