VOA慢速英语2015 东南亚海盗袭击增加
时间：2019-01-12 作者：英语课 分类：2015年VOA慢速英语(四)月
AS IT IS 2015-04-22 Pirate Attacks Increase in Southeast Asia 东南亚海盗袭击增加
Pirates off the coast of Somalia made big news a few years ago. But the waters of the West Indian Ocean are not the world’s most dangerous for pirate attacks right now. The most dangerous seas are those of Southeast Asia.
The International Maritime 1 Bureau released a report on sea pirates this week. The IMB says more than half of all sea pirate attacks since the beginning of 2015 have been in Southeast Asia.
Pottengal Mukundan is the director of the IMB. He tells VOA that armed pirates attack small oil ships in the area about every two weeks.
"It is a disturbing trend because if firm action is not taken then we expect that the violence will increase and the pirates will get a little more audacious in the kind of targets that they will look for."
The IMB director says the small tankers 2 moving slowly along Southeast Asian coasts are also vulnerable because they sit low in the water.
"The hijackers approach the vessel 3 in very fast skiffs. They take over the ship and then they siphon or steal part of the cargo 4 on board - usually marine 5 gas oil, diesel 6 oil, that kind of product which can be very quickly disposed of locally."
Vietnam sees a rise in pirate attacks
Almost 40 percent of pirate attacks this year have been off the coast of Indonesia.
But armed robbery attacks are increasing around Vietnam. In the last three months, Vietnamese officials have reported eight incidents. Pirates are breaking into ships stopped in and around Haiphong and Vung Tau.
Pirates are leaving Somalia alone
In contrast, no incidents have been reported this year in Somalia. The last reported hijacking 7 in those waters was in May 2012.
Officials say pirates are not attacking Somalia for several reasons. The country now has a functioning government, a multi-national naval 8 patrol and anti-piracy measures, including onboard armed guards.
But Pottengal Mukundan of the IMB warns it would be very easy for the situation to return to the bad old days.
"All it takes is one successful hijacking and suddenly people will get interested once more in this criminal activity. So we've got to be watchful 9, the ships have got to be vigilant 10 and we need the navies there."
Words in This Story
audacious – adj. very confident, very bold and shocking
skiffs – n. small, light boats usually for only one person
siphon – n. a bent 11 tube used to move a liquid from one container into another container by means of air pressure
vigilant – adj. keeping careful watch for possible danger
- Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
- The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。
- They should stop offloading waste from oil tankers into the sea. 他们应当停止从油轮上往海里倾倒废弃物。
- The harbour admits large tankers and freighters. 这个港口容得下巨型油船和货轮。
- The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
- You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。
- The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
- A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。
- Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
- When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
- We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
- My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。
- He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
- The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。
- The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
- It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。
- He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
- The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。