在线英语听力室

VOA标准英语2014--UN: Somalis Need Food, Not Just Security Improvements

时间:2014-10-19 22:49:59

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号:tingroom,领取免费英语资料大礼包。

(单词翻译)

 

UN: Somalis Need Food, Not Just Security Improvements

MOGADISHU— 

The United Nations envoy1 in Somalia is warning that political and security improvements are not enough to stop hunger and stave off a worsening humanitarian2 crisis.

At least one million Somalis are at risk of starvation, according to UN officials.

Failed rains coupled with recurrent drought and conflict have further worsened the country’s protracted3 humanitarian crisis.

“Today, we have confirmation4 of the worsening of the food security we have now predicted for few months. Food security is once again a key concern for Somalia, as we had it before. Over 1 million people in the country face acute food insecurity, up to 20 percent compared to 6 months ago. This brings the total number of people in need of humanitarian assistance or livelihood5 support to over 3 million people," said Philippe Lazzarini, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator6 in Somalia.

In the southern Somali town of Baidoa, drought has affected7 animal trade. Traders at the market say that it’s no longer business as usual for them.

And as pasture is depleting8 and riverbeds such as these ones are drying up, thousands that rely on this trade for survival fear a renewed humanitarian crisis in the region.   

The image is the same in Elbur, in central Somalia. Water wells have run dry. UN officials recently visited the town to assess the humanitarian situation.

“The general situation was that we had identified six regions that were stricken by the drought, and two of them most severely9 suffered from water shortage, that is Gedo and Galgadud," said Abdi Ahmed Mohamed, Somalia's agriculture minister.

UN officials say that 250,000 children are among the one million people in need, with 50,000 believed to be on the brink10 of death if immediate11 assistance is not provided. 

Somali authorities say that the response has been positive compared to the previous famine period. But officials warn that children and the elderly remain at risk.  

“The disasters, including drought - those who suffer the most are the weakest.  It’s the children and the elderly people who suffer the most," said Mohamed.

The top UN envoy to Somalia, Nicholas Kay, recently told the UN Security Council that the humanitarian situation has deteriorated12 despite recent gains.

This, he said, has been worsened by al-Shabab terrorists' decision to impose a blockade on most towns they have lost to Somali and African Union soldiers.

A devastating13 famine in 2011 claimed a quarter million lives, according to the UN.  But now, the UN, the government and its international partners are raising alarm early enough to avert14 the country from falling victim to a second famine in four years.


分享到:


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 envoy xoLx7     
n.使节,使者,代表,公使
参考例句:
  • Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
  • The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。
2 humanitarian kcoxQ     
n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者
参考例句:
  • She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业,并作了很大的贡献。
  • The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。
3 protracted 7bbc2aee17180561523728a246b7f16b     
adj.拖延的;延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争,我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 confirmation ZYMya     
n.证实,确认,批准
参考例句:
  • We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
  • We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前,我们需要书面确认。
5 livelihood sppzWF     
n.生计,谋生之道
参考例句:
  • Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
  • My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。
6 coordinator Gvazk6     
n.协调人
参考例句:
  • The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下,负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
  • How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室?
7 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
8 depleting ae23633b1a5c6c21ae0d93b205d84331     
使大大的减少,使空虚( deplete的现在分词 ); 耗尽,使枯竭
参考例句:
  • Regulations are outlawing certain refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons, which contain ozone-depleting chemicals. 随后出台的政策禁用了部分制冷剂,如破坏臭氧层的氟氯碳化合物。
  • Aging, being a series of continual losses, can be keenly depleting. 老龄化,作为一个系列的连续亏损,可以清楚地消耗。
9 severely SiCzmk     
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地
参考例句:
  • He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
  • He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
10 brink OWazM     
n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘,边沿
参考例句:
  • The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
  • The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。
11 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
12 deteriorated a4fe98b02a18d2ca4fe500863af93815     
恶化,变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化,不久便去世了。
  • His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化,日甚一日。
13 devastating muOzlG     
adj.毁灭性的,令人震惊的,强有力的
参考例句:
  • It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
  • Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。
14 avert 7u4zj     
v.防止,避免;转移(目光、注意力等)
参考例句:
  • He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
  • I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎 点击提交 分享给大家。