VOA标准英语2008年-Cuban-Americans Readying Relief Effort for Cuba

Cuban-Americans in Miami, Florida are collecting donations and aid supplies for people in Cuba who have been affected¹ by Hurricane Ike and other recent storms. VOA's Brian Wagner reports that community leaders are asking U.S. and Cuban officials to relax restrictions² between the countries to facilitate the relief efforts.
　
Cubans in flooded town hit by Hurricane Ike

Cuban-Americans are boxing up canned food and other supplies, and some Miami churches are setting aside space for donations to be sent to hurricane survivors³ in Cuba in coming days. News reports about damage from Hurricane Ike this week indicate the storm may have been one of the worst to hit the island in recent years.

The relief effort by Miami's Cuban community is a common response to hurricane damage on the Communist-ruled island. This time, however, Cuban exiles are against U.S. restrictions that limit Cuban-Americans to sending only $300 to family members in Cuba every three months.

In response to the hurricane, the Cuban American National Foundation has reached an agreement with U.S. officials to temporarily relax the limits, enabling families to send up to one thousand dollars.

Foundation Chairman Jorge Mas Santos says the group is helping⁴ to process wire transfers of up to $250,000 during the next three months. "We have an agreement with Western Union who has assured us the money will be delivered directly to family members in Cuba within the next 24 hours. It is our hope that in the next 48-to-72 hours, we can provide $100 to 1,000 families," he said.

Some relief groups say Cuba's government has confiscated⁵ relief supplies arriving on the island following disasters in the past. Mas Santos says that cash, unlike supplies, has a much better chance of getting directly into the hands of Cuban families. He says any increase in cash remittances⁶ will have a positive impact in Cuba. "I think that you unleash⁷ the power not only of tens-of-thousands of Cuban-Americans, but of millions of dollars that can go to the island directly without having to go through the regime, the government or NGOs [i.e., non-governmental organizations]," he said.

The U.S. State Department has announced $100,000 in aid for non-governmental organizations to assist Cubans affected by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav. Officials also are taking applications from groups seeking to provide up to $10 million in immediate⁸ humanitarian⁹ aid.

The Miami-based organization, Democracy Movement is hoping to receive permission from Havana to begin ferrying donated supplies by boat and airplane into Cuba. The group already is preparing to accept donations of canned food, baby bottles, school supplies and clothing at a Miami warehouse¹⁰.

Democracy Movement leader Ramon Saul Sanchez says his group needs permission from Cuba's government to deliver the supplies.

Sanchez says he wants to see Cuba's government open up to outside assistance, especially from Cuban-Americans who want only to help their families and fellow Cubans.

Sanchez says very few international aid groups have licenses¹¹ to bring relief supplies into Cuba. He says if Cuba's government rejects their request, they may transfer the donations to other licensed¹² groups to deliver to hurricane survivors.

 

1 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。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 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

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 confiscated   

没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Their land was confiscated after the war. 他们的土地在战后被没收。
• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。

6 remittances   

n.汇寄( remittance的名词复数 )；汇款，汇款额

参考例句：

• He sends regular remittances to his parents. 他定期汇款给他父母。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Remittances sometimes account for as much as 20% of GDP. 在这些国家中，此类汇款有时会占到GDP的20%之多。 来自互联网

7 unleash   

vt.发泄，发出；解带子放开

参考例句：

• They hope to create allies to unleash against diseases,pests,and invasive species.他们希望创造出一些新群体来对付疾病、害虫和一些有侵害性的物种。
• Changing water levels now at times unleash a miasma of disease from exposed sewage.如今，大坝不时地改变水位，从暴露的污水释放出了疾病瘴气。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 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。

10 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

11 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

12 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？