VOA标准英语2010年-Haiti Marks 6 Months Since Devastating

People sit in the Corail-Cesselesse camp for earthquake displaced people on outskirts¹ of Port-au-Prince, Haiti (file photo)

 

Haiti is marking six months since the powerful earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people and left Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas in ruins.

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake on January 12 left some 1.5 million others homeless. 

Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and former U.S. President Bill Clinton say millions of Haitians still lack access to basic services such as shelter, water, sanitation² and health care.

In an opinion piece in The New York Times, they say progress has been made, but that all involved in Haiti's recovery must do better.

Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bellerive, who are the co-chairs of the Interim³ Haiti Reconstruction⁴ Commission, say that so far only 10 percent of the $5.3 billion pledged by governments to Haiti has been disbursed⁵ to the Haitian government.

 

1 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

2 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

3 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

4 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

5 disbursed   

v.支出，付出( disburse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In the 2000—2008 school year, $426.5 million was disbursed to 349085 students. 2000至2008学年，共有349085名学生获发津贴，总额达4.265亿元。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bank has disbursed over $350m for the project. 银行已经为这个项目支付了超过3.5亿美元。 来自辞典例句