VOA常速英语2015--改革难民营能源供给方式或能拯救人民生命

Revolutionizing Power in Refugee Camps Could Save Lives and Money 改革难民营能源供给方式或能拯救人民生命

LONDON—

Millions of dollars and thousands of lives could be saved by overhauling² the way energy is provided to refugee camps, according to a new report. The researchers aim to generate private sector³ interest in bringing new technologies to some of the world’s most desperate people.

The global displacement⁴ of people has reached its highest ever level.  According to the United Nations, 59.5 million people have been forced to leave their homes.

联合国难民署的最新报告显示被迫流离失所者正在显著增加而且已达到5950万人。

Refugee camps are swelling⁵ in size, and the resources to keep them running are often scarce.

难民营正变得拥挤不堪,而且维持这些难民营运作的资源往往十分稀缺。

The newly formed Moving Energy Initiative, a collaboration⁶ between humanitarian⁷ organizations, is calling for an overhaul¹ in the way energy is supplied and used in camps. Glada Lahn is from British policy group Chatham House, which is part of the Initiative.

而人道主义组织间协作新达成的移动能源倡议呼吁全面改革难民营的能源供给及使用方式。英国查塔姆研究所策略组的加拉达?拉恩是此次倡议的提出者之一。

“We believe there is huge opportunity to both improve the lives and livelihoods⁸ of these very vulnerable people and also help to save money over the long term," said Lahn.

“我们相信有很多机会能够改善这些弱势群体的生活和生活,而且有助于长期节省成本。”

The most recent electricity bill for Jordan’s Zaatari camp on the Syrian border came to $8.7 million, forcing the U.N. to cut improvised⁹ connections. But 90 percent of people living in camps have no access to electricity, 80 percent rely on firewood for cooking.

叙利亚边境札塔里难民营最近的一次电费达到了870万美元,联合国不得不为此削减临时连接。但90%的人生活的难民营中没有供电,80%的人需要柴火才能做饭。

“Given more efficient cook stoves and solar lanterns, for instance, there could be a saving we estimated at $323 million per year, which would pay off the initial investment fairly quickly. There are even better solutions, once you start involving solar or solar hybrid¹⁰ mini-grids, other forms of renewable energy," she said.

"考虑到诸如更高效能灶具及太阳能灯估计可能每年会为我们节省3.23亿美元,这将很快偿还最初的花销。一旦你开始使用太阳能或太阳能混合微电网及其他形式的可再生能源就会有更好的解决方案。”

Researchers estimate that 20,000 refugees die prematurely¹¹ every year due to the pollution from indoor fires for cooking.

研究人员估计,每年有20000名难民由于在室内用明火烹饪造成的污染过早死亡。

Gathering¹² the fuel can also be dangerous, especially for women.

而收集木柴也是一项危险工作,尤其对女性而言。

“Women do not want to leave the tent or the hut at nighttime if there is no lighting¹³. If they do, they are at risk of accidents and also attacks. Similarly, we heard so many cases of women and girls leaving the camps to collect firewood and being at risk from rape¹⁴ and other types of attack," said Lahn.

“如果没有照明设备的话在夜间女性不想离开帐篷或小屋。这样做会增加发生事故及遭遇袭击的风险。同样我们也了解到过很多妇女及女孩离开营地捡柴遭遇各种不测的情况。”

Lahn said host countries are often reluctant to provide facilities that appear permanent. But researchers say that using green technologies could save lives and radically¹⁵ improve living standards for the world’s most vulnerable people. 

东道国往往不愿提供永久性的设施。但研究人员表示使用绿色技术可以拯救人们的性命,从根本上改善世界上最脆弱群体的生活水平。

1 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

2 overhauling   

n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越

参考例句：

• I had no chance of overhauling him. 我没有赶上他的可能。 来自辞典例句
• Some sites need little alterations but some need total overhauling. 有些网站需要做出细微修改，而有些网站就需要整体改版。 来自互联网

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

5 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

6 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

7 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。

8 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。

9 improvised   

a.即席而作的,即兴的

参考例句：

• He improvised a song about the football team's victory. 他即席创作了一首足球队胜利之歌。
• We improvised a tent out of two blankets and some long poles. 我们用两条毛毯和几根长竿搭成一个临时帐蓬。

10 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

11 prematurely   

adv.过早地，贸然地

参考例句：

• She was born prematurely with poorly developed lungs. 她早产，肺部未发育健全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His hair was prematurely white, but his busy eyebrows were still jet-black. 他的头发已经白了，不过两道浓眉还是乌黑乌黑的。 来自辞典例句

12 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

13 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

14 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

15 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。