VOA常速英语2017--4月4日:国际提高地雷意识和协助地雷行动日

For people living in former conflict zones, war may not end for years after the last shot has been fired and the peace agreement is signed. For example, landmines² and unexploded munitions³, remnants of the war between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the Colombian government, stand in the way of post-accord stabilization⁴ and reconstruction⁵, and inhibit⁶ long-term development.

对于居住在此前是纷争地带的人们来说，战争并不会因为最后一枪的打响和和平协议的签订而结束。比如，哥伦比亚革命武装力量(Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia)与哥伦比亚政府争战留下的地雷、未燃爆的军火、战争残留物就阻碍了协议签订后的稳定与重建，阻碍了长期发展。

They render millions of hectares of land unusable, preventing farmers from tending their fields and herders from pasturing their cattle. In too many countries, ordinary travel is dangerous because roads are lined with minefields and a misstep could cost a passerby⁷ his or her life. Everyday activities like gathering⁸ wood or forest fruits, hauling produce to the market, or even taking a short-cut through the fields are fraught⁹ with danger. Too many children have lost their lives and limbs chasing a stray soccer ball into a mine field.

这些战争残留物让数千万公顷土地无法使用，农民们无法耕耘土地，放牧者无法牧牛。在很多国家，普通的旅行都十分危险，因为很多路面下埋有地雷。一失足可能就让一位游客失去性命。日常活动，比如收集木头和野果、拉农产品去集市上卖，甚至在田野里抄近路都充满危险。太多孩子在追逐跑丢的足球时误入雷区，导致丧命或残疾。

That is why every April 4th, we observe the United Nations' International Day for Mine Awareness¹⁰ and Assistance in Mine Action. The observance is meant to not only remind us that danger lingers long after the conflict is done, but also to detail all the steps taken by the international community to eliminate the threat of landmines and explosive remnants of war.

这就是每年4月4日我们纪念联合国国际提高地雷意识和协助地雷行动日(International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action)的原因。这个纪念日不仅是要提醒我们危险在冲突结束后依然存在，也将国际社会所采取的所有措施具体化，这些措施都是为了减轻战争残留的地雷和燃爆性军火的威胁。

“The United States is working closely with the international community to address this serious humanitarian¹¹ challenge which puts innocent people, including many children, at risk,” said State Department Acting¹² Spokesperson Mark Toner.

“美国正与国际社会密切合作，解决这一严重的人道主义挑战，该挑战将很多无辜的人们置于危险之中，这其中不乏孩子，”国务院代理发言人马克说。

Since 1993, the United States has provided over 2.8 billion dollars in assistance for conventional weapons destruction programs in some 95 countries. “These programs produce tangible¹³, measurable, positive results by providing the expertise¹⁴ and equipment to safely clear landmines and other unexploded ordnance¹⁵, and to assist landmine¹ accident survivors¹⁶ with rehabilitation¹⁷ and reintegration,” said Spokesperson Toner.

自1993年以来，美国已提供了28多亿美元，援助近95个国家毁灭常规武器的项目。“这些项目成果丰硕实在，影响积极，提供了专家技术和设备，以安全排雷，并为踩雷事件的幸存者提供康复支持，”马克说道。

“Secretary of State Rex Tillerson underlined the essential role that demining plays in stabilization in Iraq and Syria, as civilians¹⁸ seek to return home to areas liberated¹⁹ from ISIS,” he said.

“国务卿蒂勒森强调了排雷对伊拉克和叙利亚稳定的重要作用，因为很多（伊拉克和叙利亚）百姓正想办法返回脱离IS控制的家园，”蒂勒森说。

“On this day of mine awareness, we urge other nations to join us in a robust²⁰ international partnership²¹ with the shared goal of reducing the impact of landmines around the world.”

“值此提高排雷意识的纪念日，我们敦促其他国家加入到我们这个强大的国际伙伴关系中，致力于减少全球地雷威胁的共同目标。”

1 landmine   

n.地雷

参考例句：

• A landmine is a kind of weapon used in war.地雷是一种运用于战争的武器。
• The treaty bans the use,production and trade of landmine.那条约禁止使用生产和交易雷。

2 landmines   

潜在的冲突； 地雷，投伞水雷( landmine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The treaty bans the use production and trade of landmines. 该条约规定，禁止使用地雷相关产品及贸易。
• One of the weapon's of special concern was landmines. 在引起人们特别关注的武器中就有地雷。

3 munitions   

n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品

参考例句：

• The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets.军队用精确瞄准的枪炮炸掉敌方目标。
• He rose [made a career for himself] by dealing in munitions.他是靠贩卖军火发迹的。

4 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

5 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

6 inhibit   

vt.阻止，妨碍，抑制

参考例句：

• Don't let ego and greed inhibit clear thinking and hard work.不要让自我和贪婪妨碍清晰的思维和刻苦的工作。
• They passed a law to inhibit people from parking in the street.他们通过一项法令以阻止人们在街上停车。

7 passerby   

n.过路人，行人

参考例句：

• We had our photo taken by a passerby.我们请了一个路人为我们照相。
• A passerby heard her screams and rushed to her aid.一个过路人听见她的尖叫，便冲过去帮助她。

8 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。

9 fraught   

adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的

参考例句：

• The coming months will be fraught with fateful decisions.未来数月将充满重大的决定。
• There's no need to look so fraught!用不着那么愁眉苦脸的！

10 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

11 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。

12 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

13 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

14 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

15 ordnance   

n.大炮，军械

参考例句：

• She worked in an ordnance factory during the war.战争期间她在一家兵工厂工作。
• Shoes and clothing for the army were scarce,ordnance supplies and drugs were scarcer.军队很缺鞋和衣服，武器供应和药品就更少了。

16 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

17 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

18 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。

19 liberated   

a.无拘束的，放纵的

参考例句：

• The city was liberated by the advancing army. 军队向前挺进，解放了那座城市。
• The heat brings about a chemical reaction, and oxygen is liberated. 热量引起化学反应，释放出氧气。

20 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

21 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。