VOA标准英语2015--利比里亚感谢美国对抗击埃博拉的支持

Liberian Leader Thanks US for Ebola Support 利比里亚感谢美国对抗击埃博拉的支持

Seven months after the Ebola outbreak turned Liberia upside down, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf came to Washington on Thursday to say thanks to a country she said did so much.

"You did not run from Liberia. ... With many of our global challenges, America stood up and America stood with us," she told a Capitol Hill audience.

Late last year, the Ebola-stricken nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea saw about 800 new cases a week.

Of those afflicted¹ by the deadly virus, Liberia, where about 4,000 people have died, is seen as the most advanced in curbing² the disease's spread. Earlier this month, children lined up again to go back to school, and borders between the neighboring countries reopened. But Sirleaf said as her country celebrates success, the fight is not over.

“We are transitioning from treatment to prevention with the support of over 100 partners from 26 countries," she said. "Liberia has only 218 medical doctors and 5,234 nurses to serve a population of 4.3 million, and we know that these facts will not change overnight.”

U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat³ who invited Sirleaf to speak at the U.S. Senate offices, visited Liberia during the height of the outbreak.

“One of the hardest things for leaders to do is to ask for help," he said. "They tend to think doing so is a sign of weakness. But the truth is what it really signals is dedication⁴ and strength.”

As Liberia and neighboring countries see progress, President Barack Obama recently said most of the 3,000 troops deployed⁵ to West Africa to help contain Ebola will be back in the U.S. by the end of April. But he’s not declaring it "mission accomplished⁶" until the virus is extinguished.

“Our focus now is getting to zero," Obama said. "Because as long as there's even one case of Ebola that's active out there, risks still exist. Every case is an ember that if not contained can light a new fire."

This week, the United Nations called for more funding support for the next phase of bringing the number of cases down to zero.

Bruce Aylward, World Health Organization assistant director-general for polio and emergencies, said, “One of the biggest risks we face right now is that new financing for this response is falling faster than the new cases. That’s the reality.”

And as long as the virus is there, he said, it can spread and escalate⁷.

1 afflicted   

使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
• A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。

2 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

7 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。