VOA标准英语2009年-Somali Pirates Release South Pacific Sailo

Twelve South Pacific islanders taken hostage by Somali pirates earlier this year have been released. The men were seized off the east African coast and have been set free after their employer reportedly paid a ransom¹.
　
A pirate taking a stroll on shore in Hobyo, Somalia, (file photo)

Eleven crew members from the tiny South Pacific nation of Tuvalu and one from Fiji were abducted² off the Horn of Africa in early April. They were captured along with sailors from Ukraine and Germany.

The kidnapping was part of a series of attacks on foreign vessels⁴ by well-armed Somali gunmen. The pirates reportedly demanded a ransom of $15 million. There are reports that the owners of the German vessel³, the Hansa Stavanger, paid about $2.5 million in ransom, although the company has not confirmed this.

The plight⁵ of sailors caused immense anxiety in Tuvalu, an isolated⁶ nation of just 12,000 people in the Pacific Ocean north of Fiji.

About 40 percent of Tuvaluan men work on overseas freighters and their wages provide valuable income for their families back home.

Reverend Tafue Lusama, a Tuvalu clergyman, says there will be great relief that the men are on the way home.

"They have been held for around five months now and that is a very long time for our people to be held hostage. In the past five months our country - everyone in our country - has been on their toes praying and hoping and doing everything possible to get them released. Now they are being released, I just simply thank God for that," said Lusama.

There have been more than 130 pirate attacks on foreign ships off the Somali coast this year despite increased patrols by various international governments, including the United States, France and Australia.

It is unclear how much ransom money has been paid by shipping⁷ companies to free abducted crews and seized vessels.

Negotiations⁸ are often carried out in secrecy⁹ to avoid compromising the safety of hostages.

In Tuvalu, large celebrations are expected to greet the sailors when they return to their homes.

1 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

2 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

3 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

4 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

6 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

7 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

8 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。

9 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。