【初中英语时文】Europe's Summer Heat Killed Thousands 欧洲夏季热浪夺走五万多人生命

【初中英语时文】

Europe's Summer Heat Killed Thousands

欧洲夏季热浪夺走五万多人生命

（适合2500词以内阅读）

 A record-breaking summer heat wave in Europe killed more than 50,000 people in cities, scientists say.

Step 1: 预习重点词汇 Preview Key Words

Step 2: 汉语内容概括 Chinese Summary

2026年夏天，欧洲遭遇了创纪录的热浪，多国气温突破40℃。一项发表在《自然·健康》杂志上的研究显示，仅在欧洲城市中，这场热浪就造成了超过5万人死亡，这一数字几乎是2003年和2022年两次致命热浪死亡人数总和的两倍。研究人员通过数学模型估算，其中约三分之二的死亡与人类活动导致的全球变暖直接相关——如果没有工业温室气体排放，热浪期间的气温会低2.8℃，死亡人数将减少约3.26万。老年人是最大的受害者，85岁以上的死者占到了近一半。研究作者呼吁各国政府重视热浪预警和防护措施，保护易受影响的人群。

欧洲城市在42°C的热浪中，人们艰难躲避高温

Step 3: 英文时文 Reading Passage

A Deadly Record

Europe experienced its hottest summer on record in 2026. Temperatures climbed above 40 degrees Celsius in many countries for weeks. As scientists reported recently, this heat wave killed more than 50,000 people in European cities alone. The death toll is nearly twice as high as that of two previous deadly heat waves, in 2003 and 2022.

2026年，欧洲经历了有史以来最热的夏天。许多国家连续数周气温飙升至40摄氏度以上。正如科学家最近报告的那样，这场热浪仅在欧洲城市就造成了超过5万人死亡。这一死亡人数几乎是2003年和2022年之前两次致命热浪死亡总人数的两倍。

How do scientists count heat deaths? / 科学家如何统计高温死亡？ 

Counting heat-related deaths is not simple. The new study, led by researchers from Imperial College London, used a different method from national health agencies. Instead of examining individual death records, they built a mathematical model. This model compared expected death rates based on 20 years of data from 854 European cities. The researchers said their approach allows them to publish findings much faster than traditional methods.

统计高温相关死亡并不简单。这项由伦敦帝国理工学院研究人员领衔的新研究，采用了与各国卫生部门不同的方法。他们没有逐一检查死亡记录，而是建立了一个数学模型。该模型基于854个欧洲城市20年的数据，对比预期死亡率。研究人员表示，这种方法能让他们比传统方法更快地公布研究结果。

同一城市在正常温度(25°C)和热浪(42°C)下的对比

Who suffered the most? / 谁受害最严重？ 

The heat wave was especially dangerous for elderly people. Those aged 85 and older accounted for more than 22,000 deaths—nearly half of the total. Southern Europe, with some of the continent's highest temperatures, had 380 deaths per million people, compared with 129 per million in Northern Europe. Germany's health institute reported about 16,000 heat-related deaths, while Spain counted more than 5,000.

这场热浪对老年人尤其危险。85岁及以上的人群占了超过22,000例死亡——接近总数的一半。南欧地区气温较高，每百万人中有380人死于高温，而北欧地区只有129人。德国卫生研究所报告了约16,000例高温相关死亡，西班牙统计的数字超过5,000。

Is climate change to blame? / 气候变化有多大影响？ 

To answer this question, scientists used computer simulations. They created a virtual version of the heat wave without greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. The results showed that temperatures would have been 2.8 degrees Celsius lower without global warming. This means about two-thirds of the deaths—around 32,600 people—would not have happened. Climate scientist Clair Barnes called the finding 'a wake-up call for all nations.'

为了回答这个问题，科学家使用了计算机模拟。他们创建了一个没有人类温室气体排放的虚拟热浪场景。结果显示，没有全球变暖的话，气温会低2.8摄氏度。这意味着约三分之二的死亡——大约32,600人——本不该发生。气候科学家克莱尔·巴恩斯称这项发现是对所有国家的『一记警钟』。

Step 4: 经典长难句拆解分析 Sentence Analysis

长难句 1：

The death toll is nearly twice as high as that of two previous deadly heat waves, in 2003 and 2022.

中文翻译：这一死亡人数几乎是2003年和2022年之前两次致命热浪死亡总数的两倍。

【结构分析】

• 主句：The death toll（主语）+ is（系动词）+ nearly twice as high（表语，含比较结构）          • 比较对象：as high as that of ... → that 指代前文的 death toll          • 同位语补充：in 2003 and 2022 补充说明 two previous deadly heat waves          • 语法点：倍数表达 A is + 倍数 + as + 形容词 + as B（A是B的几倍……）

长难句 2：

Instead of examining individual death records, they built a mathematical model that compared expected death rates based on 20 years of data.

中文翻译：他们没有逐一检查死亡记录，而是建立了一个数学模型，该模型基于20年的数据来对比预期死亡率。

【结构分析】

• 介词短语作状语：Instead of doing sth（不是做某事，而是……）          • 主句：they（主语）+ built（谓语）+ a mathematical model（宾语）          • 定语从句：that compared ... 修饰 model          • 过去分词短语：based on 20 years of data 作后置定语修饰 expected death rates          • 语法点：instead of + 名词/动名词；定语从句 that/which + 动词

Step 5: 语法知识点概括 Grammar Review

1. 倍数比较结构

• 基础结构：A is + 倍数 + as + 原级形容词 + as B          • 例句：This wave is twice as deadly as the 2003 one.          • 变体：A is + 倍数 + 比较级 + than B          例：Temperatures are 3°C higher than last year.

2. instead of 的用法

• instead of + 名词：Instead of medicine, he used rest.          • instead of + 动名词（doing）：Instead of examining records, they built a model.          • 对比：instead of A, B = 不是A，而是B

3. 定语从句（that/which）

• 先行词是物，从句用 that 或 which 引导          • 例句：a model that compared death rates（对比死亡率的模型）          • 例句：the heat wave which killed thousands（夺走数千人生命的热浪）          • 记忆口诀：that/which 代替物，句子后面要说明

4. 非谓语动词作定语

• 过去分词 based on ... 作后置定语：rates based on data（基于数据的比率）          • 结构：名词 + 过去分词短语          • 含义：被……的（被动关系）

思考题 Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think elderly people are more vulnerable to heat than younger people? Give two reasons.

2. The scientists said global warming made the heat wave worse. What can people do to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

新闻来源 Source: Science / AAAS, October 22, 2026          https://www.science.org/content/article/europe-s-summer-heat-wave-killed-more-50-000-people-urban-areas

声明：本文英文原稿、中文翻译、词汇解析及配图由 AI 辅助生成，经人工审核润色，新闻素材来源于公开官方报道。

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