UNICEF估计大约23万的儿童被运往西非和中非充做童奴

28 UNICEF估计大约23万的儿童被运往西非和中非充做童奴

DATE=5-14-01
TITLE=DEVELOPMENT REPORT - African Child Slaves¹
BYLINE=Jill Moss²

    (start at 1'01")This is the VOA Special English Development Report. 
    The United³ Nations Children's Fund⁴, or UNICEF, estimates⁵ that about two- hundred- thousand children a year is sent to West and Central Africa as slaves.  This problem became a major (1) international news story last month.
   At that time, a (2) Nigerian boat believed to be carrying up to two- hundred- fifty child slaves sailed from Benin. It went missing⁶ after it was turned away from ports in （3）Gabon and Cameroon.  Benin and UNICEF officials searched the boat when it returned to (4) Cotonou two weeks later.  
    However, only forty-three children were found on the ship. Some were with their parents. U-N officials are not sure what happened to the rest of the young passengers. Africa has the highest rate of child labor⁷ in the world.  UNICEF (5) estimates forty-one percent of children between the ages of five and fourteen are put to work.  Girls are the worst affected⁸. They usually work in people's homes. Or they are forced to sell sex as prostitutes.  Boys are usually forced to work on farms or as fishermen.  Often the children work long hours in poor conditions. They receive little or no pay. 
    Most child slaves in Africa come from the (6) continent's poorest countries, such as Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali.  Parents sell their children to traders⁹ for as little as fifteen-dollars.  Parents hope their children will find a better life in a richer country.  Usually, the young people are transported long distances over land and sea to Gabon, Ivory¹⁰ Coast, Nigeria, and （7）Cameroon.  Often the trip can be deadly because the boats may not have enough food and fresh water. 
    West African governments understand the problem and are trying to stop it.  Last year, Mali and (8) Ivory Coast agreed to work together to fight the trade of child slaves between their countries.  They also announced a number of measures to help children who return home.  
    Most West African countries have signed a U-N agreement protecting the rights of children. They have also signed the International Labor Organization's agreement to stop the worst forms of child labor.  Officials say both measures need to be put into effect in order to guarantee that children are protected from slavery¹¹. 
    This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill Moss.

注释：

 

（1） international[ 7intE(:)5nAFEnEl ]adj.国际的, 世界的n.国际性组织, 国际比赛
（2） Nigerian[naI5dVIErIEn]n.尼日利亚人
（3） Gabon [ ^a5b] n. [国名] 加蓬 (位于非洲中西部, 首都利伯维尔)
（4） Cotonou[ kEutE5nu: ]n.科托努(贝宁最大之城市和海港)
（5） estimate[ 5estimeit ]v.估计, 估价
（6） continent[ 5kCntinEnt ]n.大陆, 陆地
（7） Cameroon[ 5kAmEru:n ]n.喀麦隆(非洲西部国家)
（8） ivory[ 5aivEri ]n.象牙

1 slaves   

n.奴隶( slave的名词复数 )；苦工；完全受（某事物）控制的人；完全依赖（某事物）的人v.奴隶般地工作，做苦工( slave的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Slaves were not emancipated until 1863 in the United States. 美国奴隶直到1863年才获得自由。
• fashionistas who are slaves to the latest trends 被潮流牵着鼻子走的赶时髦者

2 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

3 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

4 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

5 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

8 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

9 traders   

n.商人( trader的名词复数 )；经商者；商船；（证券交易中不为他人作代理而自行交易的）交易人

参考例句：

• Beware of dishonest traders in the tourist areas. 在旅游区一定要谨防奸商。
• Many traders went under during the war. 战争时期，许多商人破产。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 ivory   

n.象牙，乳白色；adj.象牙制的，乳白色的

参考例句：

• My grandmother has some jewelry made of ivory.我祖母有一些象牙首饰。
• It is carved from ivory.它是用象牙雕成的。

11 slavery   

n.奴隶的身分，奴隶状态，奴隶制度

参考例句：

• The Americans abolished slavery in 1863.美国于1863年废除奴隶制度。
• He is in a state of virtual slavery.他实际上处于一种被奴役的状态。