8-31

[生词]

initial  adj.最初的, 词首的, 初始的n.词首大写字母

deteriorate  v.(使)恶化

pledge   n.保证, 誓言, 抵押, 抵押品vt.保证, 使发誓, 抵押, 典当, 举杯祝...健康

bureaucracy   n.官僚, 官僚作风, 官僚机构

[全文翻译]

Local, state and federal officials were all been blamed for the initial slow response to Katrina in New Orleans, where thousands of the city's poorest residents found themselves trapped in the rapidly deteriorating conditions at shelters set up at sports arena and a convention center.

 本地，州及联邦政府的官员全都因为对新奥尔良的卡特利娜台风刚开始迟钝的反映而受到了指责。当地数千最贫穷的居民发现他们在建立在体育场和会议中心的避难所被越来越糟的环境所限制。

President Bush came under criticism because he remained on vacation when the extent of the disaster first became known, and because he initially praised those responsible for the flawed early federal response.

布什总统在批评中到来，因为在这面积巨大的灾难来临时，他仍然在度假。而且他刚开始表扬过联邦政府这些有缺陷的责任。

The President made a series of visits to the city in the following days when he promised aid and reforms in the federal government’s emergency response agency.

总统在接下来的几天对这个城市进行了一系列的访问，同时他也承诺救援和对联邦政府应急责任机构的改革。

"Tonight I also offer this pledge of to the American people. Throughout the area hit by the hurricane we will do what it takes, we will stay as long as it takes to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives."

今天我也把这个承诺给全美国的人民，在这片被台风袭击的土地上，我们会做它夺去我们的东西，我们会坚持直到它离去，帮助市民重建他们的社区和他们的生活。

New Orleans Maryor Ray Nagin, appearing on NBC's "Meeting the Press", said the President is getting closer to keeping his pledge. He said one problem is the federal government has imposed too much bureaucracy on the aid process, and more assistance needs to go directly to local communities.

新奥尔良的MRN, 在NBC的“面对压力”的节目中表示，总统正在逐渐遵守他的承诺。他说问题之一是联邦政府已经在援助过程中增加了太多官僚的东西。而且更多的援助需要直接面对本地的社区。