世界节假日博览 第121期:国际禁毒日

 June the 26th is International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit¹ Trafficking. It is a day organized by the United Nations to raise awareness² of the dangers of drug abuse and the illegal drug trade. It started in 1988 and has got bigger each year. This seems necessary as the trade in illegal drugs is increasing greatly. The 26th of June was chosen for historical reasons. It was on this day that a Chinese official of the Qing dynasty, Lin Zexu, dismantled³ the opium⁴ trade in Guangdong, China, just before the Opium War started. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan said: "Illicit drugs destroy innumerable individual lives and undermine our societies.” He added the drug trade “remains a major challenge for the international community”.

6月26日为国际禁毒日。由联合国发起，旨在提高人们对毒品以及贩毒的危害意识。国际禁毒日起始于1988年，推广度逐年扩大。随着非法贩毒日益猖獗，宣传国际禁毒势在必行。选择6月26日有历史原因。就在鸦片战争发起之前，清朝大臣林则徐曾在广州虎门销烟。前联合国秘书长科菲·安南称：“无数生命因贩毒葬送，它还会危害社会发展。”他还称贩毒仍是国际社会所面临的重大挑战。”

The United Nations estimates the annual illegal drug trade is worth US$500 billion a year. It leads to considerable problems in most societies around the world. Drugs can destroy families, communities and lives and make people turn to crime. The revenues from drugs help tyrants⁵ stay in power and finance terrorist groups. Billions of dollars a year are spent on trying to catch international drug traffickers, and the drug dealers⁶ that plague our streets. Many countries seem to be fighting a losing battle against the drug gangs. Younger and younger people are using drugs. They are now a huge problem in schools. The UN says nearly 200 million people worldwide are addicted⁷ to drugs.

据联合国预测，每年毒品交易额达5000亿美元。大量问题在全球社会中产生。毒品让家庭破碎，扰乱社区发展，危及人身安全，甚至走上犯罪道路。贩毒收益助独裁者做稳做大，为恐怖分子提供资金支持。每年为打击贩毒分子斥资数十亿美元，贩毒人员遍布街区。许多国家在对抗毒品团伙中败下阵来。吸毒人员年龄向年轻化发展。这是学校面临的重要难题。联合国称全球近2亿人为瘾君子。

1.opium war 鸦片战争

例句：In 1840, the Opium War broke out between Britain and China.

1840年英国和中国发动了鸦片战争。

2.drug trafficker 毒枭

例句：This guy's a heavy-duty drug trafficker.

这家伙可是个大毒枭。

3.drug trade 毒品交易

例句：I have never engaged in the drug trade.

我从未参与过毒品交易。

4.Secretary-General 秘书长

例句：There's been a positive response to the UN Secretary-General's recent peace efforts.

联合国秘书长近期为和平所作出的努力得到了积极的回应。

1 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

2 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。

3 dismantled   

拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消

参考例句：

• The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
• The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。

4 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

5 tyrants   

专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a succession of tyrants. 这个国家接连遭受暴君的统治。
• The people suffered under foreign tyrants. 人民在异族暴君的统治下受苦受难。

6 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

7 addicted   

adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的

参考例句：

• He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。
• She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。