VOA标准英语2010年-Pakistan Flood Survivors Crowd Into Sh

People carry their belongings¹ as heavy flood destroy their homes in Nowshera, Pakistan, 02 Aug 2010

Rescue workers in Pakistan are struggling to reach thousands of villagers stranded² in the northwest by flooding that government officials say has killed more than 1,200 people.

 

The United Nations estimates the countrywide flooding in Pakistan has affected³ more than one million people.

It has been particularly difficult for those in the northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province.  U.N. Office for Coordinating⁴ Humanitarian⁵ Affairs spokeswoman Nicki Bennett says the mountainous northwestern part of the country normally does not see disaster flooding.

Bennett says fortunately, many humanitarian agencies were in place there to help with the millions of people affected by the Pakistani military's ongoing⁶ offensive against the Taliban.  She says the work still is not easy, though, considering this is the country's worst flooding in more than 80 years and the area's mountainous terrain⁷ can make transportation difficult, even in the best of weather.

"We have warehouses⁸ throughout all these areas; we do not have to fly in staff or fly in stocks," said Bennett.  "But we were not expecting this level of problems with infrastructure⁹ and access."  She says it is because of this lack of access the relief efforts have been moving slowly.

"All of the major bridges that cross the Swat River have all come down, which meant we have not been able to get to the worst affected areas," said Bennett.

Authorities say thousands of people remain stranded in villages with food and fuel running low.  The Pakistani army has mobilized tens of thousands of troops, rescuing 20,000 people from marooned¹⁰ areas. 

A number of countries are providing assistance.

The U.S. Embassy spokesman in Islamabad, Rick Snelsire, says Washington has provided $10 million immediately for relief, in addition to nearly 200,000 hilal meals, helicopters and water purification machines.

"We stand with the people of Pakistan, and are looking to be helpful in any way we can to the Pakistani people who are affected by this truly horrendous¹¹ flooding," said Snelsire.

Bennett says clean drinking water is the next big concern, especially to prevent an outbreak of diseases such as diarrhea or cholera¹².

"We do have, you know, areas that are still standing¹³ in water," said Bennett.  "There are animal carcasses, and the conditions pose a risk for those kinds of things."

A few days without rain have allowed flood waters to begin to recede¹⁴, but weather forecasters predict more monsoon¹⁵ rains in the days to come.
 

1 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。

2 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

5 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

6 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

7 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

8 warehouses   

仓库，货栈( warehouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The whisky was taken to bonded warehouses at Port Dundee. 威士忌酒已送到邓迪港的保稅仓库。
• Row upon row of newly built warehouses line the waterfront. 江岸新建的仓库鳞次栉比。

9 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。

10 marooned   

adj.被围困的；孤立无援的；无法脱身的

参考例句：

• During the storm we were marooned in a cabin miles from town. 在风暴中我们被围困在离城数英里的小屋内。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Five couples were marooned in their caravans when the River Avon broke its banks. 埃文河决堤的时候，有5对夫妇被困在了他们的房车里。 来自辞典例句

11 horrendous   

adj.可怕的，令人惊惧的

参考例句：

• He described it as the most horrendous experience of his life.他形容这是自己一生中最可怕的经历。
• The mining industry in China has a horrendous safety record.中国的煤矿工业具有令人不安的安全记录。

12 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

13 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

14 recede   

vi.退(去)，渐渐远去；向后倾斜，缩进

参考例句：

• The colleges would recede in importance.大学的重要性会降低。
• He saw that the dirty water had begun to recede.他发现那污浊的水开始往下退了。

15 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。