VOA常速英语--美国承诺销毁常规武器

U.S. Committed to Conventional Weapons Destruction

The United States is the world’s single largest financial supporter of efforts to address landmines¹ and unexploded ordnance², and to reduce the availability of loosely-secured, at risk weapons and munitions³. Since 1993, the United States has invested more than $3.7 billion in more than 100 countries to fund conventional weapons destruction.

The U.S. State Department recently released its annual To Walk the Earth in Safety report. It highlights U.S. conventional weapons destruction programs and U.S. efforts to make post-conflict communities safer, setting the stage for their recovery and development.

The report notes that in Colombia, the United States provided more than $24 million in 2019 to continue the survey and clearance⁴ of explosive remnants of war and strengthened the capacity of Colombia’s National Mine Action Authority. Elsewhere in the hemisphere, the United States supported conventional weapons destruction programs in Central America and Peru.

In Iraq, the United States contributed $37.5 million last year to clearing explosive hazards, including improvised⁵ explosive devices, and promoting continued mine risk education throughout Iraq. These efforts have helped promote the safe return of displaced persons, including ethnic⁶ and religious minority communities that are persecuted⁷ by ISIS.

Since 1993, the United States has invested more than $148 million for programs in Vietnam that have cleared mines and provided mine risk education and survivor⁸ assistance. As a result, land is now being returned for civilian⁹ use, said U.S. Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Political Military Affairs Clarke Cooper:

“Through our implementing¹⁰ partners, in 2019 Vietnam was able to release over 106 million square meters to farming and productive economic development. This is bringing resources and land access back into productive use, not just for safe access, but into productive use for community stability.”

Through the conventional weapons destruction program, the U.S. government has collaborated¹¹ with partner nations and international organizations since 2003 to destroy more than 41,000 poorly-secured man-portable air-defense systems or MANPADS – these shoulder-fired missiles, if not safeguarded, pose a serious threat to global aviation.

United States assistance, along with that of its global partners, is crucial to building a safer and more prosperous world.

The State Department looks forward to continuing this important work with other donor¹² countries, those impacted by conflict, and the brave men and women who secure at-risk weapons and munitions, and clear landmines and other explosive hazards.

1 landmines   

潜在的冲突； 地雷，投伞水雷( landmine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The treaty bans the use production and trade of landmines. 该条约规定，禁止使用地雷相关产品及贸易。
• One of the weapon's of special concern was landmines. 在引起人们特别关注的武器中就有地雷。

2 ordnance   

n.大炮，军械

参考例句：

• She worked in an ordnance factory during the war.战争期间她在一家兵工厂工作。
• Shoes and clothing for the army were scarce,ordnance supplies and drugs were scarcer.军队很缺鞋和衣服，武器供应和药品就更少了。

3 munitions   

n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品

参考例句：

• The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets.军队用精确瞄准的枪炮炸掉敌方目标。
• He rose [made a career for himself] by dealing in munitions.他是靠贩卖军火发迹的。

4 clearance   

n.净空；许可(证)；清算；清除，清理

参考例句：

• There was a clearance of only ten centimetres between the two walls.两堵墙之间只有十厘米的空隙。
• The ship sailed as soon as it got clearance. 那艘船一办好离港手续立刻启航了。

5 improvised   

a.即席而作的,即兴的

参考例句：

• He improvised a song about the football team's victory. 他即席创作了一首足球队胜利之歌。
• We improvised a tent out of two blankets and some long poles. 我们用两条毛毯和几根长竿搭成一个临时帐蓬。

6 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

7 persecuted   

（尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人

参考例句：

• Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。
• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。

8 survivor   

n.生存者，残存者，幸存者

参考例句：

• The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
• There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。

9 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

10 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

11 collaborated   

合作( collaborate的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• We have collaborated on many projects over the years. 这些年来我们合作搞了许多项目。
• We have collaborated closely with the university on this project. 我们与大学在这个专案上紧密合作。

12 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。