VOA慢速英语2014 美国方面表示:泰国在打击人口贩卖方面做得很失败

 

AS IT IS 2014-06-25 US: Thailand Fails to Fight Human Trafficking 美国方面表示:泰国在打击人口贩卖方面做得很失败

The 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report placed Thailand in a group known as Tier Three.  That is the lowest rating among 23 countries that U.S. officials say are not doing enough to stop modern slavery.

The report tells about the tens of thousands of migrants to Thailand.  Many of these people are forced to work in Thailand’s fishing industry or the sex trade.  The Tier Three listing opens up Thailand and others to possible American sanctions.

The State Department studied 188 countries, including the United States.  The report is aimed at forcing governments to take steps to help the estimated 20 million victims of modern slavery.

Secretary of State John Kerry spoke¹ to reporters in Washington last Friday. He called human trafficking one of the greatest threats to human dignity and freedom.

“It is a call to action to governments and citizens around the world to uncover modern slavery and hold it accountable, to identify the victims, to bring their abusers to justice.  There cannot be impunity² for those who traffic human beings.  It must end.”

U.S. officials noted³ some hopeful news in the report this year.  The State Department named 10 heroes in the effort to stop trafficking.  They include Beatrice Jedy-Agba of Nigeria.  She is the head of Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition⁴ of Trafficking.  Officials praised her efforts to help trafficking victims rejoin Nigerian society.  They also praised her work with other nations to deal with trafficking in Africa.

“I made a connection with those victims that I met, and I thought I’m going to help them through this and I’m going to make sure nobody else has to go through this ever again.”

Secretary of State Kerry said he hopes more people and governments will answer his “call to action” – to fight what he calls the scourge⁵ of modern slavery.   I’m Caty Weaver⁶.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 prohibition   

n.禁止；禁令，禁律

参考例句：

• The prohibition against drunken driving will save many lives.禁止酒后开车将会减少许多死亡事故。
• They voted in favour of the prohibition of smoking in public areas.他们投票赞成禁止在公共场所吸烟。

5 scourge   

n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏

参考例句：

• Smallpox was once the scourge of the world.天花曾是世界的大患。
• The new boss was the scourge of the inefficient.新老板来了以后，不称职的人就遭殃了。

6 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。