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Leaders in the northeastern American city of Newport, Rhode Island, are facing a difficult question: Should the city continue to rebuild its famous Cliff Walk?
纽波特市位于美国东北部的罗得岛州，其领导人正面临着一个难题：该市是否应该继续重建其著名的悬崖步道？
The question is a hard one because parts of the wall keep falling into the sea.
这个问题很难回答，因为围墙的部分结构不断落入海里。
Last week, coastal erosion caused nine meters of the path to break into the sea below.
上周，海岸侵蚀导致9米长的小路被海水冲毁。
Erosion is the slow destruction of something by natural force.
侵蚀指的是自然力对某物的缓慢破坏。
The Cliff Walk is one of the most popular places to visit in Rhode Island.
悬崖步道是罗得岛州最受欢迎的旅游景点之一。
It is a central part of Newport's identity.
这是纽波特身份的核心部分。
It offers visitors beautiful views of Rhode Island's coastal environment.
它为游客提供了罗得岛沿海环境的美景。
The five-kilometer path travels next to huge costly homes that sit high above the rocky coastline.
这条五公里长的路靠近坐落在岩石嶙嶙的海岸线上方的昂贵的豪宅。
A 2018 study found that about 1.3 million people visit the Cliff Walk each year.
2018年的一项研究发现，每年约有130万人参观悬崖步道。
In 2012, a powerful ocean storm washed out parts of the path.
2012年，一场强烈的海洋风暴冲毁了这条小路的部分路段。
The path was repaired then at a cost of $5 million in federal money.
这条小路当时被修复了，花费了500万美元的联邦资金。
But city officials are questioning if they should rebuild this time -- or move it farther inland.
但市政府官员质疑，这一次他们是应该重建这条小路，还是应该把它迁到更内陆的地方。
City official Joe Nicholson says he wants to rebuild.
市政府官员乔·尼科尔森表示，他想要重建。
He is asking Rhode Island's governor and congressional officials to help.
他请求罗得岛州州长和国会官员提供帮助。
Like most locals, he has walked the path many times.
像大多数当地人一样，他在这条路上走过很多次。
"It's something that's in Newport's DNA," Nicholson said.
尼科尔森说：“这是纽波特的基因中的一部分。”
He does not know how long repairs could take, or how much it might cost.
他不知道修复它可能会需要多长时间，也不知道可能会花多少钱。
It will not be done in time for the arrival of summer visitors.
修复工作将不会在夏季游客到来之前及时完成。
Engineers came on March 15 to begin examining the damaged area.
工程师们于3月15日开始检查受损区域。
The part of the path that recently collapsed is next to private property.
最近坍塌的那段小路紧挨着私人住宅。
So, the path cannot be moved inland there anymore.
所以，这条路不能再向内陆移动了。
John Greichen Jr. lives less than two kilometers away from the path.
小约翰·格雷森住在离这条小路不到两公里的地方。
He says friends from different areas always want to visit the path.
他说，来自不同地区的朋友一直想去参观这条小路。
"Everyone knows when they come to Newport, they've got to do the Cliff Walk," he said.
他说：“每个人都知道，当他们来纽波特时，他们一定要去悬崖步道。”
Scientists say climate change may have created the conditions that led to the collapse.
科学家表示，气候变化可能是导致道路坍塌的原因。
Michael Mann is the director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University.
迈克尔·曼恩是宾夕法尼亚州立大学地球系统科学中心主任。
He said that larger storms that happen more often can combine with sea level rise to increase the threat of erosion.
他说，更频繁发生的更大风暴与海平面上升一起加剧了侵蚀的威胁。
That can lead to a collapse.
这可能会导致坍塌。
"We are now seeing the devastating consequences of climate change playing out in real time," Mann said in an email to The Associated Press.
曼恩在写给美联社的一封电子邮件中说道：“我们现在正亲眼目睹气候变化带来的毁灭性后果。”
In February, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and six other agencies issued a report about sea level rise in the United States.
今年2月，美国国家海洋和大气管理局和其他六个机构发布了一份关于美国海平面上升情况的报告。
The report warned that America's coastline will see sea levels rise in the next 30 years by as much as they did in the whole 20th century.
该报告警告称，未来30年，美国海岸线的海平面的上升幅度将相当于整个20世纪的上升幅度。
NOAA said Newport has seen a sea level rise of about 15 centimeters over the past 50 years.
美国国家海洋和大气管理局表示，在过去50年里，纽波特的海平面上升了约15厘米。
Scientists estimate sea levels are expected to rise another 25-30 centimeters in the next 30 years.
科学家估计，未来30年，海平面预计将会再上升25-30厘米。
I'm Gregory Stachel.
格雷戈里·施塔赫尔为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
