2006年VOA标准英语-Relief and Reconstruction Efforts in Lebanon Wi

By Ernest Leong
Washington, DC
07 September 2006
 
watch Lebanon Reconstruction¹

Lebanese reconstruction is underway   
  
The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon has left hundreds dead and billions of dollars of damage throughout Lebanon.  Nations around the world are contributing troops and money to Lebanon's reconstruction -- a monumental effort that could take years to complete. 

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The cleanup effort continues in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah guerrillas fought Israeli troops for more than a month. It is a first step -- one of many first steps the country must take in repairing its citizens' shattered lives and homes.

Patrice Karam  
  
Patrice Karam of theU.S. Institute of Peace says, "The priority, of course, will be short-term relief."

Short-term relief means providing such essentials as food, medicine, drinkable water and electricity.

The Lebanese government estimates the price tag for just the relief work will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.  Lebanon is a country already deep in debt from its last war.

"Lebanon's public debt -- mostly accrued² after the '75-'90 civil war -- is worth almost twice the country's G.D.P. [gross domestic product].  One of the heftiest in the world," says Karam.

After the recent fighting ended, Israel blockaded Lebanon's airports and seaports³, permitting only commercial flights and medical and food shipments into the country.  Israel has announced it will lift the blockade.  

 
Jamal Saghir
  
Jamal Saghir is Director of Energy and Water at the World Bank. He says the blockade -- combined with damage to the country's agriculture and industry -- has already proven costly⁴. "Every day, the economy in these sectors⁵ [agriculture and industry] is losing $30 million because they can't export, they cannot produce anymore."

International donors⁶ pledged almost a billion dollars to assist the Lebanese government during a conference in Sweden last month.  The United States contributed $230 million.

 
William Garvelink
  
William Garvelink, of the U.S. Agency for International Development, says the U.S. also will provide individual assistance to those whose homes need only limited repair. "People can go about and do that and submit a voucher⁷ to our N.G.O.'s [non-governmental organizations], and the N.G.O. will look at the repairs done and pay the voucher."

Relief and repair efforts continue on both small and large scales.  It's a daunting⁸ task, but as Jamal Saghir of the World Bank observed, "It's a process, and we must respect the process.  It will take its time."

Multinational⁹ troops comprising the U.N. peacekeeping force have begun to arrive in Lebanon to ensure the "process" can continue peacefully.

1 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

2 accrued   

adj.权责已发生的v.增加( accrue的过去式和过去分词 )；（通过自然增长）产生；获得；（使钱款、债务）积累

参考例句：

• The company had accrued debts of over 1000 yuan. 该公司已积欠了1000多万元的债务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I have accrued a set of commemoration stamps. 我已收集一套纪念邮票。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 seaports   

n.海港( seaport的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Airports have joined seaports as ports of entry for the visiting foreigner. 机场和海港一样成为来访的外国人的入境关口。 来自互联网
• Sanya has 16 seaports, 10 islands and 180km of coastline. 三亚有16个港口、10个海岛和180公里的海岸线。 来自互联网

4 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

5 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 voucher   

n.收据；传票；凭单，凭证

参考例句：

• The government should run a voucher system.政府应该施行凭证制度。
• Whenever cash is paid out,a voucher or receipt should be obtained.无论何时只要支付现金，就必须要有一张凭据或者收据。

8 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

9 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。