VOA慢速英语20060717a

DEVELOPMENT REPORT - Young People Are Subject of World Population DayBy Jill Moss¹

Broadcast: Monday, July 17, 2006

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

The world has more than six thousand million people. Almost half are under the age of twenty-five. This year's World Population Day on July eleventh dealt with the subject of young people and the problems many face. Poverty, crime, barriers to education and jobs, AIDS -- the list goes on.


World population is expected to grow by more than 40 percent by 2050

A message from the United Nations secretary-general said the lives of young people are shaped by forces beyond their control. Yet today's young people also know more about the lives led by others their age around the world. Kofi Annan says as a result many are demanding action to narrow the divide between rich and poor.

He says there is a clear need to answer the calls for measures to improve the lives of all. He says information and services related to sexual and reproductive health are especially important for youth empowerment. He noted² that these are often overlooked.

Kofi Annan says providing for young people is not just a moral duty, but an economic necessity.

The United Nations Population Fund has estimated that about half of all unemployed³ people are between fifteen and twenty-four years old. And it says many young people who do find work are trapped in low-wage jobs with few chances to learn skills.

The Youth Employment Summit Campaign was launched in two thousand two. This ten-year campaign known as YES aims to create programs and polices that lead to more jobs. Young activists⁴ lead the campaign with support from the U.N. Population Fund and other organizations.

The next world meeting of the YES Campaign will be held in September in Kenya. About two thousand representatives, from more than one hundred twenty countries, are expected to attend. Half will be young people.

The International Labor⁵ Organization says people younger than sixteen should not work. But the I.L.O. also says it recognizes this is not always possible. A family's economic survival may depend on the labor of its younger members.

Still, the U.N. agency reported in May that child labor has decreased worldwide for the first time. The levels fell by an estimated eleven percent between two thousand and two thousand four. The report said the end of child labor is within reach. And it called on countries to work to end the worst forms of child labor within ten years.

With the VOA Special English Development Report, written by Jill Moss, this is Shep O'Neal. Transcripts⁶ and archives of our reports are at www.unsv.com.

1 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句