VOA标准英语2010-International Community Pledges Billions

Margaret Besheer | United Nations 31 March 2010

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon listen as Haitian President Preval delivers an address to the opening session of an international donors²' conference, 31 Mar¹ 2010

More than 50 countries and institutions pledged $5.3 billion Wednesday to help Haiti jumpstart its reconstruction³ from January's earthquake over the next 1 1/2 years. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who co-hosted the donors' conference along with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Haitian President René Préval, said their actions far exceeded expectations.

The conference set out to raise about $4 billion for Haiti's immediate⁴ reconstruction needs, but as the U.N. Secretary-General pointed⁵ out, they did even better. "We can report very good news.  Member states of the United Nations, and international partners, have pledged $5.3 billion for the next two years and $9.9 billion, in total, for the next three years and beyond," he said.

A large part of that came from the United States, which pledged $1.15 billion and the European Union, which promised $1.6 billion.

Mr. Ban said the pledges are the down payment Haiti needs for wholesale⁶ national renewal⁷. But he urged donors' to implement⁸ their promises. "We must make sure Haiti gets the money it needs when it needs it.  And we must guarantee that it is well-coordinated and well-spent," he said.

The money will go to rebuild Haiti's devastated⁹ infrastructure¹⁰, to create new jobs, and to put the country on the path to sustainable development. To finish that massive task, it is expected to take 10 years and more than $11.5 billion.

Conference co-chair, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said donors signaled a new level of global commitment, coordination¹¹ and cooperation, as did Haiti's government. "We heard from [Haitian] Prime Minister [Jean-Max] Bellerive a road map for building a new Haiti; A Haiti with a vibrant¹² private sector¹³, accountable and effective government institutions, and international partners that would be working with Haiti -- not separate and apart from Haiti," she said.

Haitian President René Préval expressed his thanks and said the Haitian people and government would do their part to make Haiti's reconstruction a success.

 

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

7 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

8 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

9 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

11 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

12 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

13 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。