voa标准英语2008年-Zimbabwe Tells Annan, Carter to Postpone Humani

The government of Zimbabwe has told a group of eminent¹ individuals, including former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, to postpone² a planned visit to the country. VOA's Delia Robertson reports from our southern Africa bureau in Johannesburg, the group will now convene³ in South Africa.
　

Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, 20 Oct 2008

Annan, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and Gra?a Machel, the wife of South African elder statesman Nelson Mandela said they will now meet in Johannesburg on Friday. The group was due to travel to Zimbabwe to assess the ongoing⁴ humanitarian⁵ crisis in that country and to determine how the flow of assistance to needy⁶ Zimbabweans can be improved.

The Zimbabwe government did not issue a statement banning the visit. Instead, as is often the case, the state-controlled Herald⁷ newspaper reported that the government wanted to know who the group represented and reported to. The newspaper said a government source said the group was a clique⁸ of personalities⁹ hostile to Zimbabwe.

The Herald said the government had informed the group it appreciaties their humanitarian concern but was unable to handle the visit at this time of the year.

In a statement released Thursday, the group said they had hoped to meet with Zimbabwe's political leaders to hear their views without becoming involved in the country's ongoing political negotiations¹⁰.
　

Former South African President Nelson Mandela, 04 Sep 2008

The three are members of The Elders, a group of 10 globally respected leaders who were convened¹¹ in 2007 by Mandela and Graca Machel. Their aim is to bring what they say are experienced and independent voices in support of efforts to address global challenges.

In his statement, Annan said the group will now meet with individuals working on the ground in Zimbabwe. He said food shortages, a lack of seed and fertilizer for planting, and the breakdown¹² in health services is prolonging the suffering of Zimbabweans. He added that urgent solutions are needed.

Meanwhile, doctors and nurses took to the streets of Harare this week to protest against the worsening conditions in Zimbabwe hospitals.
　

Health workers picket13 outside the Parirenyatwa hospital in Harare, 18 Nov 2008

Two of the main hospitals in Zimbabwe have been shut down because of lack of drugs, money, water and resources in general. This comes at a time when Zimbabweans are experiencing a serious cholera¹⁴ outbreak in their country. More than 70 individuals have died from the disease so far.

Meanwhile two Zimbabweans have died, and 18 are currently being treated in South African medical facilities in the border town of Musina for cholera following an outbreak in their country. Dozens more have completed treatment.

The South African health services say they are adding two rehydration centers to the one already in the area and that one of the additional centers will be placed on the South African side of the border at Beit Bridge. They are also negotiating with Zimbabwean officials to locate a fourth in no-man's land between the two border posts.

1 eminent   

adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

参考例句：

• We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
• He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

2 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

3 convene   

v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合

参考例句：

• The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。
• Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。

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 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

7 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

8 clique   

n.朋党派系，小集团

参考例句：

• The reactionary ruling clique was torn by internal strife.反动统治集团内部勾心斗角，四分五裂。
• If the renegade clique of that country were in power,it would have meant serious disaster for the people.如果那个国家的叛徒集团一得势，人民就要遭殃。

9 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

10 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

11 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

12 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

13 picket   

n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫

参考例句：

• They marched to the factory and formed a picket.他们向工厂前进,并组成了纠察队。
• Some of the union members did not want to picket.工会的一些会员不想担任罢工纠察员。

14 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。