VOA标准英语2009年-First Aid Convoy Reaches North Yemen From

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
13 October 2009

 
A group of forcibly displaced people in north Yemen
The U.N. refugee agency reports a first convoy¹ of aid has reached conflict-ridden northern Yemen from Saudi Arabia. The UNHCR says fighting between Yemen government troops and al-Houthi forces shows no sign of abating².

The U.N. refugee agency says the first cross-border convoy of aid from Saudi Arabia to northern Yemen arrived on Sunday. And, the distribution of the non-food relief items is to be distributed Tuesday to about 2,000 people stranded³ close to Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia.

UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic says the people will receive tents, mattresses⁴, blankets, plastic sheeting, jerry cans and hygiene⁵ items.

"This assistance arrives in addition to the Yemeni government's food and aid convoy also arriving in the area," he said. "The arrival of UNHCR's aid would not have been possible without the close collaboration⁶ between us and the two governments concerned."

"According to a recent government assessment⁷, there are between 3,000 and 4,000 displaced people in the border area, most of them in need of assistance and in a desperate situation after fleeing from the northern districts of Saada province. We are planning to send another aid convoy to reach those in need," he added.

Since fighting resumed in August tens of thousands of civilians⁸ caught in the crossfire⁹ have fled their homes in Saada to the surrounding provinces.

Mahecic says the humanitarian¹⁰ situation continues to worsen as street battles continue.

"Many shops and stores have now run out of basic commodities and supplies," he said. "Electricity is available only from 6:00 pm (1800 UT) to midnight and access to the only remaining functioning market is now blocked. Water supplies are available just twice a week. UNHCR's local partner continues to register internally displaced people in the city of Saada, despite the surrounding conflict."

The UNHCR reports an estimated 150,000 Yemenis have been affected¹¹ by the fighting in the north since 2004, including those displaced by the latest escalation¹².

Several weeks ago, the United Nations appealed for nearly $24 million to support its emergency operations in Yemen. Only 16 percent of the appeal has been met, leaving a shortfall of about $20 million. 

1 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

2 abating   

减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼）

参考例句：

• The storm showed no signs of abating. 暴风雨没有减弱的迹象。
• The recent public anxiety about this issue may now be abating. 近来公众对这个问题的焦虑心情现在也许正在缓和下来。

3 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

4 mattresses   

褥垫，床垫( mattress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The straw mattresses are airing there. 草垫子正在那里晾着。
• The researchers tested more than 20 mattresses of various materials. 研究人员试验了二十多个不同材料的床垫。

5 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。

6 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

7 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

8 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

9 crossfire   

n.被卷进争端

参考例句：

• They say they are caught in the crossfire between the education establishment and the government.他们称自己被卷进了教育机构与政府之间的争端。
• When two industrial giants clash,small companies can get caught in the crossfire.两大工业企业争斗之下，小公司遭受池鱼之殃。

10 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。

11 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。

12 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句