VOA常速英语2016--红十字会为加沙农民分发杏树

红十字会为加沙农民分发杏树

The Red Cross began the distribution of trees Wednesday in an effort to help farmers rebuild orchards¹ destroyed in fighting with Israel.

为了帮助农民重建在同以色列战斗中遭到破坏的果园，星期三红十字会开始为他们分发树木。

"We are distributing 4,000 almond trees of five different varieties to a lot of farmers in this area."

“我们正将5个不同品种的4000株杏树分发到这一地区的很多农民手中。”

Fifty years ago, agriculture accounted for more than half of the Palestinian gross domestic product.

50年前,农业曾占巴勒斯坦国内生产总值(GDP)的一半以上。

After decades of fighting, it now represents about 5 percent.

而经过几十年的战事,农业现在只占约5%。

Much of the farming land along the border with Israel is inaccessible² due to constant shelling.

由于持续的炮击，以色列边境地区大部分的农田已经无法进行耕种。

But some farmers say they are forced to take the risk.

但一些农民表示他们不得不冒这个险。

"We are 700 or 800 meters away from the border with Israel.

“我们是在距以色列边境700或800米远的地方。

Army patrols are driving along and we hear gunshots from the security towers.

经常有军人驾车来这附近巡逻,而且我们听到安全塔中的枪响。

They are shooting during training, so every day we hear gunshots.

他们在训练期间开枪射击,所以每天我们都能听到枪声。

We cultivate our lands here and we feel like our lives are in danger."

我们在这里种我们的土地,我们感觉自己生活在危险之中。”

Gaza's main exports are strawberries, flowers, vegetables and fish.

加沙的主要出口草莓、鲜花、蔬菜及鱼类。

The coastal³ strip is under an Israeli blockade and allowed only small and irregular shipments of agricultural produce through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

这个沿海地带正处于以色列的封锁下,而且只允许小规模及不定期出口农产品通过凯雷姆沙洛姆检查站。

When the Palestinian crops are wiped out by explosions and the aftermath of fighting, there is nothing to export and debts accumulate.

当巴勒斯坦的农作物被爆炸及战斗破坏殆尽后,这个国家已经没有东西可以出口，因此开始负债累累。

The Red Cross gift of almond trees is an effort at rebuilding some of the Gaza's agriculture.

而红十字会的礼物杏树是重建加沙部分地区农业的一项措施。

"This is a project that consists of giving almond trees to farmers.

“这是一个将杏树分发给农民的项目。

Many of them have lost their trees during the last wars."

他们中有许多人在过去的战争失去了自己的树木。”

Farmers fear that the new trees may be killed by the Israeli defoliant spray used to wilt⁴ leaves on trees and shrubs⁵ along the border so they cannot be used as cover for the planting of roadside bombs and attacks on Israel.

农民担心这些新树可能会被脱叶剂喷雾破坏，以色列军队在边境地区将树木及灌木叶子脱叶防止路边炸弹及发动袭击。

Palestinian farmers say the spray destroys plants on which their animals feed.

巴勒斯坦农民表示这种喷雾会破坏动物为食的植物。

The Red Cross says it has discussed the spraying with the Israeli military.

红十字会则表示已同以色列军队讨论喷雾的问题。

 

Gaza's borders are strictly⁶ controlled by Israel and Egypt to prevent the import of arms and military supplies for the strip's Hamas rulers.

加沙的边界受到以色列及埃及的严格控制,防止为哈马斯统治者进口武器，军用物资。

1 orchards   

（通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They turned the hills into orchards and plains into granaries. 他们把山坡变成了果园，把平地变成了粮仓。
• Some of the new planted apple orchards have also begun to bear. 有些新开的苹果园也开始结苹果了。

2 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

3 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

4 wilt   

v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱

参考例句：

• Golden roses do not wilt and will never need to be watered.金色的玫瑰不枯萎绝也不需要浇水。
• Several sleepless nights made him wilt.数个不眠之夜使他憔悴。

5 shrubs   

灌木( shrub的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。
• These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。

6 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。