VOA标准英语2008年-UN Chief Heads to Burma

By Margaret Besheer
United Nations
20 May 2008

Before departing for cyclone¹-stricken Burma Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he hopes to meet with government officials, neighboring leaders and relief coordinators to plan the way forward out of this crisis. Meanwhile, John Holmes, U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian² Affairs met Tuesday with Prime Minister Thein Sein and several other officials. From U.N. headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.

Mr. Ban said Burma is at a critical point. There is a functioning relief program in place, but it is reaching only a quarter of the people in need. He said he hopes improved U.N. and ASEAN coordination³ with the authorities in Burma (also known as Myanmar) will help scale up relief efforts quickly.

"My aim in going to Myanmar is to first of all, to demonstrate my sympathy to the people and government at this time of crisis and challenge, and to see for myself the situation on the ground, particularly in areas most affected⁴ by the disaster, unprecedented⁵ in Myanmar's history," he said.

The secretary-general said the devastation⁶ to the country is estimated at over $10 billion and that other factors, such as a not being able to plant the next harvest, could compound the crisis even further.  The cyclone has already claimed over 78,000 lives.

"In this sense, the economic effects of the natural disaster that has struck Myanmar could be more severe and longer lasting⁷ than the 2004 tsunami," he noted⁸.

Mr. Ban will be in Burma on Thursday and Friday. He plans to travel to some of the hardest hit areas, including the Irrawaddy Delta⁹. He will go to Thailand on Saturday to meet with leaders there, then return to Yangon on Sunday to attend a joint¹⁰ U.N.-ASEAN international pledge conference for the cyclone victims.

The U.N. chief says he hopes to meet Burma's Senior General Than Shwe and other top government officials. He welcomed what he called the military regime's "recent flexibility¹¹" in deciding to allow Asian aid workers under ASEAN auspices¹² into the country to oversee¹³ aid supplies and distribution, and said he believes similar moves will follow.

Diplomats¹⁴, attending meetings at the U.N. in New York this week, welcomed Mr. Ban's trip.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Zalmay Khalilzad, said that for the secretary-general's trip to be successful he must focus on winning access for experts and supplies.

French Minister for Human Rights, Rama Yade, echoed that, saying she hopes after Mr. Ban's visit, there will be better access to the victims.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Sunday's international donor's conference is a landmark¹⁵ event that must produce real outcomes that will deliver aid to the people on the ground whose humanitarian situation is growing worse.

1 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

2 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。

3 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

4 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。

5 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

6 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

8 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。

9 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

10 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

11 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

12 auspices   

n.资助，赞助

参考例句：

• The association is under the auspices of Word Bank.这个组织是在世界银行的赞助下办的。
• The examination was held under the auspices of the government.这次考试是由政府主办的。

13 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

14 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。