VOA慢速英语2014--七分之一的美国人受到饥饿威胁

 

AS IT IS 2014-09-08 Hunger Threatens One in Seven Americans 七分之一的美国人受到饥饿威胁

The United States Department of Agriculture just released¹ a report on the problems that Americans have getting food. The report says that one in seven U.S. families last year did not have food security² -- the ability to get healthy food. This rate has not changed since 2012. It is only a little less than the rate at the end of the recession³ in 2009.

“It is the highest food insecurity rate that we’ve seen,” said Alisha Coleman-Jensen, who helped write the report. She added that the rate of food insecurity is unusual because the number should go down when the economy gets better.

“I have a million-dollar question: Who’s recovering? Because I’m not seeing the population that’s recovering,” said Wessita McKinley. She launched⁴ a group called Sistas United. It gives food and other help to people near Washington, DC.

Wessita McKinley says there are two times as many people coming to her for help now compared to before the recession.

Working Poor

It is not only jobless Americans who are having problems. Feeding America is a nationwide organization of food banks. These groups give away food to those in need. Feeding America found that 75 percent of the people it helps have jobs.

“It doesn’t matter if you work or not. You just don’t have enough money to survive,” says Grace⁵ Davis. Ms. Davis receives help from Sistas United. She teaches in a program for the children of prisoners. But her job does not pay much. She said that she recently did not have enough food to make breakfast for herself and her son. “So I said, ‘Well, I’ll save the eggs for him.’ And I just drank water and ate bread.”

The Department of Agriculture found that Ms. Davis is like people in seven million families that gave up food for one person last year. That number has not changed since 2009.

Rising Food Costs

A major reason for food insecurity is the cost of food. Ms. Coleman-Jensen says the rate of inflation⁶ has been low in recent months. But the price of food has been rising faster than other things. At the same time, an Economic Policy Institute study found that wages have not gone up, especially for American workers whose pay is low.

“After you pay your electric bill, your car (payment), put gas in your car, you don’t really have extra money for food,” said Sarah Auth. She receives help from Sistas United. As she notes, “If you try to eat healthy, healthy food is very expensive.”                                                   

But even food that costs little can be pricey over a long time, says Nancy Roman. She heads the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington. She explains that people who don’t eat healthy food may face an increased risk of diseases⁷ such as diabetes⁸ and heart conditions.

Feeding America found that 58 percent of families they talked to have someone with high blood pressure, and 30 percent have a person with diabetes.

At Sistas United, Wessita McKinley said she has seen people doing all they can to avoid hunger, such as suicide⁹, stealing and other crimes.

“We’re supposed to be a super-nation, a superpower. We’re supposed to be the richest nation,” she said. “Why are we having hungry people in the street?”

1 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

2 security   

n.安全，安全感；防护措施；保证(金)，抵押(品)；债券，证券

参考例句：

• A security guard brought him down with a flying tackle.一名保安人员飞身把他抱倒。
• There was tight security at the airport when the President's plane landed.总统的专机降落时，机场的保安措施很严密。

3 recession   

n.（工商业的）衷退（期），萧条（期）

参考例句：

• Manufacturing fell sharply under the impact of the recession.受到经济萧条的影响，制造业急剧衰退。
• A rise in interest rates plunged Britain deeper into recession.利率的提高导致英国经济更加萧条。

4 launched   

v.发射( launch的过去式和过去分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launched a bitter diatribe against the younger generation. 他对年轻一代发起了猛烈的抨击。
• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide. 这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。

5 grace   

n.优雅，雅致，魅力，恩惠，慈悲

参考例句：

• She is a beautiful girl with the grace and poise.她是一位仪态优雅的佳丽。
• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。

6 inflation   

n.胀大，夸张，通货膨胀

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• The inflation of the airbed took several minutes.给空气床垫充气花了几分钟时间。

7 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

8 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

9 suicide   

n.自杀，自毁，自杀性行为

参考例句：

• The number of suicide has increased.自杀案件的数量增加了。
• The death was adjudged a suicide by sleeping pills.该死亡事件被判定为服用安眠药自杀。