VOA标准英语2010年-UN, Pakistan Appeal for International

Pakistani flood survivors¹ wait their turn to get relief food distributed by naval² officials in Sangi Village near Sukkur, southern Pakistan, 19 Aug 2010

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging the international community to generously assist the people of Pakistan. Mr. Ban visited the flood-devastated³ nation on Sunday and said more money is urgently needed for immediate⁴ assistance needs including food, shelter and health care. Responding to that call, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the United States is increasing its flood aid to Pakistan to $150 million. A special General Assembly session was held Thursday on the situation in the flood-ravaged country.

"Village after village - washed away. Roads, bridges, homes - destroyed. Crops and livelihoods⁵ - wiped out. I met women and men with very little in the best of times, awash in a sea of suffering," said Mr. Ban.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi echoed the urgent need saying the country is facing a "natural calamity⁶ of unprecedented⁷ proportions". "Our commitment and resolve notwithstanding, the scale of the challenge is colossal⁸, far too big for any developing country to handle alone. We hope that the international community will come forward in all earnestness," he said.

Flood waters have devastated a fifth of the country since monsoon⁹ rains swept in at the end of July. The rains are not expected to end for another two weeks. The United Nations and Pakistan's government say 20 million people have been affected¹⁰ and have put out the call for nearly a half billion dollars to help fund immediate needs including food, drinking water, shelter and sanitation¹¹. In the past week, just over half that amount has been pledged, but the support is not coming in fast enough and the call was renewed on Thursday.

The United States has been at the forefront in assisting Pakistan since the flood waters began rising. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised the United States would stand with Pakistan as the country rebuilds and announced Washington would increase its flood assistance by $60 million to more than $150 million.

"Approximately $92 million of that total is in direct support of the U.N. relief plan. These funds are being used to provide critical supplies and support operations of the Pakistan Disaster Management Authority and other organizations inside Pakistan. The United States is providing technical assistance and mobilizing military and civilian¹² resources as well. Today, I want to call on the American public and American corporations to support these relief efforts. Every dollar makes a difference," she said.

The European Union also announced a significant new contribution, saying it is boosting its flood assistance to more than $180 million. The United Kingdom said it is doubling its commitment to nearly $100 million.

Nearly 50 nations were expected to speak at the General Assembly. At the start of the session, member states adopted a resolution expressing the international community's solidarity¹³ and sympathy with the people of Pakistan and urging donors¹⁴ to extend their full support to the flood victims.

Secretary-General Ban also said he is considering holding a high-level meeting on Pakistan when world leaders convene¹⁵ here next month for the General Assembly annual debate.
 

1 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

2 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

3 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

6 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

7 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。

8 colossal   

adj.异常的，庞大的

参考例句：

• There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
• Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

9 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。

10 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。

11 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

12 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。

13 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

14 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》

15 convene   

v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合

参考例句：

• The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。
• Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。