Boston, the American city famous for the Irish Community, basketball and its role in the American independence, is now fighting the rising seas.

• famous for … – słynący z …
• high-rise condominium developments – inwestycje/ projekty wysokich osiedli
• acquire – nabywać/ zdobywać

Boston is  raising streets, building anti-water constructions  and even requiring that new high-rise condominium developments on its harbor acquire “aqua fences” — portable metal barriers that can be dragged to the street and anchored to the pavement protect from  incoming waves.

• equal to … – równy / równowartość
• defend from … / protect from … – chronić przed … 

The city spends  $30 million a year, equal to 10 percent of Boston’s budget to defend the city from a watery future that is expected because of climate change.

• managed retreat – kontrolowane wycofanie się
• waterfront cities – miasta nadmorskie

“People talk about a managed retreat” for waterfront cities, said Boston’s chief of environment, energy and open space, Christopher Cook. “Where do we retreat to?”

• vulnerable to … – podatne na …
• commission – zamówić / zlecić

Boston is retarders as  the world’s eighth most vulnerable to floods among 136 coastal cities in the study produced by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The sea that surrounds Boston crept up 12 cm in the 20th century and is advancing ever faster toward the heart of the city. And as climate change accelerates, the pace of sea-level rise in Boston is expected to triple, adding eight inches 2030, according to a report commissioned by the city.

• confront the threat – stawiać czoło … / walczyć z zagrożeniem
• take steps / take measures – podejmować kroki
• contain the problem – poradzić sobie z … / zapobiegać problemowi
• at a relatively affordable price – (dosłownie i w przenośni) niskim kosztem
• within a short timeline – w krótkim czasie / szybko
• at an estimated cost of … – w szacowanej cenie …
• watertight – wodoszczelne

As much as or more than any other coastal city in the country, Boston is confronting this  threat by taking steps now to contain the problem — at a relatively affordable price and within a short timeline. In Charlestown, the city plans to raise the level of Main Street  at an estimated cost of as much as $3 million. The higher structure would block the main flood pathway and protect more than 250 residences and 60 businesses.The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is spending $22 million to build watertight steel doors that can be closed at the entrance of a rail tunnel near Fenway Park.

• 0:04′ adopt the goals – przyjąć / zaakceptować cele
• 0:47′ potential impact – potencjalny wpływ
• 1:11′ detail może być też czasownikiem – szczegółowo podawać
• 1:15′ reminiscent of … – przypominający / przywołujący wspomnienie o …
• 2:23′ feasible – możliwe / praktyczne / realne

Obejrzyj TUTAJ raport CBS na temat przygotowań Bostonu

Lekcja językowa inspirowana artykułem ‘Boston Prepares for Rising Seas”, opublikowanym na washingtonpost.com