听说最近北方大部分地区的小伙伴们都是捂脸出门的，一边走一边整理凌乱的头发……
内蒙古率先收到沙尘暴的“问候”，多地能见度极低，漫天黄沙笼罩着大地。
北京从昨天开始也进入“大风吹”模式，夹杂着沙尘，十分酸爽……
网友调侃道：“在北京，二月吃雾霾，三月吃风沙，四月吃柳絮，五月吃杨树毛，而今天吃的是套餐。”
来看China Daily的报道，顺便学一些和沙尘天气有关的地道英语表达：
A sandstorm that engulfed one-sixth of China, including Beijing, turned the sky hazy on Thursday as particulate matter readings soared.
5月4日，沙尘暴吞没了包括北京在内的我国六分之一国土，颗粒物数值飙升，天空一片黄蒙蒙的感觉。
engulf：v. 吞没；吞食，狼吞虎咽
hazy：adj. 朦胧的；模糊的；有薄雾的
It was the nation's strongest sandstorm this year, and in Beijing, it was the strongest in two years.
这是今年我国最强的一场沙尘暴，也是北京近两年最强的一次。
此次沙尘暴对交通影响很大，道路能见度低，同时多架次飞机延误或取消。
Traffic authorities in affected cities issued warnings about low visibility on the road, but most major highways appeared to remain open through the day.
受沙尘天气影响的各城市交通部门发布道路低能见度警告，不过大多数的主要公路仍全天通车。
visibility：n. 能见度
摄影：王壮飞 冯永斌/中国日报
沙尘天气下，健康问题不容忽视，大家一定要做好防护措施。
The health authority cautioned about eye discomfort and respiratory and cardiovascular risks, and it recommended that people protect themselves, for example with face masks.
健康部门提醒大家注意眼睛不适，呼吸系统及心脑血管疾病风险，并建议人们采取措施进行自我保护，比如戴口罩等。
discomfort： n. 不适，不安
respiratory [rɪ'spaɪərətɔːrɪ] ：adj. 呼吸的，呼吸道的，呼吸系统的
cardiovascular [,kɑrdɪo'væskjəlɚ]：adj. 心脑血管的
摄影：新华社
“冤有头债有主”，那此次沙尘天气的源头在哪儿呢？
国家气象局工作人员表示，此次沙尘暴来自蒙古国和内蒙古地区。
Large amounts of dust and sand blowing in on strong winds from Mongolia and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region have swept large areas in the northwest and north since Wednesday, driving air pollution indexes to hazardous levels and lowering visibility.
从5月3号开始，大量来自蒙古和内蒙古自治区的沙尘被强风携卷着肆虐西北和北方多地，空气污染指数升至有害级别，能见度降低。
hazardous：adj. 有危险的；有害的
lower：v. 使降低
大风基本会在今天夜间离开北京，然而……南方不少地区将开启吃土模式……
Beijing is expected to see relief on Friday night, though the sweeping sandstorm will continue to affect other areas until Saturday, according to the National Meteorological Center.
根据国家气象中心的消息，北京5月5日晚沙尘暴将逐渐减弱，不过到6日前，迅猛的沙尘暴都会继续影响其他地区。
meteorological ：adj. 气象的；气象学的
relief：n. 减轻，解除
给小伙伴们来张沙尘落区预报图，找找自己所在城市“中奖”了没……
那么，沙尘暴到底是怎么形成的呢？它又有哪些危害呢？下面双语君（微信ID：Chinadaily_Mobile）就给大家详细科普下。
沙尘暴英文dust storm，又叫sandstorm，因其携带含沙又含尘的颗粒物而得名。
►A dust storm is an area of raised dust that moves with the prevailing wind system.
沙尘暴是随着盛行风升至空中并不断向前移动的一大块区域的沙尘。
►The size of the dust particles can range from 0-1000 micrometers.
沙尘颗粒的直径在0-1000微米之间。
►Dust storms have been known to dust particles as high as 4.5 km into the atmosphere with the average height of a dust storm being 1-2 km.
沙尘暴平均高度1-2千米，沙尘颗粒最高可达4.5千米。
Drought and wind contribute to the emergence of dust storms, as do poor farming and grazing practices by exposing the dust and sand to the wind.
