VOA标准英语2008年-International Aid Pledged for Burma Cyclone Rel

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
06 May 2008

The international community is pledging emergency aid for Burma, following the devastating¹ cyclone² that has killed thousands of people. But the speed of the assistance reaching those who desperately³ need it may be delayed by a military government wary⁴ of outsiders, even in times of disaster. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman reports from New Delhi.

 

India has dispatched two naval⁵ ships with food, tents, blankets and medicine to help people in regions of Burma devastated⁶ by Cyclone Nargis.

The European Union is pledging $3 million in humanitarian⁷ aid, and Chinese President Hu Jintao is promising⁸ $1 million cash and relief supplies.

 

The United States, which is among the countries with economic sanctions on Burma, is making $250,000 available from an existing emergency fund at its embassy in Rangoon. But the U.S. State Department says it has been informed that an American assessment⁹ team will not be allowed in the country.

Thailand and Bangladesh say they will donate building supplies.

 

Burma's hard-line military government, while welcoming outside assistance, has told aid agencies that relief workers will still need visas to enter the country.

 

The United Nations says it is asking Burmese officials to relax the requirement so that assistance can quickly reach those needing medical aid, food, and shelter.

 

Spokesman Matthew Cochrane of the International Committee of the Red Cross says thousands of Burmese Red Cross workers are fanning out into the Irawaddy River delta¹⁰, the region hardest hit by last Friday's storm.

 

"We're already out there distributing some preliminary and essential relief items - mosquito nets, tarpaulins¹¹, water purification tablets, for example," said Cochrane. "But obviously it is something that is going to need to increase dramatically in the coming days."

 

The Red Cross official calls the level of devastation¹² monumental, comparing it to the earthquake and tsunami¹³ that hit South Asia in December 2004.

 

"It is important that the international community really come to the party at this, because this is a massive disaster and it is going to require significant assistance," said Cochrane.  "And we are looking, at the moment, we think upwards¹⁴ of a million people have been affected¹⁵ by this disaster."

Burma receives only a few dollars per capita of international aid. That is a result of the outside sanctions imposed more than a decade ago and Burmese government restrictions¹⁶ that hinder international aid organizations desiring to assist Burma, one of Asia's poorest countries.

1 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

2 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

3 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

4 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

5 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。

6 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

7 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。

8 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

9 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

10 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

11 tarpaulins   

n.防水帆布，防水帆布罩( tarpaulin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Main wood to aluminum and plexiglass, PC, tarpaulins, toughened glass. 主材以铝型材与进口有机玻璃、PC、防水布、钢化玻璃。 来自互联网
• That means providing tents or other materials, including plastic sheeting, tarpaulins and wood. 这意味着需要帐篷和其他物资，包括塑料布、放水油布和木材。 来自互联网

12 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

14 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

15 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。

16 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