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America's crumbling
infrastructure
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/
1
Our infrastructure is literally falling apart all around us. Thousands of
bridges are structurally deficient and there have already been some very high
profile collapses. Over 30 percent of the highways and roads in the United
States are in very poor shape. Aging sewer systems are leaking raw sewage all
over the place. The power grid is straining to keep up with the ever-increasing
thirst of the American people for electricity. There have already been some
regional blackouts, and unless something is done quickly things promise to get
even worse. The truth is that a nation's infrastructure says a lot about who
they are. So what does America's infrastructure say about us? It says that we
are a rusting, crumbling, decaying leftover from a better, more prosperous time.
2
Just consider the following facts about America's infrastructure
from the Pew Research Center website.....
2a
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 25
percent of America's nearly 600,000 bridges need significant repairs or
are burdened with more traffic than they were designed to carry.
2b
According to the Federal Highway Administration, approximately a third of
America's major roadways are in substandard condition - a significant
factor in a third of the more than 43,000 traffic fatalities in the United
States each year.
2c
The Association of State Dam Safety Officials has found that the number
of dams in the United States that could fail has grown 134% since 1999 to
3,346, and more than 1,300 of those are considered "high-hazard" - meaning
that their collapse would threaten lives.
2d
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, aging sewer
systems spill an estimated 1.26 trillion gallons of untreated sewage every
single year, resulting in an estimated 50.6 billion dollars in cleanup
costs.
3
Are you starting to get the picture? Already the infrastructure in
many areas of the United States is beginning to resemble that of a third
world nation.
© The Economic Collapse
(adapted)
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ÉLUCIDATION-EXPLOITATION |
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Rechercher dans le texte l'équivalent en anglais des termes et expressions
en français qui suivent / Look through the text for the English equivalents
to the following French words and expressions: |
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par.
1 |
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| crumbling |
en voie de délabrement, délabré, en train de crouler |
| to fall apart |
tomber en morceaux, partir en quenouille |
| structurally deficient |
dont la structure est compromise |
| high profile (adj comp) |
très remarqué, très médiatisé |
| collapse |
effondrement |
| highways and roads |
réseau routier |
| in very poor shape |
en très mauvais état, dans une condition très
médiocre |
| aging (a) |
vétuste, vieillissant |
| sewer system |
réseau d'égout |
| to leak (tr) |
laisser s'échapper |
| raw sewage |
eaux d'égout non traitées |
| power grid |
réseau électrique |
| to strain (intr) |
être mis à rude épreuve pour + inf., avoir du mal à
+ inf. |
| to keep up with |
faire face à |
| ever-increasing thirst |
soif toujours plus grande |
| blackout |
panne totale de courant |
| to get even worse |
empirer davantage |
| a leftover from |
les vestiges de |
| rusting |
en train de rouiller, rouillé |
| decaying |
en voie de décrépitude, décrépit |
| |
|
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par.
2 |
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| US Department of Transportation |
ministère américain des transports |
| significant repairs |
de grosses réparations |
| to be burdened with traffic |
avoir à supporter une circulation |
| to be designed |
être conçu |
| the Federal Highway Administration |
l'administration fédérale des autoroutes |
| major roadways |
grands axes |
| to be in substandard condition |
être dans un état en dessous de la norme |
| traffic fatalities |
tués sur les routes |
| the Association of State Dam Safety Officials |
l'association des Responsables dans les
États de la sécurité des barrages |
| to fail |
connaître une défaillance |
| high-hazard |
qui est un risque majeur |
| meaning that |
ce qui signifie que, en d'autres termes |
| to threaten lives |
mettre des vies humaines en danger |
| the US Environmental Protection Agency |
l'Agence étasunienne de protection de l'environnement |
| to spill (tr) |
laisser s'échapper, déverser, répandre |
| trillion (US) |
mille milliards |
| untreated sewage |
eaux usées non traitées |
| resulting in |
entraînant |
| billion (US) |
mille millions |
| cleaning costs |
coûts de nettoyage |
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par.
3 |
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| to get the picture |
comprendre la situation |
| a third world nation |
un pays du tiers monde |
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Pour imprimer, passer par le mode paysage
To print, use landscape mode
© Christian Lassure - EFT
Le 24 octobre 2010 / October 24th, 2010
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