阅读难度：

A circus elephant has been drafted to help clear debris from the streets of tornado-ravaged Joplin, Missouri, the Daily Mail reported.

When the Piccadilly Circus arrived in Joplin this week, it found the arena it was scheduled to perform in acting as a make-shift hospital for victims of the disaster.

At least 139 people were killed by the tornado that flattened large swathes of the city, and the clear-up is expected to take months.

One circus employee said: "We thought it's either take the day off or give a hand to the people who really need it."

Harnessing their elephant, the circus staff put it to work dragging cars and debris from the city's streets. The unlikely sight brought some cheer to the community still coming to terms with the disaster.

Joplin was struck by the biggest of 46 tornados that hit the United States on May 22.

（点击英国《每日邮报》查看原文）

大象帮助清理龙卷风残骸

       英国《每日邮报》消息，在密苏里州被龙卷风毁坏的乔普林市，一个马戏团的大象上阵帮助清理街道上的废墟。

       皮卡迪利马戏团本周到达乔普林市时，发现他们要表演的地方已经成了一个临时的医院，住满了在龙卷风中受伤的人。

       龙卷风袭击了城市的大片地区，至少造成139人死亡，清理可能要进行几个月。

       一位马戏团的工作人员说：“我们想既然得休息一天，不如帮帮那些需要帮助的人。”

       马戏团的工作人员驾着他们的大象把车和残骸从街道上清走。这一罕见的景象给这个仍然饱受灾难折磨的城市带来了一些欢乐。

       美国5月22日遭受了46场龙卷风的袭击，其中乔普林市受灾最严重。

(China.org.cn June 3, 2011)