VOA标准英语2009年-UN: Gaza Conflict Will Have Long-Lasting Psycho

The U.N. Children's Fund says 840,000 children in Gaza are under extreme stress and are traumatized by the violent events of the past few weeks. UNICEF warns of long-lasting psychological consequences for thousands of children caught up in the Israeli- Hamas conflict in Gaza.
　
Palestinians who fled their homes eat at a United Nations school where they are sheltering in the Jebaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, 12 Jan 2009

The United Nations reports more than one thousand Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,000 wounded since the conflict in Gaza began nearly three weeks ago.

The U.N. Children's Fund says about one third of those killed and wounded are children. UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Sigrid Kaag, says as usual children bear the brunt of the hostilities².

"It will be a long haul in our estimation to really assist children and their families to rebuild what is left of a normal life under already very challenging circumstances," she said.

Speaking from Amman, Jordan, Kaag tells journalists in Geneva the conflict is a disaster for children on all levels. She says prior to the Israeli military incursion, the stress level of children was already high. She says this has only worsened.

She says children daily are exposed to killings³, home demolitions⁴, displacements⁵ and house searches. At the same time, she says, they no longer have access to normal routines such as schooling⁶ and play.

She says the current crisis has resulted in significant damage to schools and many of those that still are intact increasingly are being used as shelters for displaced families.

She says nearly one-half million primary age school children have no access to education. They have been stripped of their protective environment.

The UNICEF official says she fears the future generation of children is at risk of becoming a lost generation.

"We do not want to assume it will create a generation of hate," said Kaage. "But it definitely - the social trauma¹, the impact, the loss children have suffered-be it of a sibling⁷, be it of a parent, be it of their closest friend, be it their auntie - this is an immense, immense negative impact on anybody's life, even in the best of circumstances."

Kaag says the children, as well as their parents and caregivers, will require long-term psychological assistance on a massive scale. She says no quick fix will heal the wounds of children who have been subjected to such an excess of violence.

1 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

2 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

3 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

4 demolitions   

n.毁坏，破坏，拆毁( demolition的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Randy Couture as Toll Road, an Expendable and demolitions expert. 大卫·萨亚斯饰演加尔扎将军，邪恶的独裁者。 来自互联网
• Allied Demolitions upgrade moved one slot to the left on the Allied HQ UI. 盟军的爆破升级在指挥部界面中左移一格（由于现在没钳子升级了，所以填钳子的位置）。 来自互联网

5 displacements   

n.取代( displacement的名词复数 )；替代；移位；免职

参考例句：

• The laws of physics are symmetrical for translational displacements. 物理定律对平移是对称的。 来自辞典例句
• We encounter only displacements of the first type. 我们只遇到第一类的驱替。 来自辞典例句

6 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

7 sibling   

n.同胞手足(指兄、弟、姐或妹)

参考例句：

• Many of us hate living in the shadows of a more successful sibling.我们很多人都讨厌活在更为成功的手足的阴影下。
• Sibling ravalry has been common in this family.这个家里，兄弟姊妹之间的矛盾很平常。