voa标准英语2008年-South Africa Warns Situation in Zimbabwe Dire

South Africa's two most powerful leaders, the president and head of the ruling party, have warned the situation in Zimbabwe is dire¹ and that urgent steps are needed to avoid a collapse² in the country. VOA's Delia Robertson reports from Johannesburg, where the leaders met with a delegation³ of individuals from a group called, The Elders, who were recently denied entry into Zimbabwe.
　

South African President Kgalema Motlanthe speaks to journalists after meeting The elders, 24 Nov 08

South African President Kgalema Motlanthe warned that Zimbabwe could collapse, unless the root cause of the political crisis in that country is addressed. He said Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition⁴ Movement for Democratic Change need to move speedily to establish an inclusive government under the terms of an agreement brokered⁵ by regional leaders in September.

"The parties agreed on the distribution of ministries⁶, and once they pass this amendment⁷ 19, and established an inclusive government, that government would be a single government; it would be a government of Zimbabwe," said Motlanthe. "They are not going to establish a ZANU-PF government and an MDC government; it will be one government for all the people of Zimbabwe."

Despite repeated mediation⁸ efforts by regional leaders, the two sides have failed to agree on the composition of a unity⁹ government in Zimbabwe.

Mr. Motlanthe said that former South African President Thabo Mbeki, a key mediator¹⁰ in the Zimbabwe talks, will soon announce a date for a resumption of those negotiations¹¹. However, Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai has already indicated he may boycott¹² the meeting.

Jacob Zuma, head of South Africa's ruling African National Congress party, said he will send a delegation to meet with the political parties in Zimbabwe in an attempt to move the process forward. Zuma said it was unfortunate that Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe had refused entry to a delegation from The Elders group to assess the current humanitarian¹³ crisis in the country. The delegation includes former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and international rights campaigner Gra?a Machel.
　

The Elders, former US president Jimmy Carter (L), former UN secretary- general Kofi Annan(C), and rights advocate Graca Machel (R), in Johannesburg, 24 Nov 2008

On Sunday, the delegation visited a church in downtown Johannesburg, where hundreds of Zimbabweans have sought refuge. Mr. Annan offered a gentle response to Mr. Mugabe, who cited Zimbabwe's sovereignty in rejecting the visit by the delegation.

"But sovereignty also comes with the responsibility of looking after the people and protecting them, and this is a message that I don't think we on this continent have internalize," he said.

Mr. Carter said Monday he believes the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe is worse than he originally feared, especially due to the crumbling¹⁴ economy and collapsing¹⁵ health system.

Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a severe outbreak of cholera¹⁶ across the country. The World Health Organization said about 6,000 people have been infected, and about 300 have died.

Hundreds of people have fled to South Africa for treatment. The South African government is increasing health services at the border area, and warned hospitals throughout the country to be on the alert. South Africa is also sending a team to Zimbabwe to try and shore up medical services there.

1 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

2 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

3 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

6 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

7 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

8 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

9 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

10 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

11 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。

12 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

13 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。

14 crumbling   

adj.摇摇欲坠的

参考例句：

• an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子
• The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。

15 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

16 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。