(单词翻译:单击)
中英文本
When my young daughter says she's thirsty, I take for granted that the water from our kitchen tap is clean and safe. In fact, that's what most Americans assume. But should we?
小女儿说她口渴时,我理所当然认为从厨房水龙头流出的水既干净又安全。事实上,大多数美国人都这么想,但这个想法是对的吗?
As we mark World Water Day on March 22, the disturbing truth is that roughly a quarter of Americans drink from water systems that violate the Safe Drinking Water Act. Violations range from failing to properly test water to allowing dangerous levels of lead or arsenic, and occur everywhere: in rural communities and big cities, in red states and blue ones.
我们把3月22日定为世界水资源日,但令人不安的事实是,大约有四分之一的美国人喝的水来自违反《安全饮用水法案》的自来水系统。违规的范围广泛,从没有对自来水进行适当检测,到默许铅或砷达到危险标准,而且这些情形处处可见,无论是在农村小区或大城市,无论是在倾向支持共和党的州还是民主党的州。
The lead contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan, was extreme -- and shocking because of the role that race played. However, it was not an isolated case, and we need to consider it a national wake-up call.
密歇根州弗林特市的铅污染相当严重,而种族议题又让这件事更加令人心惊。然而,这不是单一事件,我们必须把它看成是全美国的警报。
重点讲解
1.take for granted 认为...理所当然
They often examine beliefs that most of us take for granted most of the time.
他们经常细究一些我们大多数人在大多数时候视为当然的信念。
2.wake-up call 警钟
So often, in every walk of life, from business to politics, it can be a wake-up call, heralding a new dawn.
所以通常,在从商业到政治的各行各业中,失败就像一记警钟,它预示着一个新的黎明的来临。