VOA慢速英语2020--世界粮食计划署获诺贝尔和平奖

The United Nations' World Food Program (WFP) won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. The Norwegian Nobel Committee is recognizing the group for its efforts to fight hunger and improve conditions for peace in areas affected¹ by conflict.

The World Food Program has long specialized² in getting assistance to some of the world's most dangerous places. For example, the WFP has air-dropped food in South Sudan and Syria. It also created an emergency service that kept aid flowing as COVID-19 restrictions³ grounded many flights.

In 2019, the UN agency provided aid to almost 100 million people in 88 countries.

Berit Reiss-Andersen is the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. She said on Friday, "With this year's award, the (committee) wishes to turn the eyes of the world to the millions of people who suffer from or face the threat of hunger."

In announcing the award, the Nobel committee noted⁴ that "Until the day we have a medical vaccine⁵, food is the best vaccine against chaos⁶." And it added, "there will be 265 million starving people within a year, so of course this is also a call to the international community not to underfund the World Food Program."

Traveling in Niger, WFP Executive Director David Beasley credited the men and women of "the WFP family." He said, "They are out there in the most difficult, complex places in the world, where there's war, conflict, climate extremes... They are out there and they deserve this award ..."

Beasley added, "This is the first time I've been speechless ... This is unbelievable," he said. "And wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!"

In Geneva, a WFP spokesman told reporters: "When everything went into shutdown mode, the World Food Programme was there. When everyone was leaving... the World Food Programme had to provide the logistical support that the world deserved, that the world needed."

Dan Smith is director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. He said the Nobel committee had wanted to send a message of both hope and "support for international cooperation."

"Hunger, like climate change, the pandemic and other issues, is a world problem that can only be properly addressed through cooperation," he told Reuters news agency.

The award comes with a gold medal and $1.1 million -- a small amount compared to the money the WFP needs for its work. So far in 2020, the UN agency has received almost $6.4 billion in goods and other donations. More than a third, over $2.7 billion, comes from the United States.

Words in This Story

chaos - n. complete confusion and disorder⁷

underfund - v. not have enough money to do what is needed

wow - interjection, used to show that you are very surprised or pleased

mode - n. a particular way of doing something

deserve - v. used to say that someone or something should or should not have or be given something

pandemic - n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly around the world

address - v. to deal with

1 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。

2 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 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。

5 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

6 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

7 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。