VOA标准英语2014--叙利亚难民做好在黎巴嫩度过严冬的准备

 

Syrian Refugees Brace¹ for Harsh Lebanese Winter 叙利亚难民做好在黎巴嫩度过严冬的准备

ZAHLE, LEBANON— 

As winter approaches, analysts² say the Lebanese-Syrian border region is at risk, with Islamic State and al-Nusra fighters camped in the mountains.

Most of Lebanon’s more than one-million Syrian refugees live in the Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border, crowding into shantytowns on farmlands or in empty lots.

For them, more frightening than another onslaught of Islamist militants³ trying to expand their so-called caliphate is the coming cold.

Last weekend in Tripoli, militants battled Lebanese troops in the worst fighting since August, when the Lebanese border town of Arsal briefly⁴ feel to al-Nusra and Islamic State fighters.

But at this camp for displaced persons in Zahle, some 90 miles southwest of Tripoli, concerns about adequate building supplies trump⁵ worries about more border clashes.

As aid workers distribute construction materials to help families fortify⁶ their homes, Mohammad al-Sheik says the new boards and tarps may not be enough to protect his eight children.

Last year there was roughly a half meter of snow in the area, he said, and he worries the roofs of the flimsy houses, mostly of which they built themselves, will collapse⁷.

Aid workers say they are trying to supply as many people as possible, but as fighting in Syria worsens, refugees cross the border in ever-greater numbers, straining already limited resources.

“The number of refugees is huge and increases day by day in Lebanon," said Hiba Fares of Medair, one of many international organizations trying to mitigate⁸ what U.N. officials have deemed the era's largest humanitarian⁹ emergency.

"So we are always are in need for more donations," she said. "As you noticed, we try to distribute to as many families with the kits¹⁰ we have, but there is always a bit of shortage because suddenly we bump into newcomers.”

Families say their biggest fear this winter is not being able to afford medicine if the children get sick.

Basha Hassein, al-Sheik’s wife, says most families here don’t have heaters, and those that do often can't afford to fuel them.

As men, women and children haul wood planks¹¹ to their homes and children climb on roofs to lay more plastic sheeting, some women say the humiliation¹² of living in tents in the dirt is worse than enduring harsh weather or scarce food.

And while security concerns are always present, children in this camp say their main fear is that aid workers won’t bring enough blankets before the snow begins to fall.

1 brace   

n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备

参考例句：

• My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。
• You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

5 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

6 fortify   

v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化

参考例句：

• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
• This treaty forbade the United States to fortify the canal.此条约禁止美国对运河设防。

7 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

8 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

9 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。

10 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

11 planks   

（厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点

参考例句：

• The house was built solidly of rough wooden planks. 这房子是用粗木板牢固地建造的。
• We sawed the log into planks. 我们把木头锯成了木板。

12 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。