VOA常速英语2020--美国在南苏丹面临另一场危机之际出手相助

Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

以下是一篇反映美国政府政策立场的社论。

According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, or FEWS NET, managed by USAID, South Sudan finds itself in yet another multi-pronged crisis. The scale and severity of acute food insecurity in South Sudan through January 2021 will remain the highest recorded since 2014. Devastating¹ weather conditions and economic instability are part of the problem, but so is violent conflict. According to the World Food Program, widespread flooding just before the annual harvest period, has washed away fields and killed livestock², worsening an already fragile situation, and causing hunger, malnutrition³, and displacement⁴. Children under the age of 5 are particularly hard hit. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic and necessary preventive measures are exacerbating⁵ the already dire⁶ humanitarian⁷ crisis and straining the fragile health care system. As a result, some 7.5 million people now need humanitarian assistance in South Sudan.

根据美国国际开发署管理的“饥荒早期预警系统网络”(FEWS NET)，南苏丹发现自己又陷入一场多方面危机。直到2021年1月，南苏丹的粮食将严重缺乏保障，其规模和严重程度是2014年以来的最高纪录。造成这一问题的部分原因是破坏性的天气状况和经济动荡，也包括暴力冲突。根据世界粮食计划署的信息，就在年度丰收期到来之前，大面积的洪水冲毁农田，淹死牲畜，恶化了本就已脆弱的局势，并导致饥饿、营养不良和流离失所。五岁以下儿童受到的打击尤其严重。与此同时，新冠肺炎疫情和必要的防范措施，加剧了本已严峻的人道主义危机，让脆弱的医疗系统不堪重负。因此，目前南苏丹大约750万人需要人道援助。

On September 24, the United States announced nearly 108 million dollars in humanitarian assistance for the people of South Sudan, including those South Sudanese in neighboring countries, at the U.S.-hosted UN General Assembly High-Level Event, “A Dialogue with the World’s Top Ten Donors⁸ on Global Humanitarian Needs.” “U.S. humanitarian assistance provides emergency food assistance, health care services, access to safe drinking water and sanitation¹⁰, and assistance to survivors¹¹ of gender-based violence in South Sudan,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a written statement. “U.S. humanitarian assistance also provides life-saving activities to the nearly 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries, most of whom are women and children, and to local host communities sheltering refugees.” The United States also provides support for the UN Humanitarian Air Service to transport humanitarian workers and relief supplies across Sudan, as well as the operations of a network of nearly 30 non-governmental organizations. “The United States remains¹² the largest single donor⁹ of humanitarian assistance, both in South Sudan and globally,” said Secretary Pompeo. “We will continue to be a catalyst¹³ for the international response to alleviate¹⁴ the suffering of the people of South Sudan. “We appreciate contributions from donors to date but recognize the significant needs that remain and call on current and new donors to make new contributions or to fulfill¹⁵ existing pledges to make this life saving assistance possible.”

9月24日，美国宣布提供将近1.08亿美元的人道援助，帮助南苏丹人民，包括那些在周边国家的南苏丹人，在美国主办的联合国大会高层活动“就全球人道需求与世界十大捐助国对话”期间。“美国的人道援助提供紧急粮食援助、医疗服务、获取安全饮用水和卫生设施的途径，以及对南苏丹基于性别的暴力行径受害者提供援助。”美国国务卿蓬佩奥在书面声明中表示。“美国的人道援助还向邻国近220万南苏丹难民（其中多数是妇女和儿童）以及收容难民的当地收容社区提供救生活动。”美国还向联合国人道主义空运处提供支持，帮助在苏丹各地运送人道工作者和救援物资，并向一个由约30个非政府组织组成的网络的运作提供支持。“美国仍然是南苏丹和全球最大的人道主义援助捐助国，” 蓬佩奥国务卿说，“我们将继续作为国际响应的催化剂，减轻南苏丹人民的痛苦。”“我们感谢迄今为止所有捐助方给予的捐助，但是也认识到仍存在巨大的需求，我们呼吁现有和新的捐助方提供新的捐助，或履行现有的承诺，使这项拯救生命的援助成为可能。”

That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

这是一篇反映美国政府政策立场的社论。

1 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

2 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

3 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

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 exacerbating   

v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• This pedagogical understretch is exacerbating social inequalities. 这种教学张力不足加重了社会不平等。 来自互联网
• High fertilizer prices are exacerbating the problem. 高涨的肥料价格更加加剧了问题的恶化。 来自互联网

6 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

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 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 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。

11 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

12 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。

13 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

14 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

15 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。