Flood-related vocabulary: focus on pronunciation

It seems that floods have been in the news continuously for the past year. We?ve learned a lot of the vocabulary used to describe floods. Now let?s learn how to pronounce it.

Words like disaster, inundate, submerge, and overflow are clearly appropriate here. How do you pronounce them?

This is a little different that the long list of flood-related vocabulary that I have been posting and updating regularly (See here: http://bit.ly/h6ak93). First, I’ve chosen much of the most important vocabulary and organised it for you. Secondly, I’ve given you the chance to pronounce it correctly.

Below you will see short texts organised by topics. Each is followed by a list of vocabulary which I have pronounced for you. Listen carefully to the pronunciation of each word and then try it yourself. You’ll find this is a great way of remembering the vocabulary you have learned.

Click button to listen to Flood vocabulary 1 and rightclick to download

Talking about floods

A bad flood is a disaster because it has disastrous consequences. It is a tragedy for those who lose loved ones and an ordeal for those who have to live in the flooded areas.

disaster – an unexpected event, such as a very bad accident, a flood or a fire, that kills a lot of people or causes a lot of damage ความหายนะ ความล่มจม ความโชคร้าย
disastrous – extremely bad or unsuccessful ซึ่งทำให้เกิด (ภัยพิบัติ, ความหายนะ, ความโชคร้าย)
consequences – results of effects of something ผลที่ตามมา
tragedy – a very sad situation, usually because it involves death or great suffering โศกนาฎกรรม
ordeal – an extremely unpleasant experience, especially one that lasts for a long time การประสบการณ์ที่แสนสาหัส

Floods begin with heavy rain, often in the monsoon season which causes downpours, torrential rain and deluges.

monsoon – the season of heavy rain during the summer in hot Asian countries มรสุม
downpour –a lot of rain in a short time ฝนตกหนักมาก, พายุฝน
torrential – (of rain or moving water) extremely heavy ซึ่งไหลเชี่ยว
deluge – a sudden, very heavy rainfall or a sudden flow of a large amount of water ฝนตกหนัก น้ำปริมาณมาก

Mudslide, incessant or torrential rain, saturated soil, debris, deforestation – what else?

Click button to listen to Flood vocabulary 2 and rightclick to download

The excess water from the incessant rain soaks the ground, saturating it so that it can hold no more. The run-off flows into rivers which swell and overflow their banks, inundating the land around them, often submerging whole villages. Deforestation reduces the soil’s ability to absorb water and landslides and mudslides often result.

excess – greater than is usual; too much of something   มากเกินปริมาณที่พอดี
incessant – continuous; unending ต่อเนื่อง, เรื่อยๆ, ไม่หยุดหย่อน
soak – to cause to be very wet  ทำให้เปียกโชก
saturate – to make something completely wet ทำให้ชุ่มไปด้วยน้ำ
run-off – water flowing away from a flooded area
swell – to become larger or fuller than normal  ขยายใหญ่, พองตัว,บวม
overflow – (of a river or body of water)  flooding the land next to it การไหลล้น
banks – the raised areas of land along the side of a river  ริมฝั่งแม่น้ำ, ตลิ่ง
inundate – to flood; to submerge ท่วม, ทำให้จมลงใต้น้ำ
submerge – to cause to be under water  ทำให้จมน้ำ ทำให้อยู่ใต้น้ำ
deforestation – the act of cutting down or burning the trees in an area การตัดไม้ทำลายป่า
soil – the substance on the surface of the Earth in which plants grow ดิน
absorb – to take in a liquid, gas or other substance form the surface or space around ซึมซับ ดูดกลืน
landslide – a large amount of earth, mud (a mudslide) or rocks falling down the side of a mountain or hillside  แผ่นดินถล่ม
mudslide – a large amount of mud falling down the side of a mountain or hill a large amount of wet earth that falls down a hill and may cause damage and kill people ทะเลโคลนที่มาจากภูเขาทำลายบ้านเรือนและผู้คน

