英语听力精选进阶版 7293

海地霍乱受害者向联合国下达了最后通牒。受害者说如果联合国在未来60天内不展开有关索赔的谈话，他们将采取法律行动。受害者指责联合国维和部队的士兵将霍乱病菌带进了海地并污染了其水源。

The cholera¹ epidemic² began in Haiti near a camp for UN soldiers where there were leaking sewage pipes. Some human waste was also dumped outside the camp near a river. One of the UN's own experts on cholera, Danielle Lantagne, told the BBC it was "most likely" the disease originated in the UN camp. It housed UN soldiers from Nepal, where cholera is endemic.

The UN rejected an earlier call for compensation in this unprecedented³ case against the world body, saying it was immune from such claims. But the victims' lawyers say the UN is breaking international law. If mediation⁴ talks don't begin within 60 days, the lawyers say, they'll open legal proceedings⁵ in New York with claims totalling many billions of dollars.

The lawyers say they'll file claims for $100,000 for the families of those who have lost a loved one and $50,000 for every one of the hundreds of thousands of people who have fallen sick. The UN has said very little on the matter, apart from to insist it is immune from legal proceedings. At the same time it may also be true that the United Nations simply doesn't know what to do in the face of what could have been a series of catastrophic and deadly errors. In private, UN officials say they're facing a moral crisis. Now they may be about to confront a very public legal battle as well.

Quiz 听力测验

Where did the Haiti cholera epidemic begin?

Near a camp for UN soldiers.

True or false? Nepal has no reported cases of cholera.

False. Cholera is endemic in Nepal.

Which phrase means 'conversations to help reach an agreement'?

Mediation talks.

How much money will lawyers claim for families of people who have died of cholera?

$100,000.

Glossary 词汇表

cholera 霍乱

epidemic 流行病，疫情

sewage 污水

originated 来自

endemic 常见的，流行的

unprecedented 前所未有的，没有先例的

immune 免除的，豁免的

mediation talks 调节谈判

to insist 坚持，强调

catastrophic 灾难性的

1 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

2 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

3 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

4 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

5 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