VOA常速英语2014--在苏丹本提乌,恐惧中的平静

 

Calm Amid Fear in Daily Life in S. Sudan’s Bentiu 在苏丹本提乌,恐惧中的平静

BENTIU, SOUTH SUDAN—

Six months ago, Bentiu was a ghost town. The capital of northern Unity¹ State, near South Sudan’s important oil fields, had changed hands several times in fighting between government forces and rebels. Calm returned in November and since then, residents of Bentiu have been trying to regain² some sense of normalcy. Bentiu’s market has reopened there are plans to start school again. But there fear of new attacks remains³.

The small, propeller-driven airplane of the World Food Program leaves Juba, the capital of South Sudan, for the north. The rich and fertile country below could easily sustain itself. But a year ago, when fighting broke out, all development in the then two-year-old country stopped.

世界粮食计划署的这架小型螺旋桨飞机离开南苏丹首都朱巴启程向北。这个丰饶的国家足以自给自足。但1年前爆发的战事将当时这个仅仅2岁的国家的一切发展停滞。

Bentiu has suffered greatly - the town is strategically located near some of South Sudan’s important oil fields. Often a frontline in the battle between the forces of President Salva Kiir and fighters loyal to his former deputy, Riek Machar, there is some recent calm.

本提乌遭受战火波及最为严重，这个城镇地处南苏丹一些重要油田的战略要地附近。而且经常处于总统萨尔瓦·基尔和效忠他的前副手里克·马查尔部队之间的战斗最前线, 但最近终于平静下来。

So life is tentatively returning - with some residents moving back and plans to reopen a school for 150 children.

所以这里迎来了暂时的安宁，一些居民搬回来并且计划为150名儿童重新开放学校。

“So we started to open this school, so that we show that the peace has come, so that the stability has also come to the town,” said Zecharia Bot Tuor, the director for general education in Unity State.

统一州教育主管扎卡利亚·伯特·图奥说道。“所以我们开始重新开放学校,这样我们表明和平已经到来, 这个城镇迎来了稳定。”

A lot of work needs to be done before the opening. Tables and chairs are missing. The walls are tagged with messages from the most recent occupation.

而为了重开学校需要做大量的工作。桌椅失踪。墙上贴满最近占领的消息。

And there is no guarantee that the calm will last. Peace talks are entering a second year without progress save multiple failed cease-fires.

而且也没有保证和平会一直持续。和平谈判已经进入第2个年头，挽救多次失败的停火协议也根本毫无进展。

The regional government here gave VOA permission to film. But streets are dominated by edgy⁴ soldiers who don’t like the camera.

这里的地方政府允许美国之音进行拍摄。但掌管街道的急躁士兵们却不喜欢暴露在镜头下。

Wal Yack Gatkuoth, the acting⁵ governor of Unity State, says he is expecting a new attack any minute.

代理统一州州长沃尔·雅克·加克斯称他预测随时都可能会有新的袭击。

“The last fighting in Bentiu town was on the 29th of October this year. And up to this time, after that attack of Bentiu town and Rubkona, there is no more fighting anymore. And our forces are still remained on the areas where they are. And the forces, of course forces of rebel are still around in the areas of course where they hold,” he said.

“本提乌镇最后的一场战斗发生在今年10月29日。自从那次袭击本提乌和鲁布科纳后再也没有发生过。而我们的军队仍然驻守在这个地区。当然反对派也还在那里。”

The conflict in South Sudan has killed thousands and displaced several million. The WFP is warning that 2.5 million people will face acute hunger next year. Meanwhile, people here try to get back to daily life, but planning for the future is as uncertain as the future of South Sudan itself.

南苏丹的冲突已经造成数千人死亡,数百万人流离失所。世界粮食计划署警告称明年将有250万人面临严重饥饿问题。与此同时,这里的人们试图回归日常生活,但对未来的规划同南苏丹本身的未来一样充满不确定性。

1 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。

2 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 edgy   

adj.不安的；易怒的

参考例句：

• She's been a bit edgy lately,waiting for the exam results.她正在等待考试结果，所以最近有些焦躁不安。
• He was nervous and edgy, still chain-smoking.他紧张不安，还在一根接一根地抽着烟。

5 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。