VOA慢速英语--欧洲难民危机或剧烈爆炸

AS IT IS 2016-03-07 Refugee Crisis Could Explode Violently in Europe 欧洲难民危机或剧烈爆炸

Europe could soon explode into uncontrollable and widespread violence because of the refugee crisis.

That warning comes from UNHCR, or the United Nations High Commissioner¹ for Refugees.

The agency reports that 24,000 refugees and migrants in Greece need shelter. This includes about 8,500 people near the border with Macedonia. It says there are shortages of food, shelter and water. It says the areas are unclean.

Vincent Cochetel is the top representative of UNHCR in Europe. He says migrants and refugees fleeing the Balkans are stopped at border crossings. He says they do not understand that they cannot flee to other countries.

Cochtel says those countries must first permit refugees to enter. Not all of the refugees will get permission, he says.

There is “a lot of frustration² building up, which may lead to acts of violence,” he says.

A peaceful protest Monday near the Macedonian border became violent when police used tear gas to force refugees and migrants to move away from a border fence.

Almost 132,000 people have crossed the Mediterranean³ Sea this year. Half of them are women or children. That is more than the number who made the dangerous journey in the first six months of 2015. Almost all of them have landed in Greece.

UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards says the European Union must move forward with the plan it agreed to last year to settle the refugees equally among its 28 members.

“It should concern everyone that despite commitments to relocate 66,400 refugees from Greece, states have so far pledged only 1,539 spaces, and only 325 actual relocations have occurred,” he said.

The UNHCR says Greece must quickly increase its ability to care for the large number of people that are entering the country. And it said the EU member states must work together more closely.

Separately, the American general who commands the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said violent extremists, criminals and foreign fighters are among the refugees who are entering Europe every day.

Air Force General Philip Breedlove spoke⁴ before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

He said terrorists are hiding among the refugees, increasing the possibility of attacks. He said the Islamic State terrorist group is, in his words, “spreading like a cancer,” threatening Europe and the United States.

He said the Russian and Syrian governments are using migration⁵ to weaken Europe. He said Syrian attacks on its civilians⁶ are a way to force them to flee and become a problem for other countries.

Breedlove said forcing people to flee to Europe helps Russia meet its goal of using nonmilitary efforts to weaken NATO and the European Union.

Words in This Story

frustration – n. a feeling of anger or annoyance⁷ caused by being unable to do something; the state of being frustrated⁸

tear gas – n. a gas that makes people unable to see by causing their eyes to be filled with tears and that is used especially by the police or military to move, control or separate large groups of people

1 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

2 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

3 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

4 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。

5 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

8 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》