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Singapore Targets Companies Behind Toxic Haze
新加坡追责引发有毒烟霾企业
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Singapore Targets Companies Behind Toxic Haze
新加坡追责引发有毒烟霾企业
东南亚多国遭遇十余年来最严重森林大火引发的有毒烟霾，新加坡政府随即表态将起诉涉事企业。此次火灾源于干旱天气以及为开辟棕榈油种植园而故意烧芭，并在强风助推下跨越国界蔓延。受此影响，多国学校被迫停课，仅在印度尼西亚就有近28万人饱受呼吸道疾病困扰，灾情急剧恶化。
Singapore is threatening to prosecute companies behind massive forest fires.
新加坡警告称，将对引发大规模森林火灾的企业提起诉讼。threatening to prosecute 警告称将起诉 / massive forest fires 大规模森林火灾
A thick, acrid haze has blanketed Southeast Asia for weeks.
几周来，浓厚刺鼻的烟霾一直笼罩着整个东南亚。thick, acrid haze 浓厚刺鼻的烟霾 / blanketed 笼罩了
These blazes are the most intense the region has seen in over a decade.
这是该地区十余年来遭遇的最严重的火灾。blazes 大火 / most intense 最严重的 / in over a decade 十余年来
Lawrence Wong, the prime minister of Singapore, said that
新加坡总理黄循财表示，prime minister 总理
his government is investigating which companies are responsible.
政府正在调查哪些企业应当对此负责。investigating 正在调查 / responsible 负有责任的
The fires are caused by dry weather and slash-and-burn farming.
火势蔓延是由干旱天气和刀耕火种的农耕习俗共同导致的。caused by 由……引起 / dry weather 干旱天气 / slash-and-burn farming 刀耕火种
Many businesses deliberately burn land to clear space for palm oil.
许多企业为了开辟棕榈油种植园而故意纵火清地。deliberately burn 故意焚烧 / clear space 开辟土地
Now, strong winds are pushing the toxic smoke across borders.
如今，强风正将有毒烟雾推向周边邻国。strong winds 强风 / toxic smoke 有毒烟雾 / across borders 跨越国界
Skyscrapers in nearby cities have disappeared into the smog,
附近城市的摩天大楼已完全隐没在浓烟之中，Skyscrapers 摩天大楼 / disappeared into 消失在……中
and schools in several countries have been forced to close.
多个国家的学校也不得不停课。forced to close 被迫停课
Inside Indonesia, the human cost is climbing fast.
在印度尼西亚国内，人员健康与伤亡代价正在急剧上升。human cost 人员伤亡与代价 / climbing fast 迅速攀升
Nearly 280,000 people now suffer from respiratory infections.
目前有近28万民众正遭受呼吸道感染的折磨。suffer from 饱受……困扰 / respiratory infections 呼吸道感染
More than 60,000 of those patients are children under five.
其中有6万多名患者是不足五岁的幼童。patients 患者 / under five 5岁以下
Tragically, four firefighters also died fighting the blazes in Java.
令人痛心的是，爪哇岛还有四名参与扑救大火的消防员不幸牺牲。Tragically 令人痛心的是 / fighting the blazes 扑救大火
Indonesian protesters want the government to declare a national disaster,
印度尼西亚的抗议民众正敦促政府宣布进入国家灾难状态，protesters 抗议者 / declare a national disaster 宣布国家灾难状态
because that official step would unlock crucial emergency funds.
因为只有采取这一法定举措，才能调拨至关重要的紧急救援资金。official step 官方举措 / unlock emergency funds 调拨紧急资金
Regional leaders will meet in the Philippines next month to discuss the crisis.
地区多国领导人将于下个月在菲律宾会晤，共同商讨应对这场危机。Regional leaders 地区领导人 / discuss the crisis 商讨危机
Quiz 🧠
Q1. Can smoke from large forest fires travel across borders to pollute neighboring countries?
