A huge earthquake and tsunami destroyed a large part of northeastern Japan last week.
上周，一场大地震和海啸摧毁了日本东北部的大片地区。

Survivors and rescue workers stopped for one minute on Friday to remember the hour when the earthquake struck.
周五，幸存者和救援人员举行默哀一分钟仪式，以纪念地震发生的那一时刻。

The quake and tsunami killed at least 6,000 people.
这次地震和海啸至少夺走6000人的生命，

More than 9,000 others are missing.
另有9000人失踪，

About 380,000 people have left their homes after they were heavily damaged or destroyed.
大约38万人撤离遭到严重损毁的家乡。

Those displaced are now living in more than 2,000 shelters.
这些流离失所的人们被安置在2000多个避难所中生活。

There are shortages of food, water and fuel.
食物、水以及燃料都很匮乏。

Each day more roads are being reopened for trucks to take supplies to the survivors.
为使卡车能顺利将物资送到幸存者手中，日本每天都在努力使更多的道路恢复通行，

But some communities remain cut off.
但有些灾区仍然无法到达。

On Friday night, Prime Minister Naoto Kan spoke of the problems in a speech to the nation.
上周五晚，日本首相菅直人就此问题发表了全国讲话。

The Prime Minister said he understands that people in shelters are cold and do not have enough food.
日本首相表示，他深知在避难所生活的人们正处在饥寒交迫之中，

But he said the government is doing all it can.
他的政府正在竭尽全力，

And he said he hopes to return a sense of security to the survivors soon.
希望能尽快还给幸存者安全感。

Mister Kan also said the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power center is the worst Japan has ever faced.
菅直人首相还表示，福岛第一核电站危机是日本所面临过最严重的危机，

He said police, firefighters and military workers were risking their lives to prevent a wider disaster.
他说警察、消防人员和自卫队员们都在冒着生命的危险，防止灾难事态扩大。

On Friday, workers continued to direct water on the damaged reactor buildings.
上周五，工作人员不断向受损的反应堆机房注水，

It was an attempt to cool the highly radioactive fuel rods from overheating.
这是为了冷却高放射性的燃料棒，防止其过热。

Workers used powerful hoses to shoot 50 tons of water on the buildings.
工作人员用强力软管向机组喷射了50吨水。

But the military and civilian firefighters had to keep their distance and limit the time they could be in the area because of the radiation.
由于存在辐射，自卫队员和普通消防人员必须控制距离和可以停留的时间。

Fires, explosions and a partial melting of cores have taken place at four of the six reactors at the Fukushima nuclear center.
福岛第一核电站共有6个反应堆，其中有4个出现火灾、爆炸和部分核熔毁。

Officials say the situation in the number three reactor is the most serious.
官方称，3号反应堆的情况最严重。

Mixed oxide fuel rods are partly made of plutonium.
混合氧化物燃料部分由钚构成。

These fuel rods are partly exposed.
这些燃料棒已经部分暴露，

Without water, they will continue to heat up and possibly release a large amount of radiation.
如果没有水的话，它们将持续升温并可能释放大量辐射。

On Friday, the government raised the severity rating of its nuclear disaster from four to five on a seven-point international nuclear event scale.
周五，根据最高七级的国际核事故规模标准，日本政府将其核灾难严重等级从四级提高到五级。

Level five means an accident with wider results, including some release of radioactive material.
五级意味着事故影响更为广泛，其中包括释放了一些放射性物质。

It also means a high possibility of the material making contact with people.
五级也意味着放射性物质很有可能直接与人类接触。

In Washington on Thursday, President Obama said the United States will stand with Japan as it contains its nuclear crisis, recovers and rebuilds.
周四，奥巴马总统在华盛顿表示，美国将同日本一道控制核危机，做好恢复和重建工作。

The Japanese people are not alone in this time of great trial and sorrow.
在这个经历巨大考验和悲痛的时刻，日本人民不会独自面对。

Across the Pacific, they will find a hand of support extended from the United States as they get back on their feet.
当他们准备东山再起的时候，太平洋彼岸的美国将会伸出援手。

The president noted some of the steps the United States has taken to help.
奥巴马总统提到了美国已经采取的一些援助措施。

Search and rescue teams are on the ground in Japan to help the recovery effort.
搜救队正在日本帮助灾后恢复工作。

A disaster assistance and response team is working to confront the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami.
一支灾难援助和响应小组正在努力应对地震和海啸带来的后果。

The U.S. military, which has helped to ensure the security of Japan for decades, is working around the clock.
几十年来一直致力于保障日本安全的美国军队正在日以继夜的工作。

Mr. Obama said the military has completed hundreds of flights to bring food and water to Japan.
奥巴马称，军队已经完成了数百次运送食物和水到日本的飞行任务。