本周，一场史无前例的暴风雪席卷了美国多地，据外媒报道，极寒天气已造成至少37人死亡，大部分来自得克萨斯州。

At least 37 people have died because of weather-related fatalities since Thursday, the majority in Texas.
自18日以来，极寒天气已造成至少37人死亡，其中大部分来自得克萨斯州。

受灾严重的得州大面积断水断电，当地时间18日，得州的电力短缺有所缓解，但仍有大量民众在严寒天气中苦苦等待水电和暖气供应的恢复。

Hundreds of thousands in the state remained without power on Thursday, trying their best to stay warm and dry as burst pipes flood homes. Millions who got their lights back on were also dealing with water and other issues.
18日，该州仍有数十万人断电，水管爆裂淹没了房屋，人们只能尽力保持温暖和干燥。数百万供电恢复的人也在处理水和其他问题。

极端低温造成部分地区水管断裂，居民自来水供应中断。不少居民家中漏水严重，屋内仿佛在下雨。

恶劣天气也使得州的饮用水系统受损，当局发布通知，提醒习惯了喝直饮水的美国人，现在水龙头里的水要完全烧开，才能安全饮用。

据官方数据，目前有1300万得州居民无法喝到干净的直饮水，因而被通知要烧水喝。

Texans were under notice to boil tap water before drinking it after days of record low temperatures damaged infrastructure, caused blackouts and froze water pipes.
由于连日来的极寒天气损坏了基础设施，导致断电和水管冻结，得州居民收到通知自来水要烧开了才能喝。

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised that all water planned for consumption - even if filtered - must be boiled as it may be contaminated.
美国疾控中心建议所有原本可以饮用的水，即便经过过滤，也必须烧开后喝，因为水质有可能已被污染。

While power has been restored to millions in Texas, nearly half of residents, 13 million, don't have access to clean, running water.
虽然数百万居民家里已经恢复供电，但仍有近半居民——1300万人——无法获得干净的直饮水。

许多接到通知的得州人感到很无奈，没电怎么烧水？

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said on MSNBC that the majority of her community, which includes Houston, is under a water boil notice, "but they don't have power to boil the water."
得州哈里斯县法官丽娜·伊达尔戈对MSNBC表示，该县包括休斯顿在内的大部分地区都收到了烧水通知，“但是他们没有电来烧水。”

不过，政府也建议没有电的居民尽量喝瓶装水。

The mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner, urged those without power - and unable to boil tap water - to try to access bottled water wherever possible.
休斯顿市长希尔维特斯·特纳敦促因断电无法烧水的居民尽量买到瓶装水。

还有很多断水又买不到瓶装水的居民不得不选择喝雪水。休斯顿18日开设了11个供水点，给居民发放饮用水。

In many homes, the tap is dry. Finding bottled water is nearly impossible. Some have resorted to boiling snow. Houston opened 11 sites Thursday to help give away water.
许多家庭断水，找不到瓶装水。有些人不得不喝煮沸的雪。休斯顿18日开放了11个供水点。

得州一市长让民众自己想办法：“政府不欠你们的！”

据外媒报道，当得州数百万居民在暴风雪中忍受着断电断水无供暖的生活时，该州一名市长却在脸书上发帖说，政府不欠你们的，“只有强者才能生存，弱者就该死去。”他随后辞去市长一职。

当地时间16日，得州科罗拉多市前市长蒂姆·博伊德（Tim Boyd）发了一篇错字连篇的脸书贴文：

As then-mayor of Colorado City, Tim Boyd wrote an insensitive message for people desperate for heat, water and power, saying "only the strong will survive and the weak will [perish.]"
作为科罗拉多市前市长，蒂姆·博伊德写了一条冷酷无情的贴文，对亟需水电暖气供应的居民说，“只有强者才能生存，弱者将会死去。”

"No one owes you [or] your family anything; nor is it the local government's responsibility to support you during trying times like this!" he said. "Sink or swim it's your choice! The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING! I'm sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout."
“我们不欠你和你的家庭什么，当地政府的责任不是在这种困难的时候给你们提供帮助！”他说。“生存还是死亡是你们自己的选择，政府和电力供应商以及其他服务供应商并不欠你们什么！我受够了这些等着救济的人，太让我恶心了。”

博伊德后来删除了这个帖子，但在随后的帖子中对上述观点表示了支持。他还写道，原来那个帖子是作为公民而不是科罗拉多城市长发出的。他还说，自己“已经递交了辞呈，而且没有注册再次参加市长竞选”。

来源：英语点津