欧洲热“疯”了：四十度的夏天，和一个看不见的大盖子

这件事，跟天气有关系。

This thing has to do with the weather.

是关于"热"的。

It's about 'heat'.

最近，有一个地方，特别特别热。

Recently, one place has been extremely, extremely hot.

这个地方，是欧洲。

This place is Europe.

欧洲，在哪里呢？

Where is Europe?

欧洲离中国很远。

Europe is very far from China.

那里有很多国家。

There are many countries there.

比如法国、西班牙、

For example France, Spain,

还有意大利。

and also Italy.

平时，欧洲的夏天，不算太热。

Normally, Europe's summer isn't very hot.

很多人的家里，都没有空调。

Many people's homes don't have air conditioning.

因为以前，根本用不上。

Because before, it simply wasn't needed.

但是今年，完全不一样了。

But this year, it's completely different.

今年的夏天，热得特别早。

This year's summer turned hot especially early.

天气，也热得特别厉害。

And the weather is especially fierce in its heat.

有多热呢？

How hot?

我们说几个数字。

Let's give a few numbers.

在法国，很多地方，

In France, in many places,

白天到了四十度。

the daytime reached forty degrees.

在西班牙、葡萄牙，

In Spain and Portugal,

有的地方，

in some places,

可能到四十五度。

it might reach forty-five degrees.

四十五度，是什么概念？

Forty-five degrees — what does that feel like?

就是你站在外面，

It's that when you stand outside,

一会儿，就受不了了。

in a moment, you can't bear it.

那为什么，今年这么热呢？

So why is it so hot this year?

科学家给了一个说法。

Scientists have an explanation.

他们说，

They say

这是因为天上，

it's because in the sky,

来了一个"热盖子"。

a 'heat lid' has arrived.

这个词，是我打的比方。

This word is a metaphor I'm using.

你可以想象一下：

You can imagine it:

天上，有一大片很热的空气。

in the sky, there's a huge patch of very hot air.

这片热空气，

This patch of hot air

不动，也不走。

doesn't move, doesn't leave.

它就停在欧洲的上面，

It just sits over Europe,

像一个大大的盖子，

like a huge lid,

把整个欧洲，盖住了。

covering all of Europe.

太阳晒下来，

The sun beats down,

热气被盖在下面，散不出去。

the heat is trapped underneath and can't disperse.

结果，下面的人，

As a result, the people below

就越来越热。

get hotter and hotter.

而且，这个"盖子"，

And this 'lid'

一待就是好几天，

stays for several days,

甚至更久。

or even longer.

所以这次的热，

So this round of heat

不只是热一两天，

isn't just hot for a day or two,

而是热很久很久。

but hot for a very, very long time.

这么热，

This much heat

真的会出人命。

really can cost lives.

特别是老人，还有小孩。

Especially the elderly, and children.

他们的身体弱，

Their bodies are weaker,

扛不住这么高的温度。

they can't withstand such high temperatures.

就在上个月，

Just last month,

光是西班牙一个国家，

in Spain alone,

就有一百多人，

more than a hundred people

因为太热，失去了生命。

lost their lives because of the heat.

这是非常让人难过的。

This is very saddening.

所以，政府也开始想办法。

So governments have started looking for solutions.

有的城市，

Some cities

让大家白天少出门。

tell everyone to go out less in the daytime.

有的地方，

Some places

专门开放一些凉快的房间，

specially open up cool rooms,

让没有空调的人，进去躲一躲。

so people without air conditioning can go in and shelter.

也有很多人，

And many people

主动去看望身边的老人，

go visit the elderly around them,

给他们送水、送扇子。

bringing them water and fans.

但是，最让科学家担心的，

But what worries scientists most

其实是另一件事。

is actually another thing.

那就是：

That is:

这样的高温，

this kind of high heat

正在变得越来越常见。

is becoming more and more common.

以前，这么热的夏天，

In the past, a summer this hot

也许几十年，才有一次。

might come once in a few decades.

但是现在，

But now,

几乎年年都有。

almost every year it comes.

今年热，去年也热，前年还热。

This year hot, last year hot, the year before hot too.

科学家说，

Scientists say

这跟我们的地球，

this is closely connected to our planet

一年比一年暖，有很大的关系。

getting warmer year by year.

最后，我们一起想一想。

Finally, let's think together.

天气越来越热，

The weather getting hotter

听起来，好像离我们很远。

sounds like it's far from us.

但其实，

But actually,

它就在我们身边。

it's right beside us.

今年夏天，

This summer,

你那里热吗？

where you are, is it hot?

你是怎么过的？

How have you been getting through it?

最后我想问你。

Finally, I want to ask you.

天气这么热的时候，

When the weather is this hot,

除了照顾好自己，

besides taking good care of yourself,

你愿不愿意，

would you be willing

也去关心一下，

to also care a little

身边那些怕热的人？

for the heat-vulnerable people around you?

比如，楼下的老人，

For example, the elderly downstairs,

或者，外面送货、干活的人。

or the people outside delivering and working.

有的时候，

Sometimes,

一杯凉水，

a glass of cool water

就能帮上很大的忙。

can be a very big help.