祝融奪走文化象徵
In the early hours of October 31, a huge fire swept through Shuri Castle, a historic site on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa.
10月31日凌晨，大火席捲沖繩南部歷史古蹟首里城，
sweep-swept-swept掃地、(火勢)快速蔓延=spread quicklyhistory(n.)歷史historic(adj.)具有歷史意義或價值的historical(adj.)歷史的；有關歷史的a historic site 古蹟a historic day具有歷史意義的日子historical background歷史背景historical exchange rates歷史上的匯率a building site建築工地the site of the accident事故現場
The main structures of this UNESCO World Heritage site were destroyed as a result.
這座被聯合國教科文組織列為世界遺產的建築物主結構因此遭到破壞。
UNESCO聯合國教科文組織(United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization的縮寫)heritage(n.)(文化)遺產as a result(adv.)因此=consequently=as a consequence
The fire was reported to the local fire department at about 2:40 a.m.
火災發生在當地時間凌晨2:40左右，
report(v.)報案fire department消防隊
It broke out in the main temple and quickly spread to nearby structures.
首里城主殿先冒出火勢，接著迅速蔓延到附近的建築物，
break out (火災、戰爭、衝突)爆發
Over 100 firefighters and 20 fire trucks were called to put out the blaze.
總共出動100多名消防員和20多輛消防車撲滅大火，
firefighter(n.)消防員fire trucks=fire engines消防車put out撲滅=extinguishblaze(n.)大火;烈火
According to an official with the Naha fire department, the flames were extremely difficult to bring under control because of strong winds and the lacquered, wooden structures.
那霸市消防局官員表示，強風和漆木結構使得火勢難以控制，
flame(n.)火焰;火舌bring sth. under control控制住because of~因為=due to~=owing to~lacquer(n.)(用於木材或金屬表面的)漆;亮漆、用亮漆塗(木材或金屬)
The fire was finally extinguished at about 1:30 p.m., but the over-4,800-square-meter castle complex, including all three of the main buildings, had burned down.
直到下午約1:30左右，火勢才全部熄滅，但是佔地超過4,800平方公尺的首里城建築群，包括所有三座主要建築物，都被燒毀了，
extinguish(v.)熄滅、撲滅complex(n.)綜合大樓、建築群burn down燒毀a complex system of highways複雜的高速公路系統a complex theory複雜的理論
Television footage showed that only charred wood remained in some cases.
新聞畫面顯示，某些建築物僅剩下燒焦的木材。
footage(n.)(尤指表現一個事件的)一段影片，片段charred(adj.)烤焦的；焦黑的=burned and blackin some cases在某些情況下
Locals were in a state of shock after the disaster, as Shuri Castle was considered to be “god-like.”
當地人對首里城遭祝融之災感到震驚，因為在他們心目中首里城是「就像是神一般的存在」。
in a state of shock驚魂未定The church is a state of disrepair.這座建築物年久失修consider A to be B把…視為…=A be considered to be B
The UNESCO website explains that the site represents half a millennium of Ryukyuan history, from the 12th to the 17th century.
聯合國教科文組織網站說明，首里城代表琉球王國500多年的歷史（12世紀至17世紀），
represent(v.)代表=stand formillennium一千年the millennium(2000年初)千禧年millennials 千禧世代＝Generation Y Y世代
Naha Mayor Mikiko Shiroma even said that the people of the Ryukyu Islands had lost their symbol. She promised that the local government would make every effort to restore the site.
那霸市長城間幹子甚至說，琉球群島的人民已經失去了他們的文化象徵，承諾地方政府將盡一切努力復原遺址。
lose-lost-lost失去(cultural) symbol文化象徵make every (possible) effort to RV盡一切努力=spare no effort to RV=do its best to RV=do everything possible to RVrestore(v.)修復、恢復restore peace恢復和平restore confidence恢復信心