厄尔尼诺致非洲南部2800万人陷入饥荒

AS IT IS 2016-05-21 El Nino Drought Leaves 28 Million Southern Africans Hungry 厄尔尼诺致非洲南部2800万人陷入饥荒

Dry weather in southern Africa has reduced agricultural production and left 28 million people hungry.

Scientists have blamed the lack of rainfall on El Nino weather conditions.

El Nino results from unusually warm water along the western coast of South America. The warm water causes many changes in weather around the world. Places that usually get a lot of rainfall can be dry. Areas that traditionally are dry can receive more rain because of El Nino.

El Nino is being blamed for agricultural shortages¹ across southern Africa. Dry weather has affected² farming in countries such as Zimbabwe and Malawi.

A drought is affecting Zimbabwe’s Mudzi district, about 250 kilometers east of Harare. The country’s main crop is corn, known in some areas as maize³. Other major crops are soybeans, wheat and tobacco, according to the United Nations.

Elhadj As Sy is secretary-general of the International Federation⁴ of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He went to southern Africa to investigate the food shortages.

“What is touching⁵ is to see children that go to bed hungry. Children that may not go to school and a mother having to listen to, you know, the children crying and have no food to give to them. I mean that is profoundly⁶, profoundly touching, and totally unacceptable.”

This week, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies launched a four-year program to help National Red Cross Societies respond to the drought.

The group said an estimated 31.6 million people across southern Africa are struggling to get food. It warned this number may climb to more than 49 million people by the end of the year.

Zimbabwe, Malawi, Lesotho and Swaziland have all declared states of emergency. Seven of South Africa’s nine provinces also have declared emergencies. In Mozambique, the government ordered the highest level of national emergency preparedness in the central and southern provinces.

In Zimbabwe, 60-year-old Mabel Nyamono is looking forward to more money to buy food.

“Here, there is real hunger,” she said. “Most of the days, kids go to school on an empty stomach and may go for three or four days without a decent⁷ meal.”

In Mudzi district, the Zimbabwe Red Cross currently⁸ gives $40 a month to over 1,200 families. But many other families receive no financial assistance.

Such is the case of 61-year-old Virgilance Tsabora. She has yet to receive financial assistance from the Red Cross or UN agencies. Tsabora cares for her 89-year-old mother. Neither woman has a source of income.

Tsabora says she depends on fellow villagers for help, but hopes the Red Cross can ease their struggle.

Words in This Story

El Nino – n. a flow of unusually warm water along the western coast of South America that causes many changes in weather in other places

drought – n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

soybeans – n. beans of an Asian plant that contain a large amount of protein and that are used as a food

profoundly – adv. having or showing great knowledge or understanding

kids – n. sons or daughters; children

decent – adj. good enough but not the best

income – n. earnings

1 shortages   

n.不足( shortage的名词复数 )；缺少；缺少量；不足额

参考例句：

• Food shortages often occur in time of war. 在战争期间常常发生粮食短缺的情形。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• At the same time, worldwide food and fuel shortages eased. 同时，世界性粮食和石油短缺的现象终止了。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

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 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

4 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

5 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

6 profoundly   

ad.深深地

参考例句：

• We are profoundly affected by what happens to us in childhood. 童年发生的事深深地影响着我们。
• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents. 你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。

7 decent   

adj.象样的，不错的，体面的，正派的，恰当的

参考例句：

• We want to raise our children to be decent men and women.我们盼望把孩子们培养成优秀人才。
• There isn't even a decent table in this room.这屋里连张像样的桌子也没有。

8 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。