2006年VOA标准英语-UN Refugee Agency Heading to Beirut

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
20 July 2006

The U.N. refugee agency is gearing up for a multi-million dollar operation to help tens of thousands of people displaced by the current crisis in Lebanon.  The UNHCR says the first members of an initial 11-strong emergency team arrives in Damascus, Syria on Thursday. From there they will go to Beirut to prepare the large-scale humanitarian¹ operation.

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Red Cross paramedic evacuates² injured man toward waiting ambulance at site of destroyed building in Tyre   
  
The 11 UNHCR team members are specialists in crisis management.  They are flying in from all parts of the world, but mainly from countries in the region, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia. 

U.N. refugee spokesman Andrej Mahecic says the team will begin a detailed³ needs assessment⁴ after they arrive in Lebanon.  He says their findings will be crucial in setting up the rest of the humanitarian operation.

Mahecic tells VOA that emergency mobile teams already in Lebanon have begun making some preliminary assessments⁵.  He says they have been making contact with people who have fled their homes, helping⁶ them to get shelter and food.

"We have colleagues who are monitoring the situation on the border between Syria and Lebanon," he said.  "There is a steady flow of people, mostly what appears to be Syrians who were on temporary work in Lebanon.  However, there are some Lebanese, but mostly those with some sort of contacts in Syria and most of them are staying with family and friends.  Some 640 families are in schools helped by the Syrian Red Crescent.  At this stage we are discussing how we can assist them." 

The United Nations estimates as many as 500,000 people have become displaced since the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupted over a week ago.  It says most of these people are living with family and friends.  But as the conflict continues, it warns many more people are likely to become homeless and will be in need of international assistance.

Mahecic says the UNHCR has stockpiles of emergency relief supplies in Jordan and Syria.  Thus, goods such as shelter items, plastic sheeting, tents and blankets can be brought into Lebanon immediately.

He says the UNHCR will provide shelter and humanitarian assistance to refugees crossing into Syria and other countries as well as to people who are displaced inside Lebanon.  

 
British nationals board the British destroyer HMS Gloucester as they are being evacuated⁷ to Cyprus
  
"Certainly, the issue of protection will be the great focus, particularly when we talk about the refugee outflow which may be seen across the border in Syria or perhaps in Cyprus," he added.

The U.N. refugee spokesman says the plight⁸ of some 20,000 refugees and asylum⁹ seekers, mainly from Iraq, is of concern.  He says some of these frightened people, including stranded¹⁰ migrant workers, have demonstrated outside the UNHCR office in Beirut asking to be put on a boat to Cyprus for safety.

He says the humanitarian operation will be expensive and UNHCR's needs will be included in an appeal for Lebanon the United Nations is expected to launch in the coming days.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 evacuates   

撤离，疏散( evacuate的第三人称单数 )； 排空（胃肠），排泄（粪便）； （从危险的地方）撤出，搬出，撤空

参考例句：

• Special brand-new back film evacuates moisture effectively, let you feel more comfortable. 特有的全新透气底膜，有效地疏散湿气，让你倍感舒适。
• Evacuates the danger zone immediately, when has the wind must attention running free runs. 马上撤离危险地带，在有风时要注意顺风跑。

3 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

4 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

5 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

8 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

9 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

10 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。