2007年VOA标准英语-UN Warns of Potential Locust Invasion in Flood-

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
15 September 2007

The United Nations warns floods in West Africa could provoke an invasion of locusts² in Mali and Niger.  It says it is critically important that UN experts be given access to the locust¹-prone region so they can monitor the situation and head off a potentially disastrous³ situation.  Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

dense4 swarm5 of desert locusts near Aleg, Mauritania, 08 Aug. 2004 (file photo)" hspace="2" src="http://www.wwenglish.com/up06/2007/09/20571/2.jpg" width="209" vspace="2" border="0" />

A young Mauritanian looks at a dense swarm of desert locusts near Aleg, Mauritania, 08 Aug. 2004 (file photo)

The United Nations says more than 500,000 people in 12 countries in West Africa are affected⁶ by the torrential rains that have fallen since early August.  It says dozens of people have been killed, hundreds of thousands have been made homeless, major bridges have collapsed⁷, crops and livelihoods⁸ have been destroyed. 

U.N. officials say a new concern is the possibility of outbreaks of waterborne diseases if emergency assistance does not reach the affected areas soon. They say the situation is particularly worrisome in Ghana where 260,000 people are affected.  The President of Ghana has declared parts of the country a disaster zone. 

A Spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination⁹ of Humanitarian¹⁰ Affairs, Elizabeth Byrs, says conditions are also favorable for an infestation¹¹ of locusts.  She says Niger and Mali are particularly susceptible¹². 

"Because of those floods, some regions are not monitored with regards to locust invasion, because you cannot access those regions because of the floods," she explained.  "And, the condition, stagnant¹³ water, high temperature are very favorable to the development of a locust invasion.  That is why we are concerned and that is why there is an important threat in Mali and in Niger." 

Byrs says experts so far have not been able to access locust-prone areas of Mali and Niger to monitor the situation.  She says it is very important that authorities in these countries make it possible for them to access these areas so they can try to head off a locust infestation.  If this is not done, she warns the consequences will be devastating¹⁴.

"Those locusts eat the crops," she added.  "They eat everything.  And, as a consequence, the cattle cannot find its food, its own food.  It cannot eat.  And then you have a vicious circle - cattle dying, no crops and nothing to eat for those populations.  So, the consequence is malnutrition¹⁵." 

An infestation of locusts in Niger two years ago resulted in widespread famine and acute malnutrition.  Television images of skeletal children shocked the world. 

The United Nations says flood victims in West Africa are in urgent need of food, shelter and medicine.  Byrs says the United Nations will launch an appeal for emergency assistance in the near future.

1 locust   

n.蝗虫；洋槐，刺槐

参考例句：

• A locust is a kind of destructive insect.蝗虫是一种害虫。
• This illustration shows a vertical section through the locust.本图所示为蝗虫的纵剖面。

2 locusts   

n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树

参考例句：

• a swarm of locusts 一大群蝗虫
• In no time the locusts came down and started eating everything. 很快蝗虫就飞落下来开始吃东西，什么都吃。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

4 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

5 swarm   

n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入

参考例句：

• There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。
• A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

6 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。

7 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

8 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

9 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

10 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。

11 infestation   

n.侵扰，蔓延

参考例句：

• The premises were treated for cockroach infestation.因蟑螂成灾，这些房屋集中进行了灭蟑活动。
• Parts of California are suffering from an infestation of oriental fruit flies.加利福尼亚的部分地区正遭受东方果蝇的大肆侵袭。

12 susceptible   

adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的

参考例句：

• Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
• We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。

13 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

14 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。

15 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。