每日英語 #036: Drining Water

ESLPOD

Drainking Water

People use water every day to “meet their needs” (do what is required). Access to public water sources that are safe and reliable is “crucial” (necessary; very important) for the health and “prosperity” (success) of a society.

人們每天使用水來「滿足他們的需求」（做必要的事情）。獲取安全可靠的公共水源對於社會的健康和「繁榮」（成功）是「至關重要的」（必要的；非常重要的）。

“Tap water” (water that comes out of the faucet) not only provides Americans with water for daily activities like drinking, “bathing” (taking a bath or shower), and cooking, but also is used to deliver “fluoride” (a substance that contributes to the health of teeth).

「自來水」（從水龍頭出來的水）不僅為美國人提供飲水、「洗澡」（淋浴或泡澡）和烹飪等日常活動的用水，還用來輸送「氟化物」（有助於牙齒健康的物質）。

During the past “century” (100 years), many improvements in the health, prosperity, and “longevity” (how long someone/something lives) of the U.S. population can be “attributed to” (explained by) improvements in water quality. Water “treatment” (using a process or chemicals to improve the quality) and “disinfection” (removing harmful substances and cleaning) have made U.S. tap water one of the safest and healthiest drinking water supplies in the world.

在過去的「世紀」（100年）中，美國人口的健康、「繁榮」（成功）和「壽命」（某人/某物存活的時間）的許多改善可以「歸因於」（用來解釋）水質的改善。水的「處理」（使用過程或化學品來改善質量）和「消毒」（去除有害物質和清潔）使美國的自來水成為世界上最安全和最健康的飲用水之一。

Adding fluoride to our tap water has also helped reduce the amount of “tooth decay” (rotting of teeth) experienced by the public. Both the disinfection and fluoridation of public water systems are among the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.

在自來水中添加氟化物還有助於減少公眾「蛀牙」（牙齒腐爛）的數量。公共供水系統的消毒和氟化處理是20世紀最大的公共衛生成就之一。

Although the United States has one of the safest drinking water supplies in the world, new “challenges” (possible problems) require the country to continue to work to protect the water supply. A “primary” (main; important) concern is the fact that the drinking water “infrastructure” (structures and facilities), which includes the “pipes” (long, hollow tubes used for moving liquid from one place to another) that bring water to our homes, is “aging” (getting older) and needs to be “upgraded” (improved) or replaced.

儘管美國擁有世界上最安全的飲用水供應之一，但新的「挑戰」（可能的問題）要求國家繼續努力保護水供應。「主要的」（主要的；重要的）關注點是飲用水的「基礎設施」（結構和設施），包括將水輸送到我們家中的「管道」（用於將液體從一個地方移到另一個地方的長而中空的管子）正在「老化」（變老）並需要「升級」（改善）或更換。

重要單字

1. Meet their needs /mit ðɛr nidz/ 滿足他們的需求
2. Crucial /ˈkruːʃəl/ 至關重要的
3. Prosperity /prɑːˈspɛrɪti/ 繁榮
4. Tap water /tæp ˈwɔtər/ 自來水
5. Bathing /ˈbeɪðɪŋ/ 洗澡
6. Fluoride /ˈflʊəˌraɪd/ 氟化物
7. Century /ˈsɛnʧəri/ 世紀
8. Longevity /lɔnˈʤɛvɪti/ 壽命
9. Attributed to /əˈtrɪbjutɪd tu/ 歸因於
10. Treatment /ˈtritmənt/ 處理
11. Disinfection /ˌdɪsɪnˈfɛkʃən/ 消毒
12. Tooth decay /tuθ dɪˈkeɪ/ 蛀牙
13. Challenges /ˈʧæləndʒɪz/ 挑戰
14. Primary /ˈpraɪˌmɛri/ 主要的
15. Infrastructure /ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌkʧər/ 基礎設施
16. Pipes /paɪps/ 管道
17. Aging /ˈeɪdʒɪŋ/ 老化
18. Upgraded /ʌpˈɡreɪdɪd/ 升級