VOA标准英语2015--南苏丹面临饥饿威胁

South Sudan Faces Growing Hunger 南苏丹面临饥饿威胁

It’s now estimated that 40-percent of South Sudan’s population – or 4.6 million people – now face acute hunger in the next three months. The World Food Program warned food insecurity is growing worse both in conflict and non-conflict areas.

The WFP said hunger is reaching record levels in South Sudan. Spokesman George Fominyen explained a combination of problems is to blame.

“South Sudan is facing the worst levels of food insecurity the young country has faced since independence because of conflict, high food prices and a worsening economic crisis.”

The warning follows the release of the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis. The IPC is a scale that weighs food security, nutrition and livelihood¹ data to determine the severity of a food crisis. It was first developed for Somalia.

It said that “unrelenting conflict and the onset² of the lean season” – when food needs are the highest – “are intensifying³ alarming levels of hunger” in much of the country.

“The latest analysis shows that the bulk of these people, who are facing these high levels of food insecurity, are in the conflict-affected states of the greater Upper Nile. We’re talking about Unity⁴, Upper Nile State and Jonglei State,” said Fominyen.

Conflict is also making food insecurity worse in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap States.

Aid agencies are using air drops, boats, food distributions and cash vouchers⁵ to try to deal with the situation.

He said, “The World Food Program and its partners have been working flat out for months now trying to ensure that we can provide food assistance to those who are in need and we are continuing in this way. In the conflict-affected areas we’ve been ensuring a regular supply of life saving food assistance through our rapid response missions, in particular.”

Fominyen said, despite the efforts, humanitarian⁶ workers are having a harder time reaching those in need.

“The renewed hostilities⁷ and the increased insecurity and intensifying harassment⁸ of humanitarian workers means that we’re facing, what we call, shrinking humanitarian space available for us to work.”

The World Food Program said it’s facing a $230 million shortfall over the next six months. But even if the money is received, can aid agencies overcome the obstacles they face?

“That’s a very good question because South Sudan is a very challenging area for humanitarian operations. Because of infrastructure⁹ difficulties, which we face, the logistics operation here is quite heavy. If we don’t have money in good time, we will not be able to procure¹⁰ in time. And once you’re not able to procure in time it becomes even much more complicated to move the food into the country,” said the WFP spokesman.

He said the rainy season has begun and in the coming months many parts of the country will become inaccessible¹¹ by road. Transporting supplies by truck is the cheapest method. Air drops are most expensive.

Fominyen added that a return to peace is essential not only for humanitarian operations, but for people to return to their livelihoods¹².

1 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。

2 onset   

n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始

参考例句：

• The drug must be taken from the onset of the infection.这种药必须在感染的最初期就开始服用。
• Our troops withstood the onset of the enemy.我们的部队抵挡住了敌人的进攻。

3 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

4 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

5 vouchers   

n.凭证( voucher的名词复数 )；证人；证件；收据

参考例句：

• These vouchers are redeemable against any future purchase. 这些优惠券将来购物均可使用。
• This time we were given free vouchers to spend the night in a nearby hotel. 这一次我们得到了在附近一家旅馆入住的免费券。 来自英语晨读30分（高二）

6 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。

7 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

8 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

9 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

10 procure   

vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条

参考例句：

• Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？
• I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。

11 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

12 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。