2006年VOA标准英语-Peace in Nepal Brings Hope to Impoverished Comm

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
06 December 2006

The World Food Program says the peace agreement between the Maoist rebels and government of Nepal is making it possible to deliver emergency assistance to hundreds of thousands of impoverished¹ people living in one of the most remote and isolated² corners of the country. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

The World Food Program calls Humla, a remote region in the far Western part of Nepal, one of the world's forgotten crises. It says reaching this region is a logistical nightmare. There are no roads. So, the only way for aid agencies to reach the area is by helicopter. WFP spokeswoman, Christiane Berthiaume, has just returned from Nepal.

Christiane Berthiaume

She tells VOA Humla has been largely cut off from the outside world for the past 10 years because it was under the control of the Maoist rebels. But, she says the situation has eased considerably³ since the rebels and Nepalese government signed a peace agreement in June. She says the World Food Program is operating an emergency-feeding program for one-quarter of a million destitute⁴ people.

Berthiaume recounts her vivid memories of hundreds of people patiently waiting on the tarmac, watching the helicopter she was on as it was making its final approach.

"And, when we landed, they all rushed to us. And, I saw their faces, their grim faces. Their clothes were in rags. It was extreme misery," she said. "Little children with big bellies⁵, probably full of worms. Children that are barefoot because they have no shoes, no clothes. They have nothing. And, it is cold over there."

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. Forty percent of the country's 27 million people live in areas that are food insecure. More than 50 percent are chronically⁶ malnourished, about half of the population lives on $1 a day.

Berthiaume says a recent crop assessment⁷ done by the World Food Program, the Food and Agricultural Organization and Nepalese government indicates that this year's harvest, once again, will not be good.

"When I was there, it was supposed to rain. It was the period where rain should have come. But, there was none," she noted⁸. "The sky was desperately⁹ blue and the sun was there. There was no rain. So, many of the men were preparing to go and walk long distances to India to go and find some work."

Berthiaume says it takes the men about 15 days to walk to India and 15 days to walk back home. Despite the hardships, she says they go because they have no choice. She says people in this remote part of Nepal have no resources. They have not had a good harvest for three years because of continuing drought.

1 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

3 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

4 destitute   

adj.缺乏的；穷困的

参考例句：

• They were destitute of necessaries of life.他们缺少生活必需品。
• They are destitute of common sense.他们缺乏常识。

5 bellies   

n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的

参考例句：

• They crawled along on their bellies. 他们匍匐前进。
• starving children with huge distended bellies 鼓着浮肿肚子的挨饿儿童

6 chronically   

ad.长期地

参考例句：

• Similarly, any pigment nevus that is chronically irritated should be excised. 同样，凡是经常受慢性刺激的各种色素痣切勿予以切除。
• People chronically exposed to chlorine develop some degree of tolerance. 人长期接触氯气可以产生某种程度的耐受性。

7 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？

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 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。