VOA慢速英语2015 东南亚海盗袭击增加

AS IT IS 2015-04-22 Pirate Attacks Increase in Southeast Asia 东南亚海盗袭击增加

Pirates off the coast of Somalia made big news a few years ago. But the waters of the West Indian Ocean are not the world’s most dangerous for pirate attacks right now. The most dangerous seas are those of Southeast Asia. 

The International Maritime¹ Bureau released a report on sea pirates this week. The IMB says more than half of all sea pirate attacks since the beginning of 2015 have been in Southeast Asia.

Pottengal Mukundan is the director of the IMB. He tells VOA that armed pirates attack small oil ships in the area about every two weeks.

"It is a disturbing trend because if firm action is not taken then we expect that the violence will increase and the pirates will get a little more audacious in the kind of targets that they will look for."

The IMB director says the small tankers² moving slowly along Southeast Asian coasts are also vulnerable because they sit low in the water.

"The hijackers approach the vessel³ in very fast skiffs. They take over the ship and then they siphon or steal part of the cargo⁴ on board - usually marine⁵ gas oil, diesel⁶ oil, that kind of product which can be very quickly disposed of locally."

Vietnam sees a rise in pirate attacks

Almost 40 percent of pirate attacks this year have been off the coast of Indonesia.

But armed robbery attacks are increasing around Vietnam. In the last three months, Vietnamese officials have reported eight incidents. Pirates are breaking into ships stopped in and around Haiphong and Vung Tau.

Pirates are leaving Somalia alone

In contrast, no incidents have been reported this year in Somalia. The last reported hijacking⁷ in those waters was in May 2012.

Officials say pirates are not attacking Somalia for several reasons. The country now has a functioning government, a multi-national naval⁸ patrol and anti-piracy measures, including onboard armed guards.

But Pottengal Mukundan of the IMB warns it would be very easy for the situation to return to the bad old days.

"All it takes is one successful hijacking and suddenly people will get interested once more in this criminal activity. So we've got to be watchful⁹, the ships have got to be vigilant¹⁰ and we need the navies there."

Words in This Story

audacious – adj. very confident, very bold and shocking

skiffs – n. small, light boats usually for only one person

siphon – n. a bent¹¹ tube used to move a liquid from one container into another container by means of air pressure

vigilant – adj. keeping careful watch for possible danger

1 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

2 tankers   

运送大量液体或气体的轮船[卡车]( tanker的名词复数 )； 油轮； 罐车； 油槽车

参考例句：

• They should stop offloading waste from oil tankers into the sea. 他们应当停止从油轮上往海里倾倒废弃物。
• The harbour admits large tankers and freighters. 这个港口容得下巨型油船和货轮。

3 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

4 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

5 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

6 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

7 hijacking   

n. 劫持, 抢劫 动词hijack的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• I have been told about the hijacking . 我已听说了那次劫机事件。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语
• They are taking measures to guarantee against the occurrence of hijacking. 他们正采取措施防止劫机事件的发生。

8 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

9 watchful   

adj.注意的，警惕的

参考例句：

• The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
• It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

10 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

11 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。