VOA常速英语2017--南苏丹等国“人祸”不断

According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, or FEWS NET, in 2017, some 70 million people across 45 countries will need emergency food assistance. Severe drought and economic instability are part of the problem, but so is violent conflict.

饥荒早期预警系统网络(FEWS NET)的数据显示，2017年，45个国家将有近7千万人需要紧急粮食援助。其中当然有旱灾肆虐和经济不稳定的原因，但暴力冲突也难逃其责。

Indeed, It's important to stress that these crises are largely man-made with other compounding factors, said Matthew Nims, Acting¹ Director of USAID's Office of Food for Peace.

确实，很重要的是要强调一点，即这些危机在很大程度上是人祸以及其他综合因素导致的，美国国际开发署粮食换和平办公室代理主任马修 尼姆斯(Matthew Nims)如是说道。

This is certainly true of South Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen. Famine was declared in parts of South Sudan in late February, while Nigeria and Yemen are at high risk of famine.

南苏丹、尼日利亚和也门来说就是这种情况。二月末，南苏丹的多个地区出现饥荒，而尼日利亚和也门也处于饥荒的濒危边缘。

In South Sudan, the civil war that began in December 2013 as a consequence of the power struggle between President Salva Kiir and Vice² President Riek Machar escalated³ into a civil war. An estimated 5.5 million people—nearly half of South Sudan's population—will face life-threatening hunger due to this man-made crisis.

南苏丹的内战起于2013年12月，起因是时任总统萨尔瓦 基尔(Salva Kiir)与副总统里克 马沙尔(Riek Machar)争夺政权，争夺最终升级为内战。据估测，有550万人——近南苏丹人口的一半——将面临生死攸关的饥荒，这都是由人祸导致的。

In Nigeria, an estimated 5.2 million people will face severe food insecurity by June, particularly those displaced in Borno State. There are signs that famine likely occurred in 2016, and may be ongoing⁴ in parts of the state that humanitarian⁵ actors are unable to reach, said Acting Director Nims.

据估测，尼日利亚有520万人将在6月前将面临严重的粮食危机，尤其是博诺州(Borno State)无家可归的百姓。有诸多迹象表明，2016年可能发生过饥荒，也可能还在博诺州部分人道主义救援无法抵达的地方肆虐着，尼姆斯说道。

The United States, said Mr. Nims, has provided nearly $386 million since Fiscal⁶ Year 2016 for people affected⁷ by the ongoing crisis in the Lake Chad Basin region.

尼姆斯表示，自2016年以来，美国已捐助了近3.86亿美元，以救济乍得湖盆地正在遭受危机的人们。

In Yemen, over 17 million people are food insecure, seven million of whom are in need of emergency food assistance. Starting in Fiscal Year 2016, the U.S. government has contributed nearly $432 million in humanitarian assistance to Yemen, said Mr. Nims.

也门有1700多万人面临粮食危机，有700万人需要紧急粮食援助。自2016年以来，美国政府就为也门捐献了近4.32亿美元，尼姆斯如是说道。

In South Sudan, the United States has not waited for a famine declaration to intervene and will continue to respond robustly⁸ to save as many lives as possible. The U.S. is the single largest provider of humanitarian assistance to South Sudan, having provided more than $2.1 billion since the start of the conflict in December 2013.

美国没有等到南苏丹宣布进入饥荒状态后才出手相助，并且美国以后也将继续积极行动，尽可能多地拯救生命。美国是向南苏丹进行人道主义援助最多的国家，自2013年12月发生冲突以来，美国已捐献了21多亿美元。

We remain committed to providing humanitarian assistance around the world as both a moral imperative⁹ and as a direct benefit to the well-being¹⁰ of the United States.

我们始终致力于为全世界提供人道主义援助，这既是道德责任，美国福祉也能直接得益于这种援助。

1 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

4 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

5 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。

6 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

7 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。

8 robustly   

adv.要用体力地，粗鲁地

参考例句：

• These three hormones also robustly stimulated thymidine incorporation and inhibited drug-induced apoptosis. 并且这三种激素有利于胸（腺嘧啶脱氧核）苷掺入和抑制药物诱导的细胞凋亡。 来自互联网
• The economy is still growing robustly, but inflation, It'seems, is back. 经济依然强劲增长，但是通胀似乎有所抬头。 来自互联网

9 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

10 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。