ELIZA: There is a tornado warning on. My mother just told me she heard it on the radio.
LEE: What is a tornado warning?
ELIZA: It means that a tornado has been seen somewhere in the area.
LEE: Really? In New Berlin?
ELIZA: No. Not necessarily in town. But in southern Wisconsin somewhere.
A tornado has been spotted. They have two stages here.
This is what is called a "tornado watch."
That means that the weather conditions are perfect for a tornado.
LEE: I understand. They think a tornado might come.
ELIZA: Yes. People should look out, because maybe there will be tornadoes coming.
So it's called a "watch."
LEE: And the second stage is called a "tornado warning".
ELIZA: Yes. If a tornado has been spotted, they announce a "tornado warning".
So if there's a tornado warning on, it means a tornado is out there somewhere.
LEE: It's scary.
ELIZA: Well. Tornadoes can be dangerous, it's true.
If we hear something like a loud train coming, then we have to go in the basement.
LEE: What do you mean "a loud train"?
ELIZA: That is what tornadoes sound like. They sound like trains. They're very loud.
LEE: But if you hear them coming, isn't it already too late?
ELIZA: Maybe. It depends on the tornado.
Some can move across the ground at 200 miles an hour.
That is very fast. Others aren't so fast.
LEE: Have you seen a lot of them?
ELIZA: I've only seen one in my life. I was looking out the window.
It was around two miles away. It was very interesting to watch.
But it was heading toward my friend's house. So I quickly called them on the phone.
LEE: Did it hit their house?
ELIZA: No, it didn't. But they are glad I called them.
LEE: What were they doing when you called?
ELIZA: They were all sitting in the living room watching TV.
They had no idea a tornado was coming toward their house.
If it had hit them, they could have all been killed.
LEE: That's terrible. Do many people die in tornadoes?
ELIZA: Not so many really. But a lot of houses are destroyed sometimes.

艾丽沙：有一个龙卷风的警报，我妈刚刚告诉我她从收音机听到的。
李：什么是龙卷风警报？
艾丽沙：就是有一个龙卷风已经在这个区域出没。
李：真的？在新柏林？
艾丽沙：不，并不一定在城里，但在南威斯康辛州某处。
有一个龙卷风已经被监控。他们分为两个等级，
现阶段称做“龙卷风警戒”，
表示天气状况是形成龙卷风的最佳状态。
李：我懂了，他们认为龙卷风可能会来袭。
艾丽沙：是的，大家要当心，因为也许龙卷风就要来袭，
所以称做警戒。
李：而第二等级称做“龙卷风警报”。
艾丽沙：是的，如果龙卷风已经被监测到，他们就会宣布“龙卷风警报”。
因此，若已提出龙卷风警报，那表示一个龙卷风已在某处。
李：真可怕。
艾丽沙：嗯，龙卷风可以很危险的，是真的。
如果我们听到什么像轰隆的火车接近声的，我们必须进入地下室。
李：什么是“轰隆的火车”？
艾丽沙：那就是龙卷风听起来的声音，他们听起来像火车声，非常大声。
李：但是如果你听到它们来临了，不是已经太晚了吗？
艾丽沙：很可能，要视龙卷风而定。
有些一小时可以在地面横越两百里。
那是非常快的，其他的没这么快。
李：你看过很多龙卷风吗？
艾丽沙：我这生只看过一次，从窗户望出去的，
大概在二里外的地方，观看是很有趣的。
但是它直扫向我朋友的房屋，所以我赶紧打电话给他们。
李：它有打中他们的房屋吗？
艾丽沙：没有，但是我朋友很高兴我打电话给他们。
李：你电话时，他们在做什么？
艾丽沙：他们全都坐在客厅看电视，
一点也不知道龙卷风正向他们的房子接近。
如果当时真打中他们，他们可能全都一命呜呼。
李：真是太可怕了。有很多人丧生于龙卷风吗？
艾丽沙：是不太多啦，但是有时候很多房屋被摧毁。