VOA标准英语2009年-World Bank Calls on Countries to Boost

Goal to Eliminate HIV/AIDS by 2015

Carolyn Presutti | Washington, DC 11 December 2009

 
Beldina Atieno is a survivor¹. Nine years ago, the Kenyan woman tested HIV positive

At the World Bank in Washington, D.C., leading experts  highlighted the achievements and the challenges for countries dealing² with HIV/AIDS.  The Bank is embracing the U.N.'s Millennium³ Development Goal of halting and reversing the disease by 2015. 

Beldina Atieno is a survivor. Nine years ago, the Kenyan woman tested HIV positive.  Her husband left her with an HIV positive baby and two other children.  Two years later she was diagnosed with AIDS,  but she did not give up.  "I've actually tamed the virus.  And I talk to the virus, and we agree on exactly how we should live," she said. 

When her sister died of AIDS,  Atieno started taking care of her sister's four children.  "If you're not determined⁴, I'm sorry.  You cannot make it.  You first get that determination to live, then you walk towards your determination," she stated.

Beldina's virus responded to anti retroviral treatment provided by The Global Fund, a public/private partnership⁵ that distributes money for AIDS programs.  

She traveled from her home in Kenya to speak at a World Bank conference in Washington.

Thirty-three million people like Atieno are living with HIV or AIDS. 

Experts say more money is needed for prevention, treatment and care.

The Global Fund wants countries to commit point seven percent of their gross national product to fighting the disease. 

Organizers also hope to introduce more innovative⁶ fundraising, like these red shoe laces sold by Nike.

The Global Fund distributes one fourth of all international funds for AIDS,  supporting treatment for two and a half million people worldwide.

"Responding to the challenges of development is a matter for all the society, not just for government.  So the private sector⁷, the citizen, the consumer, everyone has to come together," said Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund. "It's a global solidarity⁸ effort." 

Officials point out that hunger interferes⁹ with anti retroviral drugs. They say the risk of developing AIDS could jump by 36 percent in infected people who are hungry.

Experts say prevention is the key to reaching the UN's millennium goal of halting and reversing the spread of AIDS by 2015.  

And, they say the effort begins with women....like Beldina Atieno.
 
"If we can learn to say no to unprotected sex, then it will start from there," Atieno said.  "We've come to learn that men are very weak and when you say 'no' actually, it will affect them.  So, it starts with women." 
 
According to the United Nations AIDS Program, New HIV cases declined by 17 percent over the past eight years.  One participant said the goal for next year is to  transform those successes into new momentum¹⁰.
 

1 survivor   

n.生存者，残存者，幸存者

参考例句：

• The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
• There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

5 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

6 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

7 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

8 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

9 interferes   

vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉

参考例句：

• The noise interferes with my work. 这噪音妨碍我的工作。
• That interferes with my plan. 那干扰了我的计划。

10 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。