VOA标准英语2013--Kerry: Syrian Refugee Crisis Challenges International Community

 

Kerry: Syrian Refugee Crisis Challenges International Community

Secretary Kerry and Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh came to the Zaatari camp, where nearly 120,000 people are living in what has become a small city scraped out of a dry plain 12 kilometers from the Syrian border.

 

Refugees and aid workers say the mindset here has changed with recent military gains by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as people realize that more than two years into this war, being a refugee is not a temporary status.

 

 

Families are beginning to cement their compounds around ornamental¹ fountains.  More than a dozen babies are born each day at a Moroccan hospital in the camp.  Taxis ply² a main paved road known as the Champs Elysees, past some of the more than 3,000 shops and more than 500 food stalls in the camp.

 

But for all the effort to build a sense of normalcy here, Kerry says there is "a searing, unforgettable passion" to which the world must respond.

 

"It underscores the urgency of the international community one, helping³ to take care of these people and relieve the burden. But two, helping to bring an end to this crisis in Syria.  The stories are obviously horrendous⁴.  The life is very, very difficult.  The burdens on Jordan are huge," he said. 

 

Foreign Minister Judeh says Jordan needs more help from the international community.

 

"But at the end of the day this is all the humanitarian⁵ spillover of a political and military crisis that's taking place on Syrian soil just 10 miles away from here.  And I think the end result is a political solution that will end the bloodshed and ensure that these people go back and resume their livelihood," he said. 

 

At $1,000,000 a day, the international community is spending big here, but refugees want more.  They say donors⁶ need to supply better weapons to the Syrian opposition⁷ to help topple President Assad.

 

In a private meeting with refugees, one woman told Kerry, "I think the U.S. as a superpower can change the equation in Syria in 30 minutes after you return to Washington."  Another refugee complained that Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia are giving far more support to President Assad than the international community is giving to the rebellion.

 

Kerry said the United States is doing everything it can "to help Syrians be able to fight for Syria."  But he could not say what that support would be or when it might be delivered, much to the dissatisfaction of Syrian refugees.

 

"They are frustrated⁸ and angry at the world for not stepping in and helping.  And I explained to them I do not think it is as cut and dried and simple as some of them look at it.  But if I were in their shoes, I would be looking for help from wherever I could find it," he said. 

 

Acknowledging divisions within the Syrian opposition, another refugee told Kerry those divisions are no excuse for inaction. "The international community can decide to keep its eyes closed as long as it wants," the refugee said.  "We will return to Syria and we will remember everything."

1 ornamental   

adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物

参考例句：

• The stream was dammed up to form ornamental lakes.溪流用水坝拦挡起来,形成了装饰性的湖泊。
• The ornamental ironwork lends a touch of elegance to the house.铁艺饰件为房子略添雅致。

2 ply   

v.(搬运工等)等候顾客，弯曲

参考例句：

• Taxis licensed to ply for hire at the railway station.许可计程车在火车站候客。
• Ferryboats ply across the English Channel.渡船定期往返于英吉利海峡。

3 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。

4 horrendous   

adj.可怕的，令人惊惧的

参考例句：

• He described it as the most horrendous experience of his life.他形容这是自己一生中最可怕的经历。
• The mining industry in China has a horrendous safety record.中国的煤矿工业具有令人不安的安全记录。

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 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》

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

8 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》