新西兰英语 792 Breakfast in Schools

 　　Last week, the Prime¹ Minister, John Key, said that the government would give some money for free breakfasts in some schools. Already Sanitarium provides Weetbix and Fonterra provides milk for breakfast in some schools twice a week. Now there will be some extra money to provide free breakfast five mornings a week in schools where children often come to school hungry. Low decile schools – decile 1 to 4 – can apply for this if they want it. Decile means 10% and decile 1 schools are those schools where parents’ income is in the lowest 10% range.

　　A charity, Kids Can, also provides lunches, raincoats, shoes and socks to children in 279 schools. Many businesses and individuals donate money to help. The money now helps 4,500 children.

　　It is shocking² that our country has many poor children who do not have enough food. The OECD, which compares 34 developed countries in the world, believes that as many as 25% of all New Zealand children – about 270,000 – live in poverty. More are Maori and Pacific Island children.

　　The report on Child Poverty from the Child Commissioner³ last December makes 78 recommendations⁵ to help poor families. One recommendation⁴ was to provide free food in schools for children who need it.

　　Vocabulary

　　?provide – give, supply

　　?decile – 10% (what other words begin with dec and mean 10?)

　　?range – amount

　　?donate – give money

　　?charity – an organization which helps people who need help e.g. poor people

　　?shocking – terrible, really bad

　　?OECD – Organisation⁶ for Economic Cooperation and Development

　　?poverty (n) – being poor

　　?Child Commissioner – a person whose job is to look after the rights of children, especially in education and health

　　?recommendations – strong suggestions

1 prime   

adj.首要的，主要的；最好的，第一流的

参考例句：

• The prime minister spoke of the general insecurity in the country.总理谈到了全国普遍存在的不安全。
• He met with the Prime Minister of Japan for an hour.他和日本首相会见了一个小时。

2 shocking   

adj.令人气愤的；令人震惊的

参考例句：

• His attitude was shocking to her.他的态度令她感到震惊。
• Such behaviour is really shocking.这种行为真不像话。

3 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

4 recommendation   

n.推荐（信）建议，优点，长处

参考例句：

• I wrote him a good recommendation.我为他写了一封很好的推荐信。
• This method deserves recommendation.这种做法值得提倡。

5 recommendations   

n.推荐( recommendation的名词复数 )；推荐信；正式建议；提议

参考例句：

• The board completely disregarded my recommendations. 董事会完全无视我的建议。
• Recommendations from two previous clients helped to establish her credibility. 两位以前的客户的推荐有助于确立她的诚信度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。