Click button to listen to Flood vocabulary 3 and rightclick to download

Lengthy rains can overwhelm the systems put in place to prevent flooding. Dams, reservoirs and other water retention sites fill, forcing the release of water. Dykes, levees and embankments often break from the surging water and raging currents, filling the surrounding land with swirling water.

overwhelm – to defeat or overpower something or someone or with a lot of power or force ล้น,ท่วมท้น
dam – a wall built across a river to stop the water from flowing, especially in order to create a lake or to help to produce electric power เขื่อน
reservoir – a natural or artificial lake where water is stored อ่างเก็บน้ำ
retention – the act of keeping or storing something การเก็บ, การเก็บรักษา
release – allowing a substance to flow out from somewhere การปล่อย
dyke – a wall built to prevent the sea or a river from covering an area, or a channel dug to take water away from an area เขื่อนกั้นน้ำ
levee – a low wall built at the side of a river to prevent it from flooding  เขื่อนป้องกันน้ำท่วม, คันนา
embankment – thick walls of earth or sandbags intended to prevent water from a river or the sea from flooding the area เขื่อน,มูลดิน,ตลิ่งทาง,การสร้างเขื่อนกั้น
surging – increasing very quickly เพิ่มขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็ว
raging – happening with a lot of force or violence รุนแรงมาก
current – the steady flowing motions of the water in rivers, lakes or the sea กระแสน้ำ
swirling – moving quickly in circles หมุนวนอย่างเร็ว

Victim, survivor, rescue workers, evacuate – all are appropriate here.

Click button to listen to Flood vocabulary 4 and rightclick to download

Villagers in areas of danger are urged to evacuate their homes, but not all can escape and some are stranded because roads become impassable. Rescue workers and volunteers do everything they can to reach them and to take the survivors to safety or to bring in relief supplies. The victims take shelter wherever they can, often in local schools or temples.

evacuate – to cause to leave a place because it is not safe เคลื่อนย้ายออกจาก
stranded – left somewhere with no way of going anywhere else ปล่อยเกาะ ถูกทิ้งไว้
impassable – of a road or path that cannot be travelled on because it is blocked or because of bad weather conditions  ซึ่งผ่านไปไม่ได้
rescue – to save someone form a dangerous or unpleasant situation ช่วยชีวิต
volunteer – someone who is not paid for the work that they do อาสาสมัคร
survivor – someone or something that still exists after and event that could have killed or destroyed them ผู้รอดชีวิต
relief – money, food, medicine etc. that is given to help people in places where there has been a natural disaster, war, etc. เครื่องบรรเทาสาธารณภัย
victims – people who are killed injured or harmed in some way from an accident, natural disaster, crime, etc. เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้าย
shelter – a place where people are protected from danger or bad weather ที่หลบภัย  ที่พักชั่วคราว

When the rains subside, the flood waters begin to recede, revealing the devastation they have caused. Debris is everyway as is rubble from collapsed buildings and broken roads. Reconstruction efforts are slow and expensive and, unfortunately, they are often unfinished when the next round of flooding arrives.

subside – to sink to a lower level; to go back; to recede subside – ลดลง
recede – to move back; to move further away into the distance; subside ลดลง, ถอยหลัง
devastation – damage or destruction affecting a large area or a lot of people การทำลายล้าง, การทำให้เสียหายอย่างรุนแรง
debris – broken pieces that are left when something large has been destroyed  เศษ ซากปรักหักพัง  ซากสิ่งของที่ถูกทำลาย
rubble – broken pieces of stone and brick from building, walls, etc., that have been destroyed ซากปรักหักพัง
collapse – to suddenly fall down; to fail suddenly; to suddenly be unable to continue or work correctly ล้มลง, ล้ม
reconstruction – the process of building or creating something again that has been damaged or destroyed การสร้างใหม่, การประกอบใหม่