英语听力精选进阶版 13758

Worst place to be a mother

 Summary

10 May 2012

The West African state of Niger, currently severely¹ affected² by a growing regional food crisis, has become the worst place in the world to be a mother, according to Save the Children.

Reporter:

Mike Wooldridge

Report

This year's report highlights the major impact nutrition has on the welfare of mothers and children, in particular, the chronic³ malnutrition⁴ that undermines physical and mental growth, producing stunting⁵ and what Save the Children calls the vicious cycle of mothers stunted⁶ in childhood who go on to give birth to underweight and vulnerable babies. 

Food emergencies compound the impact, and Niger is at the epicentre of the emergency currently developing in the Sahel. After two years at the bottom of the index Afghanistan has moved up one position, partly, Save the Children says, because it's invested in more front-line health workers. 

The agency says the simple measure of supporting more mothers to breastfeed could save a million children's lives a year. 

Save the Children identifies Norway as the best place to be a mother. It ranks the United Kingdom tenth.

1 severely   

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。

2 affected   

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。

3 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

4 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

5 stunting   

v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Objective To report three-year-old twin brothers with speech stunting. 目的报道孪生兄弟同患语言发育迟缓的临床结果。 来自互联网
• No one should talk while stunting except coach or back spotter. 在技巧进行的过程中，只有教练或后保能说话。 来自互联网

6 stunted   

adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的

参考例句：

• the stunted lives of children deprived of education 未受教育的孩子所过的局限生活
• But the landed oligarchy had stunted the country's democratic development for generations. 但是好几代以来土地寡头的统治阻碍了这个国家民主的发展。