VOA标准英语2009年-Indonesian Earthquake Aid Distribution Und

By Brian Padden
Jakarta
06 October 2009

 
A Muslim woman looks on as US military personnel build a field hospital in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 06 Oct 2009
The United States today sent the first installment¹ of a multi-million dollar assistance package to the Indonesian Island of Sumatra, to aid victims of the recent earthquake. Other international organizations and the government of Indonesia have also been providing assistance. However infrastructure² damage caused by the earthquake is making it hard to access and distribute aid to some remote villages.

The United States brought in 45 metric tons of plastic sheeting, hygiene³ kits⁴, and generators⁵ to help victims of the Indonesian earthquake. The items will be distributed by the Red Cross. The U.S. has also been using military planes to transport rescue workers and supplies.

The United States is one of many countries providing humanitarian⁶ assistance. Australia sent a warship⁷ carrying a full medical team. France sent two aircraft with about 23 metric tons of relief supplies. And teams from a number of countries have been assisting in rescue and relief efforts.

The United Nations is also involved. It constructed the first of 250 classroom tents to be built in the city of Padang.

Other organizations like World Vision are also focusing on the needs of children. It is setting up 13 centers they call Child-Friendly Spaces, where children can play with other children, and get counseling.

World Vision's Amelia Merrick, says getting schools back up and running quickly is a top priority, particularly in areas like Pariaman where entire villages were buried by landslides⁸ caused by the quake.

"In many of other schools we've been seeing in Pariaman, the schools were absolutely flat," Merrick said. "There won't be any desks we can salvage⁹ there. There are no books we can salvage. That would be another quite challenge. But we do hope that the school can resume within the next couple of weeks."

Indonesian Search and Rescue Agency spokesman, Gagah Prakoso says infrastructure damage is also hampering¹⁰ efforts to bring aid to some rural areas.

He says mud and rocks are blocking some roads, others are torn up, making it difficult to distribute aid. Authorities are using helicopters to drop aid to isolated¹¹ areas. But heavy rains are complicating¹² further efforts to reach these areas by land and the weather forecast for the region calls for more storms in the coming days.

1 installment   

n.(instalment)分期付款；(连载的)一期

参考例句：

• I shall soon pay the last installment of my debt.不久我将偿付我的最后一期债款。
• He likes to buy things on the installment plan.他喜欢用分期付款法购买货物。

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

4 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

5 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 warship   

n.军舰，战舰

参考例句：

• He is serving on a warship in the Pacific.他在太平洋海域的一艘军舰上服役。
• The warship was making towards the pier.军舰正驶向码头。

8 landslides   

山崩( landslide的名词复数 )； （山坡、悬崖等的）崩塌； 滑坡； （竞选中）一方选票占压倒性多数

参考例句：

• Landslides have cut off many villages in remote areas. 滑坡使边远地区的许多村庄与外界隔绝。
• The storm caused landslides and flooding in Savona. 风暴致使萨沃纳发生塌方和洪灾。

9 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

10 hampering   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• So fraud on cows and development aid is seriously hampering growth. 因此在牛问题上和发展补助上的诈骗严重阻碍了发展。
• Short-termism, carbon-trading, disputing the science-are hampering the implementation of direct economically-led objectives. 短效主义，出售二氧化碳，进行科学辩论，这些都不利于实现以经济为主导的直接目标。

11 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

12 complicating   

使复杂化( complicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• High spiking fever with chills is suggestive of a complicating pylephlebitis. 伴有寒战的高热，暗示合并门静脉炎。
• In America these actions become executive puberty rites, complicating relationships that are already complicated enough. 在美国，这些行动成了行政青春期的惯例，使本来已经够复杂的关系变得更复杂了。