VOA标准英语2010年-Pakistan Assures Donor Money Will Go t

People with pots stand in queue to get relief food at a camp for flood-affected¹ people on the outskirts² of Sukkur, southern Pakistan, 18 Aug 2010

Pakistani officials say all money donated for flood assistance will go to help the victims.  The officials assure international donors³ none of the funds meant to provide aid to millions of desperate people will fall into the wrong hands.

 

International aid agencies are struggling to bring relief to many of the 20 million people affected by the catastrophic floods that hit Pakistan about three weeks ago.

Problems

The relief effort is being hampered⁴ by logistical problems, including the ability to reach many of the victims.  The United Nations has now received more than half of the $460 million appeal it issued last week to pay for humanitarian⁵ operations over the next three months.  Fifty-four percent of the target goal has been reached according to U.N. humanitarian spokesman Maurizio Giuliano.

 
However, media reports say Pakistan is still having difficulty attracting funds because international donors fear the money will end up in the wrong hands, a charge vehemently⁶ denied by Pakistani officials.

Guarantees

Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Zamir Akram, says his government is working with International and United Nations agencies to bring relief to the Pakistani flood victims.

"So, unless somebody suspects the U.N. itself and suspects the government of Pakistan and its officials, I can guarantee that this money is going to go to the purposes it is meant for," he said. 

"This is a very transparent⁷ exercise.  The U.N., as I say, is deeply involved.  Some of our close friends and partners are closely involved - the United States, China - many other countries, the United Kingdom. So, this is a joint⁸ effort and therefore the guarantee is that, it is a transparent effort and it is open to everybody to see," he added. 

Taliban

Ambassador Akram also refutes suggestions that the Taliban and other extremist religious groups are winning the hearts and minds of the people through their charitable work.

"I do not see how that has affected public opinion and built up support for them.  I think this, what you are referring to, is an unnecessary exaggeration, which, unfortunately, is diverting attention away from the real issues.  The real issue is helping⁹ the people," he said. 

Needs

And, the needs are vast.  Of the estimated 20 million people affected by the flooding, the government says more than 15 million are seriously affected.  Around 1,600 people reportedly have been killed and more than 2,000 injured.

The United Nations says nearly 900,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed and more than 650,000 people are without basic shelter.  It says more than 200 health facilities have been damaged or destroyed causing problems for people seeking medical assistance.

About 80 percent of the flood-affected population depends on agriculture for its livelihood¹⁰.  The United Nations reports more than 3.2 million hectares of standing¹¹ crops have been damaged or lost.

As though things were not difficult enough, new flood warnings have been issued in some parts of Pakistan.

 

1 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。

2 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

3 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

5 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。

6 vehemently   

adv. 热烈地

参考例句：

• He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
• Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。

7 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

8 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

11 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。