VOA标准英语2008年-London Commemorates World Refugee Day

By Mandy Clark
London
19 June 2008

On World Refugee Day Friday, as the world commemorates¹ the plight² of 11 million people who have fled their homes, the U.N. refugee agency has created a refugee village in the heart of London. The aim is to highlight the plight of one refugee group - the millions who have fled the violence of the Darfur region of Sudan. VOA's Mandy Clark reports from London.
　

School pupils look at a representation of a Darfur village supposedly destroyed during the war, in central London's Trafalgar Square, 17 Jun 2008

Standing³ in the ruins of smoldering⁴ home, a Darfuri women begs for help. It is not what you would expect to see in central London's Trafalgar Square, but this the "Darfur experience" refugee camp. Set up by the U.N. refugee agency to show the challenges aid agencies face in delivering aid to some of the world's most vulnerable people.

"We really want to create awareness⁵, actually show the reality in which refugees live," said Alienor Salmon⁶, a volunteer for the agency.

The reality is bleak⁷ - plastic tents, a few blankets, basic food provided by the World Food Program. And then there is the constant threat of rebels attacking the camps.

Half of the villages in Darfur have been destroyed, two thirds of the population is reliant on some form of humanitarian⁸ aid, and more than 2.5 million people had been displaced by the conflict. Fighting involving rebels, government troops, and government-backed militias⁹ broke out in 2003.

British opposition¹⁰ lawmaker, Andrew Mitchell, says that blame for the on-going crisis in Darfur lies with world leaders who promised to put a stop the bloodshed.

"Darfur stands as a condemnation¹¹ to the leaders of the world who signed up to this responsibility to protect, which means nothing to these people who are frightened and anxious living in camps having been bombed and bullied¹² out of their homes in Darfur, the world is not doing enough about it," he said.

Many visitors said they found the mock village compelling.

"It is a good thing for all the people to know what is happening in the world," said a visitor.

"I think it is a wonderful display and a very important one for getting help for Darfur," said another one.

"It is nice to actually walk through the camps and see the food parcels and actually talk to people to find out information," another visitor added.
　

Antonio Guterres (file photo)

The U.N. High Commissioner¹³ for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, was on hand to launch the UNHCR's Global report just days earlier. He says the number of people fleeing violence and conflict last year has risen to 11.4 million worldwide.

"When one looks at today's world, one sees not only conflicts multiplying and conflicts intensifying¹⁴ and generating more and more people on the move," said Guterres. "And I can only ask the international community to be more and more involved together, acting¹⁵ together to make sure that these conflicts find an end."

Some Darfur refugees came to the event in central London. They say it highlights the need for the violence to end in their homeland.

Fatima Yalia says the mock village brought back memories

"I have goosebumps, it makes me feel awful inside, but the world has to see it," she said. "Darfur has suffered 12 years of war, it has to end."

The U.N. refugee agency says it is the international community's responsibility to humanity to help those in greatest need, the next generation depends on them.

1 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 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。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 smoldering   

v.用文火焖烧，熏烧，慢燃( smolder的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The mat was smoldering where the burning log had fallen. 燃烧的木棒落下的地方垫子慢慢燃烧起来。 来自辞典例句
• The wood was smoldering in the fireplace. 木柴在壁炉中闷烧。 来自辞典例句

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 salmon   

n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的

参考例句：

• We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
• Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

7 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

8 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。

9 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

12 bullied   

adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• My son is being bullied at school. 我儿子在学校里受欺负。
• The boy bullied the small girl into giving him all her money. 那男孩威逼那个小女孩把所有的钱都给他。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

14 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

15 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。