VOA常速：2030年非洲儿童将占全球贫困人口一半以上

燕山大学 刘立军 编写

 TRANSCRIPT

The United Nations has 17 sustainable development goals. Number one on the list is eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. The world will fall well short of that target according to the latest report from Save the Children and the Overseas Development Institute. It delivers a devastating verdict on global efforts to eradicate extreme poverty among children in Africa.

“On our projection, children in Africa will account for around 55 percent of all extreme poverty in the world by 2030.” The report authors say Africa’s children are being left further and further behind and predict that 87 million African children will be born into poverty each year in the 2020s. “On average, women are still having four to five children and it’s the part of the world where poverty is coming down most slowly partly because of slow growth but also because of very high levels of inequality.”

An estimated 40 percent of Africans still live on less than one dollar 90 cents a day. “A child born into poverty faces greater risks of illiteracy, greater risks of mortality before the age of five, then they’re between two and three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday. They’re far less likely to escape poverty themselves, which means that they will become the transmission mechanism for poverty to another generation.” The report criticizes African governments for failing to develop coherent policies and also warns that the IMF, the World Bank and other donors are failing in their response. More than 150 world leaders are due to attend the United Nations sustainable development summit later this month in New York and will aim to agree on an agenda for the next 15 years.

Dramatic changes in approach are urgently needed, says Watkins. “Transferring more monetary resources to children who are living in poverty has to be part of the solution, but we know also that money is not enough. It’s critically important that these children get access to basic nutritional services, the basic health interventions and the school systems that they need to escape poverty.”

The report warns that if poverty reduction targets are not met, the world will also fall well short on other sustainable development goals in education, health and gender equality. 

Henry Ridgwell for VOA news, London.

Adapted from http://www.kekenet.com/broadcast/201909/595703.shtml

 VOCABULARY

1. verdict n. a decision that is made by a jury in court, stating if sb. is considered guilty of a crime or not （陪审团的）裁定，裁决，裁断。例如：

 Has the jury reached a verdict? 陪审团作出裁定了吗？

 The jury returned a verdict (= gave a verdict ) of guilty. 陪审团作出了有罪的裁决。

2. mortality n. (可数名词) (technical术语) a death 死亡。例如：hospital mortalities (= deaths in hospital) 医院里的死亡数字

3. donor n. a person or an organization that makes a gift of money, clothes, food, etc. to a charity, etc. 捐赠者；捐赠机构。例如：

 international aid donors (= countries which give money, etc. to help other countries) 国际援助国

 She is one of the charity's main donors. 她是这一慈善机构的主要捐赠者之一。

 QUESTIONS

TASK I

Listen to the news and answer the following questions.

(Q1) What is the United Nations’ first sustainable development goal?

(Q2) According to the report, how many African children will be born into poverty each year in the 2020s?

(Q3) What does the report criticize African governments for?

TASK II

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

The United Nations has 17 sustainable development goals. Number one on the list is (Q1) ______________________ by 2030. The world will fall well short of that target according to the latest report from Save the Children and the Overseas Development Institute. It delivers a (Q2) _________________ on global efforts to eradicate extreme poverty among children in Africa.

“On our projection, children in Africa will account for (Q3) ___________________ of all extreme poverty in the world by 2030.” The report authors say Africa’s children are being left further and further behind and predict that 87 million African children will be born into poverty each year in the 2020s. “On average, women are still having four to five children and it’s the part of the world where poverty is coming down most slowly partly because of (Q4) ____________________ but also because of (Q5) ______________________________.”

An estimated 40 percent of Africans still live on less than (Q6) ___________________ a day. “A child born into poverty faces greater risks of (Q7) _________________________, greater risks of (Q8) ___________________ before the age of five, then they’re between two and three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday. They’re far less likely to (Q9) ________________________ themselves, which means that they will become the transmission mechanism for poverty to another generation.” The report criticizes African governments for failing to (Q10) ____________________ and also warns that the IMF, the World Bank and other donors are failing in their (Q11) _______________________. More than 150 world leaders are due to attend the United Nations (Q12) ________________________________________ later this month in New York and will aim to agree on an agenda for the next 15 years.

Dramatic changes in approach are urgently needed, says Watkins. “Transferring more monetary resources to children who are living in poverty has to be part of the solution, but we know also that money is not enough. It’s critically important that these children get access to (Q13) _____________, the basic health interventions and the (Q14) ______________ that they need to escape poverty.” The report warns that if poverty reduction targets are not met, the world will also fall well short on other sustainable development goals in (Q15) ______________________________. 

Henry Ridgwell for VOA news, London.

 KEY 

TASK I

Listen to the news and answer the following questions.

(Q1) Eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. (命题出处) The United Nations has 17 sustainable development goals. Number one on the list is eradicating extreme poverty by 2030.

(Q2) 87 million. (命题出处) “On our projection, children in Africa will account for around 55 percent of all extreme poverty in the world by 2030.” The report authors say Africa’s children are being left further and further behind and predict that 87 million African children will be born into poverty each year in the 2020s.

(Q3) Failing to develop coherent policies. (命题出处) The report criticizes African governments for failing to develop coherent policies and also warns that the IMF, the World Bank and other donors are failing in their response.

TASK II

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

The United Nations has 17 sustainable development goals. Number one on the list is (Q1) eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. The world will fall well short of that target according to the latest report from Save the Children and the Overseas Development Institute. It delivers a (Q2) devastating verdict on global efforts to eradicate extreme poverty among children in Africa.

“On our projection, children in Africa will account for (Q3) around 55 percent of all extreme poverty in the world by 2030.” The report authors say Africa’s children are being left further and further behind and predict that 87 million African children will be born into poverty each year in the 2020s. “On average, women are still having four to five children and it’s the part of the world where poverty is coming down most slowly partly because of (Q4) slow growth but also because of (Q5) very high levels of inequality.”

An estimated 40 percent of Africans still live on less than (Q6) one dollar 90 cents a day. “A child born into poverty faces greater risks of (Q7) illiteracy, greater risks of (Q8) mortality before the age of five, then they’re between two and three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday. They’re far less likely to (Q9) escape poverty themselves, which means that they will become the transmission mechanism for poverty to another generation.” The report criticizes African governments for failing to (Q10) develop coherent policies and also warns that the IMF, the World Bank and other donors are failing in their (Q11) response. More than 150 world leaders are due to attend the United Nations (Q12) sustainable development summit later this month in New York and will aim to agree on an agenda for the next 15 years.

Dramatic changes in approach are urgently needed, says Watkins. “Transferring more monetary resources to children who are living in poverty has to be part of the solution, but we know also that money is not enough. It’s critically important that these children get access to (Q13) basic nutritional services, the basic health interventions and the (Q14) school systems that they need to escape poverty.” The report warns that if poverty reduction targets are not met, the world will also fall well short on other sustainable development goals in (Q15) education, health and gender equality. 

Henry Ridgwell for VOA news, London.