VOA标准英语2008年-Liberia Floods Displace Hundreds

Flooding in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, has affected¹ thousands and left hundreds displaced. The Liberian Minister of Information has placed the blame on global warming and poor construction planning. Brent Latham has more from our West Africa bureau in Dakar.

The Liberian Red Cross reports the flooding has affected over 20,000 people and displaced at least 800 across ten neighborhoods of the capital.

A spokesman for the Red Cross said 500 millimeters of rain fell overnight Saturday and through Sunday. He says the Red Cross is providing food, water, and temporary shelter to those displaced by the flooding.

The Liberian minister of information, Dr. Lawrence Borpleh, says the water is receding² as the rains have subsided³ after several days of torrential downpours. He says the government is attending to those displaced by the floods.

"The Environmental Protection Agency and other functionaries⁴ are doing additional assessments⁶ as to when and how the people will return, so we continue to provide food and shelter in alternative places for [the displaced]. But we've got some sunshine today and we pray that more and more the water will recede," he said.

Borpleh said he is hopeful those displaced will soon be able to return to their homes, though he worried that those affected by the flooding may have suffered significant property damage.

The minister said many of the flooded areas are low-lying swamps where building should not have taken place to begin with, since water naturally drains into them. He says the government is taking steps to avoid future problems.

"The government, through the Ministry⁷ of Public Works and the Environmental Protection Agency are doing a full assessment⁵ and will be advising the government in terms of what to do in these areas, A., in terms of drainage systems, and B., in terms of, many of those people in those areas were warned about building in the swamp area and in some areas they ignored the warning," said Borpleh.

Borpleh also suggested that climate change had a role in the swiftness and severity of the flooding.

"This is a bit unusual because the rains are unusually heavy. I think every one of us, we're beginning to feel the effects of global warming. And so from year to year the climate in Liberia shifts. And so the rains came incessantly⁸ on Sunday throughout the night and on Saturday night, and so this was a little bit unusual and so it caused rather quick flooding when people were caught unaware," he added.

The population of Monrovia has grown rapidly in recent years as rural dwellers⁹ have flocked to the coastal¹⁰ capital in search of economic opportunity.

The greater Monrovia area is estimated to be home to nearly half Liberia's approximately three million inhabitants. Many who have recently moved to Monrovia have built their homes on the low-lying, flood-prone swamps surrounding the city.

1 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。

2 receding   

v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• Desperately he struck out after the receding lights of the yacht. 游艇的灯光渐去渐远，他拼命划水追赶。 来自辞典例句
• Sounds produced by vehicles receding from us seem lower-pitched than usual. 渐渐远离我们的运载工具发出的声似乎比平常的音调低。 来自辞典例句

3 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 functionaries   

n.公职人员，官员( functionary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Indian transmitters were court functionaries, not missionaries. 印度文化的传递者都是朝廷的官员而不是传教士。 来自辞典例句
• All government institutions functionaries must implement state laws, decrees and policies. 所有政府机关极其工作人员都必须认真执行国家的法律，法规和政策。 来自互联网

5 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？

6 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 incessantly   

ad.不停地

参考例句：

• The machines roar incessantly during the hours of daylight. 机器在白天隆隆地响个不停。
• It rained incessantly for the whole two weeks. 雨不间断地下了整整两个星期。

9 dwellers   

n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes. 城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They have transformed themselves into permanent city dwellers. 他们已成为永久的城市居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。