VOA标准英语2014--水源短缺困扰在黎巴嫩的叙利亚难民

 

Water Shortages in Lebanon Devastate¹ Syrian Refugees 水源短缺困扰在黎巴嫩的叙利亚难民

BEKAA VALLEY, LEBANON—

In a region choking from dwindling² water supplies, Lebanon has long been regarded as one of the few places where there is enough. But in recent years, half the people in the country have faced severe shortages. And the more than 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon are hit worst, making the country's most vulnerable people increasingly impoverished³ and sick.

In informal refugee camps in the Bekaa Valley, there is no shortage of water tanks, but many are empty. Aid organizations deliver free water to many families about once every 10 days, but children say that water lasts only a few days.

Refugees sometimes walk several kilometers every day to find enough to drink, and they say they are constantly scrounging for money to buy deliveries.

Outside a temporary schoolhouse in one camp, the school principal, Abu Yamen, said water shortages were leading to declining sanitation⁴, making children sick, which is especially dangerous now as the winter approaches.

Yamen said he tries to teach children good hygiene⁵, but most kids simply do not have enough water to be able to follow instructions.  

Lebanon’s water crisis is partially⁶ due to a drought last year. However, recent aid cuts for refugees have also reduced the amount of water families can buy.

Daniel Gorevan, who leads Oxfam’s Syria Crisis policy, warned that providing water only to refugees — excluding Lebanese people who need more water — could further complicate⁷ the problem.

“They can develop their infrastructure⁸ and ensure that the services which are provided and the jobs which are created can benefit refugees and poor host communities alike, because we are seeing increased tensions between refugees and host communities across the different countries,” Gorevan said.

Aid workers also say much of the suffering could be alleviated⁹ by repairing old pipes and equipment estimated to leak about half the available drinking water.

In some camps, Syrian refugees say fighting depression is one of their main problems. Dalia Mikdashi, a public health promotion¹⁰ specialist for Oxfam in the Bekaa Valley, where most of Lebanon’s Syrian refugees live, said water shortages add to the despair.

“This is a challenge," she said, "since the fact is the resources available cannot even match what was available before. This is also related to the hygiene promotion approach: How can we address this and make sure that people can adapt and not feel like their dignity is being affected¹¹?"

But in the poorest camps, said Umm Khaleel, a mother of seven, dignity is less of a priority than survival. She said most families in her camp have not had water or electricity for weeks, and the children are getting skin infections. She also said a foul-smelling sewage pit about six meters from the camp has contributed to illnesses.

A rushing nearby stream, she added, does not help because the sewage has made the water so polluted, it is not even clean enough for washing clothes.

1 devastate   

v.使荒芜，破坏，压倒

参考例句：

• A few days before,a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.几天前，温莎城堡的大部分被一场大火烧毁。
• Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis,which devastate coastal regions.地震还引发海啸，它直接破坏海岸地区。

2 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

3 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

5 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

6 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

7 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

8 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。

9 alleviated   

减轻，缓解，缓和( alleviate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It is always completely alleviated by total gastrectomy. 全胃切除永远完全缓解症状。
• Toxicity problem in manufacturing and storage might be alleviated by coating beryllium with aluminum. 但如果用铝包覆铍，则可避免加工过程中及储存期间的中毒问题。

10 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

11 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。