2007年VOA标准英语-Mauritania, Spain in Dispute Over Pakistani Mig

By Jordan Davis
Dakar
05 February 2007

African immigrants arrive in a fishing boat carrying 60 to the port of Los Cristianos, in the Canary island of Tenerife, Spain, 1 Feb 2007

Mauritania says it is denying landing rights to a disabled boat carrying an estimated 200 migrants, who were hoping to reach Spain's Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa. Jordan Davis reports from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar.

The fate of the migrants, who are believed to be Pakistanis, has been in question since Saturday, when a Spanish rescue ship intercepted¹ the boat, and attempted to bring it to the northern Mauritanian port, Nouadhibou.

Mauritanian officials refused to allow the migrants ashore², saying the boat originated from a country further south.

Mauritanian journalist Salem Bokari says the interpretation³ of a repatriation⁴ agreement has been at issue.

"There is an agreement with Mauritania and Spain, but only regarding the migrants who leave Mauritanian ports," said Bokari.

Spanish officials said Mauritania was obliged to accept the migrants' boat because it was in distress⁵.

The European Union stepped up joint⁶ patrols of the Senegalese and Mauritanian coastlines in recent months to catch would-be migrants at sea.

Tens-of-thousands of migrants have embarked⁷ on the sea journey up the coast of Africa to Spain's Canary Islands during the past year, hoping to slip into the European Union. More than 31,000 reached the islands last year.

Many of them are from African countries, but some Asian immigrants also attempt to make the crossing.

The trip can be dangerous. Migrants make the trip in wooden fishing boats, and risk dying from hunger, dehydration⁸ or falling overboard in high seas.

1 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

2 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

3 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

4 repatriation   

n.遣送回国，归国

参考例句：

• The Volrep programme is the preferred means of repatriation. 政府认为自愿遣返计划的遣返方法较为可取。 来自互联网
• Arrange the cargo claiming and maritime affairs,crews repatriation,medical treatment,traveling so on. （六）洽办货物理赔，船舶海事处理，办理船员遣返，就医，旅游等。 来自互联网

5 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

8 dehydration   

n.脱水，干燥

参考例句：

• He died from severe dehydration.他死于严重脱水。
• The eyes are often retracted from dehydration.眼睛常因脱水而凹陷。