查看答案
✅ Yes
强风会把浓烟吹到数百公里外的邻国，从而造成空气污染。
Strong winds can carry thick smoke and toxic air hundreds of kilometers away into other nations.
Q2. What does 'deliberately' mean in 'they deliberately started a fire'?
查看答案
✅ On purpose
'Deliberately'表示并非出于偶然或失误，而是有目的地'故意、特意'行事。
'Deliberately' means doing something intentionally, after planning or thinking about it.
Q3. Why do citizens demand a national disaster declaration during massive forest fires?
查看答案
✅ To get emergency funds
一旦官方正式宣布进入国家灾难状态，便可迅速调拨用于克服危机的紧急援助资金与救灾资源。
Declaring an official disaster unlocks government emergency money and resources to help fight the crisis.
Dialogue 🎧
Liam: Did you see those photos of Singapore? The skyscrapers completely disappeared into thick smog!
Liam: 你看新加坡的照片了吗？摩天大楼完全消失在浓厚的烟雾中了！
Charlotte: I did. That acrid haze has blanketed Southeast Asia for weeks now.
Charlotte: 看了。刺鼻的烟霾已经在东南亚笼罩好几周了。
Liam: It looks apocalyptic. Is this just because of dry weather?
Liam: 简直像世界末日一样。这仅仅是因为天气干燥吗？
Charlotte: Partly, but companies deliberately set forest fires.
Charlotte: 有一部分原因，但也有企业故意纵火烧荒。
Charlotte: They use slash-and-burn farming to clear land for palm oil.
Charlotte: 他们采用刀耕火种的方式来清理土地，种植油棕。
Liam: Wait, so they are intentionally burning the land? In this heat?
Liam: 等等，你是说他们是故意放火烧地的？在这么热的天气下？
Charlotte: Exactly. And strong winds are pushing all that toxic smoke across borders.
Charlotte: 没错。而且强风正把那些有毒烟雾吹向邻国。
Liam: That makes me so angry. Schools are already closing down because of the air!
Liam: 太气人了。空气差到连学校都纷纷停课了！
Charlotte: It gets worse. Nearly 280,000 people in Indonesia have respiratory infections right now.
Charlotte: 情况还要更糟。印度尼西亚现在有近28万人患上了呼吸道感染。
Liam: Almost three hundred thousand? That is terrifying.
Liam: 将近三十万人？这太可怕了。
Charlotte: Over 60,000 of them are children under five.
Charlotte: 其中超过6万人是五岁以下的幼童。
Charlotte: And four firefighters died battling blazes in Java.
Charlotte: 还有四名消防员在爪哇岛扑救大火时牺牲了。
Liam: Those poor families. No wonder people are protesting.
Liam: 可怜的家属们。难怪大家要上街抗议。
Charlotte: Right. Protesters want the Indonesian government to declare a national disaster.
Charlotte: 对啊。抗议者希望印度尼西亚政府宣布进入国家灾难状态。
Liam: Would that actually change anything?
Liam: 这样做真的能改变什么吗？
Charlotte: It would unlock crucial emergency funds for medical help and firefighting.
Charlotte: 这能调拨至关重要的紧急资金，用于医疗救助和灭火救援。
Liam: And what about the companies responsible? Can anyone stop them?
Liam: 那涉事企业呢？有人能制止他们吗？
Charlotte: Singapore's prime minister, Lawrence Wong, said his government is investigating and threatening prosecution.
Charlotte: 新加坡总理黄循财表示，政府正在展开调查，并警告将提起刑事诉讼。
Liam: Good. These blazes are the most intense in over a decade.
Liam: 太好了。这次的大火是十多年来最严重的一次。
Liam: Someone has to be held accountable.
Liam: 必须有人为此承担责任。
Charlotte: True.
Charlotte: 确实如此。
Charlotte: Regional leaders are meeting in the Philippines next month, but people need clean air right now.
Charlotte: 虽然下个月各国领导人将在菲律宾开会，但人们现在就需要洁净的空气。