大自然的忠告 西南地区60年罕见大旱（双语）

    在过去8个月时间里，一场60年一遇的特大旱灾(drought)袭击了云南，持续时间之长、受旱范围之广、程度之重为历史罕见。干旱的严重性使人们再次感受到了人类在自然灾变面前的乏力。

 

    除了饮水，家住云南的农民何中才还要同另一项生存需求做斗争，那就是食物。 Besides thirst, Yunnan farmer He Zhongcai has to battle another basic need - hunger.

    今年八月起，旱情持续恶化，何中才家里每天的食物都是一种叫“饿羊草”的野菜，顾名思义，羊饿极了才会吃这种草。 After a seemingly endless drought in Xiaowanshan village since August, the daily dish for He's family is a kind of green grass, called Eyangcao - it means last choice for a starving sheep.

    即使用水浸泡一周的时间，这种草还是带有强烈的涩味。 Even after it is soaked in water for a week, the grass has a strong mouth-puckering taste.

    在一些特殊日子里，菜谱上才会出现少许白菜和莴笋，这也是全家菜篮子里的宝贝。 On the menu for special days are the few cabbages and asparagus lettuce, stored like treasure in the family's only basket.

    在他家的后院里，一些嫩洋葱靠着生活废水维持着生机，这或许是他今年唯一的收成了。 In He's backyard, wash water keeps several green onions surviving, which might be his only harvest this year.

    在离小湾山不远的木央镇金铛村，很多村民已经有六个多月没有洗过澡了。 In Jindang village of Muyang town, not far from Xiaowanshan, most residents have not had a bath for more than six months.

    21岁的熊桂芬背着6个月大的女儿，她正在排队取水。她表示这些水先来洗菜，洗菜之后来洗脸，洗碗，最后再来喂鸡。 Xiong Guifen, a 21-year-old carrying her 6-month-old baby girl on her back, was queuing for water, which she said will first be used to wash vegetables, then their faces, dishes and finally, to feed their chickens.