VOA标准英语2010年-Obama Pledges Full US Aid to Haiti Aft

U.S. President Barack Obama says the United States will do all it can to help the victims of the Haitian earthquake.  American rescue teams have been dispatched to the disaster area.

The president adds that the United States has launched a swift, aggressive, and coordinated¹ effort to help the earthquake victims.

"The people of Haiti will have the full support of the United States in the urgent effort to rescue those trapped beneath the rubble² and to deliver the humanitarian³ relief - the food, water and medicine - that Haitians will need in the coming days," he said.

He says search and rescue teams have been dispatched and more help is on the way.

"... because in disasters such as this, the first hours and days are absolutely critical in saving lives and avoiding greater tragedy, I have directed my team to be as forward leaning as possible in getting the help on the ground and coordinating⁴ with our international partners as well," he added.

In a brief statement from the White House, Mr. Obama stressed this will be a complex and challenging operation.  He made clear there is no time to waste.

"The reports and images that we have seen of collapsed⁵ hospitals, crumbled⁶ homes, and men and women carrying their injured neighbors through the streets are truly heart-wrenching," he noted⁷.

President Obama urged the American people to do all they can to support the aid effort.  He stressed the bond between the United States and Haiti is strong.

"We will keep the victims and the families in our prayers," he said.  "We will be resolute⁸ in our response and I pledge to the people of Haiti that you will have a friend and partner in the United States of America today and going forward."

The earthquake struck late Tuesday reducing much of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince to rubble.  The International Red Cross in Geneva says up to three million people are affected⁹ and thousands are feared dead.

1 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

2 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

3 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。

4 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

5 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

6 crumbled   

（把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏

参考例句：

• He crumbled the bread in his fingers. 他用手指把面包捻碎。
• Our hopes crumbled when the business went bankrupt. 商行破产了，我们的希望也破灭了。

7 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。

8 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

9 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。