VOA标准英语2011--Somalia Famine Spreads to New Areas

Somalia Famine Spreads to New Areas

The United Nations says three more areas of Somalia have now slipped into famine. The famine is expected to spread further unless there is immediate¹ intervention².
The U.N.'s food security analysis unit and a famine warning project known as FEWS-NET say the famine in southern Somalia is growing worse.
Definition of Famine:
The word famine is a term that is not used lightly by humanitarian³ organizations. The United Nations describes a crisis as a famine only when the following conditions are met:
Malnutrition⁴ rates exceed 30 percent
More than two people per 10,000 people are dying each day
Severe lack of food access for large population
Current Famine:
Almost half of Somalia's population, 3.7 million people, are affected⁵ by the current crisis with malnutrition rates in southern Somalia the highest in the world, surpassing 50 percent in some areas. The United Nations says it is likely that tens of thousands have already have died, the majority of those being children.
The drought that has led to the current famine in parts of Somalia has also affected people in Kenya and Ethiopia.
Previous Famines in the Horn of Africa:
Somalia 1991-1992
Ethiopia 1984-1985
Ethiopia 1974
New data shows more people are dying and suffering from acute malnutrition in areas of the Middle Shabelle region, as well as among the displaced people of Mogadishu and the Afgoye corridor, to the west of the capital.
Until now, famine conditions had been detected in only two areas, Lower Shabelle and Bakool in south central Somalia.
The chief technical advisor⁶ for the U.N. food security unit for Somalia, Grainne Moloney, says conditions in these displaced communities are especially "depressing."
"It's a hugely vulnerable group who have already been displaced from their homes and were reliant on humanitarian assistance, and of course with the restrictions⁷ in access and the restrictions in funding, did not get that assistance," said Moloney. "About three years ago the malnutrition rate was about 12 percent there and to see that it's now 40 percent is very disheartening."
Famine is a technical designation that means at least 30 percent of the population is malnourished, households are lacking access to food and that there have been deaths from hunger.
There are no solid figures on the number of deaths per day, but it is estimated to be in the hundreds.
The U.N. has appealed for more than $1 billion to address the crisis and has so far raised about 40 percent of the money it has requested.
Maloney says more assistance is needed immediately.
"There need to be massive interventions⁸ now to the 2.8 million people in the south that need assistance and that needs to include food, nutrition, water, health and agriculture inputs⁹. They need everything right now and they need it now, they cannot afford to wait," Moloney added.
Maloney says there is some hope for Mogadishu, where displaced people are within the reach of humanitarian organizations who are expanding their efforts on the ground.
"I think the conditions in Mogadishu could certainly be reversed and I know a lot of the agencies on the ground are really stepping up on their interventions, so I'm sure that is one of the areas we can confidently say where the situation will improve," Moloney noted¹⁰.
The crisis in Somalia was caused by a severe cycle of drought, which some say is the worst in 60 years. But it was made worse by the lack of a functioning central government and restrictions on aid enforced by the al-Qaida-linked militant¹¹ group al-Shabab.
The U.N. expects famine to spread to other regions of southern Somalia within the next four to six weeks and to last at least until December.

1 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。

2 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

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 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

5 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。

6 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 interventions   

n.介入，干涉，干预( intervention的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Economic analysis of government interventions deserves detailed discussion. 政府对经济的干预应该给予充分的论述。 来自辞典例句
• The judge's frequent interventions made a mockery of justice. 法官的屡屡干预是对正义的践踏。 来自互联网

9 inputs   

n.输入( input的名词复数 )；投入；输入端；输入的数据v.把…输入电脑( input的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Uncheck the inputs checked for optimization in the previous stage. 不测试那些已经测试过的优化了的以前步骤的inputs.（变量参数）。 来自互联网
• Just in case, save in a file the inputs obtained at the previous stage. 以防万一，保存以前步骤获得的inputs（变量参数值）到一个文件中去。 来自互联网

10 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。

11 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。