VOA常速英语201116--也门内战升级

也门内战升级

Eighteen months ago, a conflict between Yemen's elected Sunni government and the Houthi opposition¹, allied² with elements loyal to the country's former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, escalated³ into a civil war. Subsequently, at the request of the elected Yemeni government, a coalition⁴ led by Saudi Arabia launched military air strikes against the Houthi rebels.

18个月前，也门当选的逊尼派当局与集合了效忠前总统盟友的反对党什叶派之间冲突再起，升级为也门内战。随后，应逊尼派当局的要求，沙特阿拉伯领导的一支盟军对什叶派发起了空袭。

And, as is usual in armed conflict, it is the civilian⁵ population that suffers the most. Since the conflict broke out in March of last year, some 6500 people have been killed, about half of them civilians⁶. At the same time, more than 3.1 million Yemenis have been displaced and more than 80 percent of the country—or 21 million people—are in need of humanitarian⁷ assistance.

无异于任何空袭行动，深受其害的依然是平民百姓。自去年3月冲突首次暴发以来，近6500人惨遭丧命，其中近半数为平民百姓。此外，还有310万也门人民流离失所，也门80%的人口——近2100万人，亟需人道主义援助。

The numbers don't begin to capture the true depth of the tragedy, but they are nevertheless staggering, said Secretary of State John Kerry at a recent press conference. “Food shortages have driven prices up 60 percent since last March, and they have brought the country to the brink⁸ of famine.”

对此，美国国务卿约翰在一次新闻发布会上如是说道，“这些数字虽不能完全反映也门悲剧的真实情况，数量之大，却已十分惊人。自去年三月以来，由于食物紧缺，物价已上涨60%，致使也门全国迫近饥荒状态”。

The Yemeni people need help and they need it now. But unfortunately, donations are slow in coming, said Secretary of State Kerry. “To date, the international response to this crisis has fallen short of filling the gap between the supplies that are available and those that are required.”

约翰还表示，“也门人民需要帮助，就是现在、此时、此刻。但不幸的是，捐助来得很慢。目前为止，国际社会对也门此次饥荒危机的回应远远不能弥补也门目前供不应求的状况”。

To help fill that gap, the United States, already the largest donor⁹ of aid to Yemen, will contribute another $189 million in urgently needed humanitarian assistance. The new funding will go toward additional food and nutrition assistance, emergency health care, hygiene¹⁰ kits¹¹ and psychosocial support. It will also help improve access to drinking water and sanitation¹². Some of the money will also go toward providing food and shelter for Yemeni refugees in the Horn of Africa.

为了弥合供求差距，已然身为也门最大捐献国的美观，将再次捐献1.89亿美元作为亟需的人道主义援助。这笔新援助资金将用于额外的食物营养补给、紧急治疗、医药箱、心理支持。同时也将用于为也门人民提供水源和卫生环境。还有一部分资金将用于为非洲之角的也门难民提供食物和避难所。

 

We strongly urge other countries in and outside the region to expand their contributions as well, said Secretary of State Kerry. “Every party has an obligation to allow the unfettered flow of humanitarian assistance to Yemenis in all parts of the country. That is necessary to save lives, and it is also mandated¹³ under international law, and it is the right thing to do.”

约翰说道，“我们强烈敦促其他国家和地区也向也门伸出援助之手。任何一方政党都有义务为人道主义援助开路，送往也门各地。这对挽救生命很重要，也是法律规定的正确之事”。

1 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。

2 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

3 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 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。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

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 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

9 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

10 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

11 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

12 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。

13 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。