干旱、大风都是沙尘暴的形成条件，此外，贫瘠的耕地和放牧造成沙尘暴露于风中，也是引发沙尘暴的原因之一。
►The wind has to be strong enough to firstly dislodge the dust particles from the surface and then lift them up into the atmosphere.
风力要足够强，首先能把沙尘颗粒从地面卷至空中。
►Once airborne, to lift the dust to high levels, the atmospere must be unstable. This instability can often be created by intense surface heating or the passage of a trough or cold front across the region.
沙尘颗粒扬起后，空气状态必须是不稳定的。这种不稳定一般是由强烈的地面热度或低气压、冷锋的通过引起的。
►Once aloft the dust particles move away from the source region under the influence the pre-dominant upper level winds.
然后，沙尘颗粒升至空中，在盛行高空风的影响下从发源地开始移动。
►reduce visibility, causing accidents that may involve chain collisions
降低能见度，引起车辆连环相撞等交通事故
►adversely affects the circulatory system
影响人体循环系统
►may causes silicosis, which, if left untreated, will lead to asphyxiation or lung cancer
可能引起矽肺病，不及时就医可能造成窒息或引发肺癌
►may causes keratoconjunctivitis sicca ("dry eyes") which, in severe cases without immediate and proper treatment, can lead to blindness
可能引起干眼症，情况严重治疗不当或导致失明
►increase the spread of disease across the globe
加速全球疾病的传播
►cause soil loss from the dry lands, thereby reducing agricultural productivity
造成旱地土壤流失，降低农业生产力
沙尘暴来了该怎么办呢？以下措施能帮你减少沙尘暴带来的危害。
❶ Put a mask over your nose and mouth.
用口罩遮住鼻子和嘴巴
▷If you have a respirator or mask designed to filter out small particulates, put it on immediately.
有专门过滤微小颗粒物的口罩，立即戴上。
▷If you don't have a mask, wrap a bandanna or some other piece of cloth around your nose and mouth.
在没有口罩的情况下，用一条大手帕或找一块布围住鼻子和嘴巴。
▷Moisten it a bit if you have enough water. Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly to the inside of your nostrils to prevent drying of your mucous membranes.
有水的话用水把布沾湿，鼻孔里涂一点凡士林，防止黏膜干燥。
❷ Protect your eyes
保护眼睛
▷Eyeglasses offer minimal protection from blowing dust or sand, but airtight goggles are better.
眼镜可以最低程度地防止扬尘和扬沙，但最好戴密封的护目镜。
▷If you don't have goggles, shield your face with your arm as you move, then wrap a piece of cloth tightly around your head to protect your eyes and ears.
如果没有护目镜，走动的时候用手臂护住脸部，然后用一块布紧紧围住头部，以保护眼睛和耳朵。
❸ Look for shelter
寻找遮蔽处
▷Even a parked car will do. When possible, enclosures are your best bet. However, anything "leeward" (shielding you from the direction of the wind) of the storm will be better than nothing.
即使停在路边的车也可以。有可能的话，围墙是最好的遮挡物。不过，任何背风的物体都比没有强。
▷Sand will bounce around when it hits objects, so you should still try to cover as much of your skin and face as possible.
沙尘碰到物体会弹回，所以你要一直尽量遮住自己的皮肤和面部。
▷If you cannot get to shelter, crouch down. It minimizes the chance you'll get hit by something flying.
找不到遮蔽处的话，就蹲下，这样可以减少被飞起物体撞到的几率。
❹ Shield yourself from flying objects
用遮挡物保护自己
▷Seek out a large rock or other landform to protect you at least partially.
找一块大石头或其他地方保护自己，至少可以起到一点作用。
▷Cover as much of your body as possible to protect yourself from flying sand.
尽量把身体遮住，防止扬沙侵入。
▷Try to stay low to the ground and protect your head with your arms, a backpack or a pillow
尽量靠近地面，用手臂、背包或枕头保护头部。
编辑：唐晓敏 祝兴媛
年轻人必看的五个演讲：这些人生建议，越早知道越好
时尚界奥斯卡Met Gala又来了！蕾哈娜抢镜，水果姐吓人，为凹造型明星们也是拼了
今日立夏（start of summer）
凡物之壮大者而爱伟之，谓之夏
