VOA标准英语2010年-Seriously Injured from Haiti Quake Con

Mike O'Sullivan | Port-au-Prince 10 February 2010

Medical professionals aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) treat a six-year-old Haitian boy in the casualty receiving room aboard the 1,000-bed hospital ship.

Hundreds of victims of the Haiti earthquake have been treated aboard the US Navy Ship Comfort, anchored off Port-au-Prince.  The patient load is lighter¹ now, but doctors say patients continue to arrive, needing surgery and other care. The ship's medical staff says the medical disaster has been unprecedented².

Doctors on the "Comfort" have performed more than 650 surgeries, in many cases saving patients who would have otherwise died.

One premature³ baby was born on board the ship. Both baby and mother are doing fine.

Military doctors and civilian⁴ volunteers from American hospitals say they have never seen such a large number of severe injuries.

Commander Robert Fetherston is clinical coordinator⁵ of the ship's operating room. "Amputations, femur fractures, pelvic fractures, facial fractures, all kinds of fractures, fractures that none of us have never seen before," he said.

This woman's baby was saved after its head was partly crushed during the quake.

The ship's pediatric ward⁶ has up to 60 patients and nearly as many parents and escorts.

Medical workers say they have seen miracles here, but John Keeve, an orthopedic surgeon from Washington state, says many patients will lack the extended after-care later on. "And I guess we have to temper our enthusiasm, understanding that these people come from impoverished⁷ surroundings and can't necessarily get the treatment that they would normally get in the United States," he said.

But parents say they are thrilled to see their children recover, and staff members of the Comfort are pleased to be part of the international effort to help Haiti. 

Lieutenant⁸ Commander John Hussey is in charge of the ship's blood bank and lab. "This was something that was unexpected, but as time has gone on, I think that the staff on board the ship has really felt honored to be a part of something and give something back, especially to the Haitian people in this time of need," he said.

As new patients reach the Comfort, others are sent to hospitals on shore, to make room for the critically injured who need major surgery or other treatment on board.

 

1 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

2 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

3 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

4 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

5 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

6 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

7 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。