ELIZA: There is a tornado warning on. My mother just told me she heard it on the radio.
LEE: What is a tornado warning?
ELIZA: It means that a tornado has been seen somewhere in the area.
LEE: Really? In New Berlin?
ELIZA: No. Not necessarily in town. But in southern Wisconsin somewhere.
A tornado has been spotted. They have two stages here.
This is what is called a "tornado watch."
That means that the weather conditions are perfect for a tornado.
LEE: I understand. They think a tornado might come.
ELIZA: Yes. People should look out, because maybe there will be tornadoes coming.
So it's called a "watch."
LEE: And the second stage is called a "tornado warning".
ELIZA: Yes. If a tornado has been spotted, they announce a "tornado warning".
So if there's a tornado warning on, it means a tornado is out there somewhere.
LEE: It's scary.
ELIZA: Well. Tornadoes can be dangerous, it's true.
If we hear something like a loud train coming, then we have to go in the basement.
LEE: What do you mean "a loud train"?
ELIZA: That is what tornadoes sound like. They sound like trains. They're very loud.
LEE: But if you hear them coming, isn't it already too late?
ELIZA: Maybe. It depends on the tornado.
Some can move across the ground at 200 miles an hour.
That is very fast. Others aren't so fast.
LEE: Have you seen a lot of them?
ELIZA: I've only seen one in my life. I was looking out the window.
It was around two miles away. It was very interesting to watch.
But it was heading toward my friend's house. So I quickly called them on the phone.
LEE: Did it hit their house?
ELIZA: No, it didn't. But they are glad I called them.
LEE: What were they doing when you called?
ELIZA: They were all sitting in the living room watching TV.
They had no idea a tornado was coming toward their house.
If it had hit them, they could have all been killed.
LEE: That's terrible. Do many people die in tornadoes?
ELIZA: Not so many really. But a lot of houses are destroyed sometimes.
艾麗沙:有一個龍卷風(fēng)的警報,我媽剛剛告訴我她從收音機(jī)聽到的。
李:什么是龍卷風(fēng)警報?
艾麗沙:就是有一個龍卷風(fēng)已經(jīng)在這個區(qū)域出沒。
李:真的?在新柏林?
艾麗沙:不,并不一定在城里,但在南威斯康辛州某處。
有一個龍卷風(fēng)已經(jīng)被監(jiān)控。他們分為兩個等級,
現(xiàn)階段稱做“龍卷風(fēng)警戒”,
表示天氣狀況是形成龍卷風(fēng)的最佳狀態(tài)。
李:我懂了,他們認(rèn)為龍卷風(fēng)可能會來襲。
艾麗沙:是的,大家要當(dāng)心,因?yàn)橐苍S龍卷風(fēng)就要來襲,
所以稱做警戒。
李:而第二等級稱做“龍卷風(fēng)警報”。
艾麗沙:是的,如果龍卷風(fēng)已經(jīng)被監(jiān)測到,他們就會宣布“龍卷風(fēng)警報”。
因此,若已提出龍卷風(fēng)警報,那表示一個龍卷風(fēng)已在某處。
李:真可怕。
艾麗沙:嗯,龍卷風(fēng)可以很危險的,是真的。
如果我們聽到什么像轟隆的火車接近聲的,我們必須進(jìn)入地下室。
李:什么是“轟隆的火車”?
艾麗沙:那就是龍卷風(fēng)聽起來的聲音,他們聽起來像火車聲,非常大聲。
李:但是如果你聽到它們來臨了,不是已經(jīng)太晚了嗎?
艾麗沙:很可能,要視龍卷風(fēng)而定。
有些一小時可以在地面橫越兩百里。
那是非??斓模渌臎]這么快。
李:你看過很多龍卷風(fēng)嗎?
艾麗沙:我這生只看過一次,從窗戶望出去的,
大概在二里外的地方,觀看是很有趣的。
但是它直掃向我朋友的房屋,所以我趕緊打電話給他們。
李:它有打中他們的房屋嗎?
艾麗沙:沒有,但是我朋友很高興我打電話給他們。
李:你電話時,他們在做什么?
艾麗沙:他們?nèi)甲诳蛷d看電視,
一點(diǎn)也不知道龍卷風(fēng)正向他們的房子接近。
如果當(dāng)時真打中他們,他們可能全都一命嗚呼。
李:真是太可怕了。有很多人喪生于龍卷風(fēng)嗎?
艾麗沙:是不太多啦,但是有時候很多房屋被摧毀