From VOA Learning English, this is In the
News.
A weather1 system known
as2 a polar vortex3 brought4
dangerously5 cold weather to large parts of the United
States this week. A polar vortex is a
cold, thick6 low pressure7 system. The air turns8
counter-clockwise9 when on the move.
The polar vortex started up in Canada. After crossing the border10,
it moved deep11 into the southeastern12
United States. The polar vortex
brought the coldest13 temperatures in more than 20
years to many areas. Anise Jenkins lives
in Washington, DC.
“I have a coat14 on. I have three sweaters15. I have two blouses16. I have a thermal on and I don’t feel
like17 I have anything on.”
Another woman, named Amanda, lives
nearby18 in Maryland.
“It’s DC.
It’s not supposed to be this cold19.”
The weather was also a shock to visitors
from overseas20.
Deepak from India was visiting his sister in New York.
“Tears21 just come
out from22 my eyes and my head inside like a freezy. Oh, my
God. Oh, my God.”
The extreme weather23 started
with a low-pressure24 system near the North Pole. The Arctic air was pushed25 as
far south as Alabama on wind currents26 known as27
the "jet stream28". The bitter cold29 covered
much of the central United States, forcing schools, government offices and
businesses to close.
Camden Walker is a reporter for the Washington
Post. He is part of the newspaper’s
Capital Weather Gang, which limits its reporting to the weather.
“When the jet stream came south, the floodgates30
opened from the north and we had a direct flow31 from
the Arctic.”
But the polar vortex did not have the
same effect32 everywhere.
“Interestingly enough33,
it is warmer34 in Alaska and also somewhat35
warmer over Greenland because when you deplete36 the
North Pole and the Arctic region of its cold air, when it’s forced southward37,
it can’t all stay there. Basically it’s
a bubble38 that is draining39 toward
us40. It is rushing41
towards us in the United States.”
Camden Walker says the weather system moved
away quickly42 from places like Washington. But the cold air and high winds were staying
longer in the middle of the country.
At least43 20 deaths were blamed44 on the cold
weather nationwide45.
Health experts46 said people should go
outside buildings47 for only 10 to 20 minutes at a
time48. They warned49
that being outside in such cold can cause frostbite50. This condition may cause51 exposed
parts of the body to freeze52.
Temperatures of minus 10 degrees53
Celsius or lower were reported in Washington, New York, Boston and
Philadelphia. In fact54,
temperatures in all or parts of the 50 states were below55 freezing
at some point on Tuesday. Even56
in Hawaii, it was minus six degrees at the top of the state’s highest
mountain.
The effect of the polar vortex was
extensive. Airline companies cancelled
more than 11,000 flights57 over a four day
period. The cold weather also interfered
with train service. In the south, the
Tennessee Valley Authority said it set58 a single
day59 record for electricity as homeowners60
struggled to stay warm61.
The TVA provides62 power to seven states.
And it was not just North America that
experienced extreme cold. Over in the
Pacific Ocean, a Russian research ship63 was stuck
in ice64 for over a week.
The Shokalskiy left65 New Zealand on November
28. The ship was carrying66
52 passengers when it became stuck.
They were rescued67 January 2, when a
helicopter flew68 them to an Australian icebreaker69.
And that’s In The News from VOA Learning
English. I’m Steve Ember.
VOCABULARY
1. weather = clima
2. known as = conhecido como
3. polar vortex = vórtice polar
4. brought = trouxe
5. dangerously = perigosamente
6. thick = espesso
7. low pressure = baixa pressão
8. turns = gira
9. counter-clockwise = sentido anti-horario
10. After crossing the border = depois de cruzar a fronteira
11. deep = profundo
12. southeastern = região sudeste
13. the coldest= o(a) mais frio(a)
14. coat = casaco
15. sweaters = agasalhos
16. blouses = blusas
17. I don’t feel like = eu não sinto como se
18. lives nearby = mora proximo a
19. It’s not supposed to be this cold = não deveria estar tão frio
20. visitors from overseas = visitantes do exterior
21. Tears = lágrimas
22. come out from = sair de
23. extreme weather = clima extremo
24. low-pressure = pressão baixa
25. pushed = empurrado
26. wind currents = correntes de vento
27. known as = conhecido como
28. jet stream = corrente de jato
29. bitter cold = frio intenso
30. floodgates = comportas
31. flow = fluxo
32. the same effect = o mesmo efeito
33. Interestingly enough = curiosamente o bastante
34. warmer = mais quente
35. somewhat = um pouco
36. deplete = esgotar
37. southward = em direção ao sul
38. bubble = bolha
39. draining = escoando
40. toward us = em nossa direção
41. rushing = correndo
42. moved away quickly = moveu-se rapidamente
43. At least = pelo menos
44. were blamed = foram culpados
45. nationwide = em todo o país
46. Health experts = especialistas em saúde
47. should go outside buildings = deveriam ir para fora dos prédios
48. at a time = de uma vez
49. warned = alertaram
50. frostbite = queimaduras pelo frio
51. may cause = pode causar
52. freeze = congelar
53. minus 10 degrees = dez graus negativos
54. In fact = na verdade
55. below = abaixo
56. Even = até mesmo
57. flights = vôos
58. set = estabelecer
59. single day = único dia
60. homeowners = proprietarios
61. struggled to stay warm = lutavam para ficarem aquecidos
62. provides = fornecer
63. research ship = navio de pesquisa
64. stuck in ice = preso no gelo
65. left = deixou
66. carrying = transportando
67. rescued = resgatados
68. flew = voou
69. icebreaker = quebra-gelos
