VOA标准英语2018--人道主义援助埃塞俄比亚

Humanitarian¹ Aid for Ethiopia

Ethiopia has been suffering the effects of a devastating² series of droughts, which began three years ago when the El Ni?o weather pattern caused higher temperatures in this country of 100 million people. While an above average rainy season this year is expected to help improve agriculture in parts of the country, the damage done by several consecutive³ failed rainy seasons has been significant, resulting in widespread crop failures and devastating loss of livestock⁴ and leading to successive humanitarian disasters.

Further compounding the situation is a large-scale displacement⁵ of approximately one million people since April in the West-Guji and Gedeo zones of the Oromiya Region and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, respectively. This newly displaced populations is in addition to the 1.6 million

Ethiopians already pushed from their homes by conflict or drought, with large-scale displacement occurring along the border of the Oromiya and Somali regions, who need immediate⁶, vital humanitarian assistance. Today, as a result of these conditions, nearly 8 million are facing hunger, particularly in Oromiya and southern Somali regions.

In late July, the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, announced an additional 170 million dollars in humanitarian assistance to support the people of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.This new funding brings the total U.S. humanitarian contribution for Ethiopia to more than 802 million dollars since October 2016.

The funds will go toward emergency food and nutrition assistance, life-saving medical care, shelter, and safe drinking water, as well as programs to improve sanitation⁷ and hygiene⁸ programs to stop the spread of preventable diseases. This assistance will provide vital humanitarian aid to millions of Ethiopians trying to recover from the shocks suffered since 2016, as well as to refugees who are seeking shelter in Ethiopia.

“This assistance will meet the immediate needs of those displaced, keeping them healthy so that they can return home safely and voluntarily, resume productive lives, and participate in the process of addressing the root causes of the conflict,” said USAID Mission Director to Ethiopia, Leslie Reed.

The United States urges additional contributions from the Government of Ethiopia and for the community of nations to meet the needs of vulnerable Ethiopians.

1 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。

2 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。

3 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

4 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

5 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

6 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

7 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

8 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。