2014考研英语：新闻阅读二
日本福岛第一核电站再现高辐射点
New Radiation Hotspots Found at Fukushima Nuclear－Power Plant
The operator of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex said over the weekend that its struggles to control highly radioactive water had suffered new setbacks．
The company announced the discovery of contaminated spots in new parts of the compound where the water is stored， while radiation levels jumped to highly dangerous levels in another part of that area where readings were previously lower．
Tokyo Electric Power Co． said it found on Saturday and Sunday high radiation levels in five locations near storage tanks installed to collect the 400 tons of contaminated water pumped out daily from the radioactive reactor buildings， indicating the possibility of new leaks from the tanks， or some other unexplained difficulties in containing the water．
Three of the measurements came in spots where contamination hadn't previously been detected． The other two hot spots registered sharp increases from previous measurements．
Two of the readings showed extremely high levels of radiation， one as high as 1，800 millisieverts per hour， another nearby at 1，700． Those are among the highest levels reported at the plant since the early days after a tsunami knocked out power on March 11， 2011， triggering one of the world's worst nuclear disasters． Exposure to such a level of radiation would kill a person within four hours， Tepco said．
Tepco has increased patrols and radiation readings after finding last month that 300 metric tons， or 79，000 gallons， of highly radioactive water had leaked from a hastily built storage tank． The Japanese government recently stepped in to take a more direct role in stemming the crisis at Fukushima Daiichi， which suffered triple meltdowns after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami knocked out backup power at the site．
The continuing reports of new radiation readings at Fukushima Daiichi underscore the difficulties Tepco and the government have in bringing the stricken compound under control．
For nearly two years， they say they have minimized the biggest danger of the crippled complex， the possibility of a new meltdown． But they have fallen behind on dealing with the hundreds of tons of groundwater coming into contact daily with the radioactive reactor buildings， sticking the bulk of it in storage tanks on the compound． Storage tanks hastily set up during plant emergencies have started springing leaks， and Tepco can't replace them with sturdier ones fast enough．
While disclosing the new findings over the weekend， Tepco officials played down the significance of any new risks．
'We're not taking the latest findings lightly and we understand that it's a critical challenge，' Tepco spokesman Yoshikazu Nagai said Sunday． 'But we're not in a situation where the 300 tons of leaked water [detected so far from the storage tanks] will increase to 600 or 900 tons．'
Tepco said water levels of tanks nearby the five contaminated spots haven't fallen， suggesting the water hasn't leaked． Mr． Nagai said drain valves connected to the storage tanks are closed and that the tanks are built atop a concrete foundation， which the company says is waterproof， suggesting not much water has leaked outside the complex and into the ocean nearby． In the case of the 79，000－gallon leak， Tepco suspects the water leaked from a tank's drain valve that was open．
Regarding one of the new hot spots reported Saturday， Tepco said Sunday that it appeared to be caused by the fact that one drop of contaminated water is leaking every 90 seconds from a pipe linking two storage tanks． Late Sunday， Tepco said it appeared that the leak had stopped after it tightened bolts．
The continuous water problems have prompted Tepco and the government to continue seeking new solutions． The Japanese government is now studying an expensive， untested proposal to install a subterranean ring of ice to stem the spread of radioactive water． Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said the government would now take the lead from Tepco after Japan's nuclear watchdog recently assessed the leak to be a 'serious incident' or level 3 on an international nuclear accident scale of zero to seven．
受损的福岛第一核电站（Fukushima Daiichi）的运营商上周末说，该公司奋力控制高放射性水的努力遭遇新挫折。
该公司称，又在储水设施区域的一些地方发现了污染点，而该区域另一个地方的辐射也从之前较低的水平激增到了极危险的程度。
东京电力公司（Tokyo Electric Power Co．）说，上周六和周日在蓄水罐附近的五个地方发现辐射水平较高，这表明水罐可能出现了新的泄漏，或在蓄水方面存在其他一些原因不明的麻烦。修建这些水罐是为了收集每天从放射性反应堆厂房抽出的400吨污染水。
Reuters东京电力公司福岛第一核电站的一张航拍图片。上述五个地方，有三个之前未曾检测到存在污染，有两个辐射水平较以前大幅升高。
其中两个点的数据显示辐射水平极高，分别达到每小时最多1，800毫希弗和近1，700毫希弗。这是两年前日本核危机之初以来，在该核电站检测到的最高浓度辐射之一。2011年3月11日，日本的一场海啸造成电力中断，引发了世界上最严重的核灾难之一。东京电力说，人若暴露于这种浓度的辐射中，可在四小时内丧命。
继上个月发现一个仓促建成的蓄水罐泄漏了300吨高放射性水后，东京电力便增加了巡逻和辐射检测力度。日本政府已于近日介入此事，在遏制福岛第一核电站危机方面扮演更为直接的角色。2011年的地震和海啸摧毁了福岛第一核电站的备用发电系统后，该核电站出现了三次熔毁。
不断有报告称在福岛第一核电站新检测到高浓度辐射水平，凸显出东京电力和日本政府在控制这个受损核电站方面遇到的困难。
近两年来，他们说已将受损核电站面临的最大威胁降到最小。这个威胁就是可能出现的再次熔毁。然而，在处理每日与放射性反应堆厂房接触的数百吨地下水方面，他们却显得力不从心，只是将其中大部分收集在蓄水罐中。核电站处于非常时期时仓促建起的蓄水罐已开始漏水，东京电力现无法以足够快的速度更换更结实的水罐。
虽然在上周末披露了最新情况，但东京电力的高管仍淡化了任何新风险的严重性。
东京电力发言人永井良和（Yoshikazu Nagai）周日说，我们不是不重视最新情况，我们知道这是一项严峻挑战，但现在的情况并不是说泄漏水会从300吨增加到600吨或900吨。到目前为止，检测到蓄水罐漏水300吨。
东京电力说，五个污染点附近的蓄水罐的水位并未下降，这表明里面的水没有漏出。永井良和说，与蓄水罐相连的排水阀处于关闭状态，且水罐建在一个防水的水泥基座上面。其言下之意是，泄漏到核电站外和附近海域的水没有多少。而那泄漏的300吨辐射水，东京电力怀疑当时水罐的排水阀开着，水从那里泄漏出去。
东京电力周日说，周六曝出的那些新污染点，有一个似乎是由于污染水每隔90秒便从连接两个蓄水罐的管子中漏下一滴所致。东京电力周日深夜说，在螺栓拧紧后，好像就不漏了。
持续不断的水问题促使东京电力和日本政府继续寻找新的解决方案。日本政府目前正在研究一个代价不菲且未经检验的提议：在地下设置一个环形冰带，制止放射水外溢。日本首相安倍晋三（Shinzo Abe）说，日本政府将替代东京电力，发挥带头作用。据日本核监管机构前不久的评估，那次泄漏属于“严重事件”，依据国际核事故从零至七的分级标准看属于三级水平。
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