VOA标准英语2008年-UN Leader Warns of Increasing World Food Demand

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
03 June 2008

World leaders are gathered in Rome at the headquarters of the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization. They are discussing ways to deal with soaring food prices and how to improve ways to provide food to the world's hungry. The U.N. secretary-general said world food production must rise by 50 percent by 2030 to meet increasing demand. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.
　

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks during a food crisis summit held at the Food and Agriculture Organisation1 (FAO) in Rome, 03 Jun 2008

In a speech at the start of the world food security summit in Rome the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said food production must rise by 50 percent by 2030 to meet increasing demand. He added that nations must minimize export restrictions² and import tariffs³ at this time and quickly resolve world trade talks.

The U.N. secretary-general said action must be taken immediately.

"Today's problem will only grow larger tomorrow unless we act now today," he said. "I call on you to take bold and urgent steps to address the root causes of this global food crisis. We want the firm commitment to moving ahead."

The U.N. chief said that only if the world acts together, in partnership⁴, can this crisis be overcome. Hundreds of millions of people, he said, expect no less.

"Nothing is more degrading than hunger, especially when it is man made," he said. "It breeds anger, social disintegration⁵, ill health and economic decline. In the name of the development goals we all set at the millennium⁶, the right to food, and our common humanity, I urge all of you to act together now."

World leaders are meeting for 3 days in Rome at the headquarters of the United Nations food agency, FAO, the food and agriculture organization. They are discussing ways to resolve the emergency caused by soaring food prices and how to provide more food for the world's hungry.

The Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal⁷ Tarcisio Bertone read out a message by Pope Benedict to delegates at the summit.

In light of the current situation, the pope said in his message, hunger and malnutrition⁸ are 'unacceptable' in a world that has enough resources. The Pope said the world has enough resources and know-how⁹ to end hunger and its consequences.

The U.N. food agency's Director-General Jacques Diouf said the time for talk is over and that action is urgently needed. He appealed to world leaders for $30 billion a year to relaunch agriculture and avert¹⁰ future threats of conflicts over food.

Diouf said that the structural¹¹ solution to the problem of food security in the world lies in increasing production and productivity in the low-income, food-deficit countries. He said the current world food crisis has already had tragic¹² political and social consequences in different countries and could further endanger world peace and security.

1 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

2 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

3 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

4 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

5 disintegration   

n.分散，解体

参考例句：

• This defeat led to the disintegration of the empire.这次战败道致了帝国的瓦解。
• The incident has hastened the disintegration of the club.这一事件加速了该俱乐部的解体。

6 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

7 cardinal   

n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的

参考例句：

• This is a matter of cardinal significance.这是非常重要的事。
• The Cardinal coloured with vexation. 红衣主教感到恼火，脸涨得通红。

8 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

9 know-how   

n.知识；技术；诀窍

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.他没有经营农场的专业知识。
• I don't have much know-how about engines.发动机方面的技术知识我知之甚少。

10 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

11 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

12 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。