VOA标准英语2010年-Haitians Crowd Few Banks Reopening Aft

Haitians crowded into banks and money transfer offices that reopened Saturday for the first time since last week's earthquake. Few Haitians have been able to work or access their bank accounts for nearly two weeks.

Haitians clutched¹ identification² cards and checks, as they waited in line in front of a building that houses a local bank branch and a Western Union office in the capital. Some people yelled³ and pushed aside one young man when he tried to press his way into a spot near the front of the line.

Bank employees filled out forms before clients were allowed inside the building, as a Canadian police officer with the United Nations and a Haitian officer looked on.

George Bernard came to the bank to receive a $50 transfer from family members in Florida. He says his house and most of his belongings⁴ were lost in the earthquake, and he needs the money to buy food and water.

"My family sent some money for me, I just come wait for my money," said Bernard. "If I don't find it, I'm dead, because I have no one here to give me nothing."

Bernard says prices already have started climbing for rice and other basic commodities⁵, making it even more difficult for people struggling after the quake.

Many Haitians rely on remittances⁶ from family members in the United States and elsewhere, and many have stepped up transfers since the quake. The disaster leveled several Western Union buildings and cut off telephone communication, bringing the city's financial system to a standstill.

Edmund Themolien has yet to communicate with his family in the United States. But he came to the bank early Saturday in the hopes that his relatives sent something for him.

"My telephone not working, my family cannot call me," said Themolien. "I'm going to check maybe they sent some money for me to the Western Union. Because they have to send me money because half my family in Haiti is dead."

Frepel Desjardins held a spot for his cousin, who was expecting to get a $40 transfer from relatives in the United States. He said he has been able to survive until now only because vendors⁷ at the local market have given him food which he must pay for later.

"In the market, they give you credit," said Desjardin. "Everything is credit, credit, credit. Now the stores they want their money."

Desjardins says he does not know how he will repay⁸ his debts, since there are almost no jobs available after the earthquake. He says his main hope is that he can get a passport and try to make his way across the island to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

 

1 clutched   

抓住，紧紧抓住( clutch的过去式和过去分词 )； （因害怕或痛苦）突然抓住

参考例句：

• He clutched the child to him. 他紧紧地抱住小孩。
• He clutched at the rope we threw to him. 他紧紧抓住我们扔给他的绳子。

2 identification   

n.视为同一，证明同一，确认

参考例句：

• He's made a formal identification of the body.他正式确认了死者身份。
• We should have identification card on the person when we go out.我们外出时应随身携带身份证。

3 yelled   

v.叫喊，号叫，叫着说( yell的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He yelled at the other driver. 他冲着另一位司机大叫。
• The lost man yelled, hoping someone in the woods would hear him. 迷路的人大声喊着，希望林子里的人会听见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。

5 commodities   

商品( commodity的名词复数 )； 农产品； 有价值的物品； 有用的东西

参考例句：

• rice, flour and other basic commodities 稻米、面粉和其他基本商品
• The manufacturers in some countries dumped their surplus commodities abroad. 一些国家的制造商向国外倾销过剩产品。

6 remittances   

n.汇寄( remittance的名词复数 )；汇款，汇款额

参考例句：

• He sends regular remittances to his parents. 他定期汇款给他父母。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Remittances sometimes account for as much as 20% of GDP. 在这些国家中，此类汇款有时会占到GDP的20%之多。 来自互联网

7 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

8 repay   

v.偿还，报答，还钱给

参考例句：

• I feel honor bound to repay the money I borrowed.我觉得有责任归还我借的钱。
• I must repay her for her kindness.我必须报答她的恩惠。