2006年VOA标准英语-Zimbabwe Food Security Remains Precarious
时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：2006年VOA标准英语（三月）
By Peta Thornycroft
Harare
27 March 2006
James Murap stands in parched 1 maize 2 crops near Harare
(File photo - Nov. 2, 2005)
USAID's Famine Early Warning Systems Network, FEWSNET, has listed Zimbabwe as a food emergency country in its latest assessment 3. FEWSNET says 52 percent of the rural population survived the first months of 2006 because of international food aid.
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Zimbabwe's food situation in both urban and rural areas remained precarious 4 in 2006. FEWSNET said the availability of the staple 5 food, corn meal, was erratic 6 and grossly inadequate 7 throughout the country.
The shortages continue despite imports of more than 800,000 tons of corn from neighboring South Africa in the past year.
Except for one or two districts most of Zimbabwe has had adequate rain this season.
But small-scale and new farmers struggled to get seed and fertilizer, which was in short supply, and many planted their corn too late for good results, according to the Commercial Farmers Union.
Nevertheless, latest crop estimates show that Zimbabwe may have grown substantially more corn than the previous season, and it may only be short about one-third of the corn it needs for human consumption.
International donors 8 say they are not sure of the exact size of the corn harvest, but early indications are that they may have to feed far less than the approximately four million people now receiving their help.
Distribution of emergency food aid always drops off during harvest, which begins within weeks. Donors say they hope to feed a maximum of two million people until the next harvest in 2007.
Zimbabwe's agricultural production collapsed 9 after President Robert Mugabe began confiscating 10 white-owned commercial farms in 2000. These farms produced more than 40 percent of Zimbabwe's export earnings 11, and now the country is critically short of foreign currency.
Until the seizures 12 began, Zimbabwe had been self sufficient in food for decades.
FEWSNET says that the high price of corn meal means many people are unable to afford it. Zimbabwe's inflation is now 782 percent per year. FEWSNET reports independent economists 13 say as the economy continues to falter 14, inflation is unlikely to slow in the near future.
- Hot winds parched the crops.热风使庄稼干透了。
- The land in this region is rather dry and parched.这片土地十分干燥。
- There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
- We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。
- This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
- What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？
- Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
- He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。
- Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
- Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。
- The old man had always been cranky and erratic.那老头儿性情古怪,反复无常。
- The erratic fluctuation of market prices is in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。
- The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
- She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。
- Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
- About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
- The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。
- There was Mame by my side confiscating my intellects and attention. 有玛米坐在我身边，害得我心不在焉。
- Intimidate book sellers by confiscating books deemed unfavourable to the Barisan government. 充公被视为对国阵不利的书籍，威胁书商。
- That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
- Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。
- Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句
- The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
- Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》