Many people all over the world enjoy an alcoholic drink, such as wine or beer, during dinner. Many people raise a glass of alcohol to celebrate a (1) or a birthday. And having drinks after work with friends and co-workers is called “happy hour.” And I’m sure many people are celebrating World Cup victories with a glass of beer.
All these situations are considered “social drinking” because they happen at social events.
But when does “social drinking” become problem drinking?
According to the World Health Organization alcohol (2) kills 3.3 million people each year. That is six percent of all deaths around the world.
And in a new report on alcohol use around the world, the WHO says alcohol can create dependency, or (3) , in some people. The report also warns that alcohol use can increase the risk of developing more than 200 diseases, including some kinds of cancers. And, the WHO says alcohol abuse can put people at greater risk of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and HIV.
WHO Mental Health and Substance Abuse Director Shekhar Saxena says the organization is concerned about drinking among young people between the ages 15 and 19. And it is most concerned about “binge-drinking,” or an (4) period of heavy drinking.
"The report concludes that worldwide 16 percent of drinkers over the age of 15 engage in binge-drinking, which is much more (5) than other kind of drinking ... which causes the most harm in terms of accidents, self-harm and harm to others. High income countries have the highest alcohol per capita consumption and also the highest prevalence of binge-drinking.”
The report warns of a few other worrying trends. For example, women should take special note.
The report warns that more women are drinking alcohol. And, the report says women are (6) than men for some alcohol-related health conditions.
The report also found that the highest rates of alcohol-linked deaths are in Europe, followed by the West Pacific and then the Americas. The report also finds Europe is the area with the highest alcohol use. Central and Eastern Europe are especially high.
The WHO says people in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and some neighboring countries drink a lot of alcohol and binge drink.
Vladimir Poznyak is the WHO Management of Substance Abuse Coordinator. He says less alcohol is used in Africa than in Europe. But, he adds, the health effects are worse in Africa because of (7) , what he calls, buffering factors -- things like social support systems and health care.
“The difference is that in African region as well as in other countries with less resources, the consumption of alcohol brings more harm to health and to social relationship because of (8) buffering factors, which are often like social support, like access to health care services. This is what is lacking.”
The World Health Organization (9) ways countries can protect people from alcohol abuse. These include increasing (10) on alcohol sales, raising the drinking age limit, and controlling the marketing of alcoholic beverages.
上期活动答案:
1 military
2 Ultimately
3 territory
4 religious
5 violence
6 promote
7 crisis
8 former
9 continued
10 she added that the center likely does not contain chemical weapons of military value
4. inclusive adj.包括的,包罗广泛的
例句:The rent is &10 inclusive of heating.
房租十镑,包括暖气费在内。
5. dominate vt. 控制; 在…中占首要地位
例句:A great man can dominate others by force of character.
伟人能以人格的力量支配他人。
6. confirm vt.[法]确认,批准
例句:Unilever refused to confirm the news.
联合利华拒绝证实相关消息。
7. contain vt.包含,容纳
例句:Does this box contain biscuits?
这个盒子里有饼干吗?
短语讲解:
1. It also includes sending up to 300 United States military advisers to support the government against Islamic militants.
send up 发射; 使向上升
例句:You want me to send up another plane?
你还要我再派一架战斗机?
2. American combat troops are not going to be fighting in Iraq again.
be going to 要,会,将要
例句:It felt pleasant to be going to work.
走上工作岗位是很愉快的。
3. Recently, Mr. Obama has been considering what to do in Iraq because of Sunni Muslim militants.
because of 由于
例句:The journey was slow because of continual stops.
由于常常停下来,所以行程很慢。
4. Militant fighters have taken control of major Iraqi cities and territory.
take control of 控制
例句:There must be someone who can take control of these naughty children
应该有人能管住这些淘气的孩子
5. An American official told VOA the U.S. military has been ready to direct with several plans of action.
be ready to 预备,即将; 甘于
例句:Be ready to discuss these issues.
你都要做好谈论这些事项的准备。
6. The official said any military operation must be supported by political actions and goals that would help deal with the crisis.
deal with 与…交易; 应付
例句:I cannot deal with your paranoia.
我管不了你的多疑症.
7. A State Department official said the U.S. is “concerned about the seizure of any site by the ISIL."
concern about 使(自己)关心…
例句:There is a lot of concern about political transition.
人们对它的权力交接交接有很多担忧。
全文翻译:
President Barack Obama has announced a plan to help the Iraqi government stop unrest in the country. His plan is aimed at increasing intelligence-gathering and improving security in Iraq. It also includes sending up to 300 United States military advisers to support the government against Islamic militants.
美国总统奥巴马宣布一项帮助伊拉克政府结束该国的骚乱的计划。他的计划旨在提高伊拉克的情报搜集和安全,它还包括向伊拉克派遣高达300名美国军事顾问以支持伊拉克政府打击伊斯兰武装分子。
The president spoke to reporters at the White House on Thursday. He said the plan does not involve sending U.S. combat forces to Iraq.
总统周四在白宫对记者发表了讲话。他说,该计划不涉及向伊拉克派遣美国作战部队。
"American combat troops are not going to be fighting in Iraq again. We do not have the ability to simply solve this problem by sending in tens of thousands of troops and committing the kinds of blood and treasure that [have] already been expended in Iraq. Ultimately, this is something that is going to have to be solved by the Iraqis."
“美国军队不打算重返伊拉克作战。我们无法通过派遣上万名士兵,搭上性命和财富来解决这个问题。我们之前在伊拉克已经这么干过。归根到底,这些问题都必须由伊拉克人自己来解决。”
Just two and one-half years ago, the president ordered the last U.S. ground troops in the Iraq war to leave the country. The order followed eight years of fighting.
两年半前,奥巴马下令美军驻伊拉克最后一批地面部队撤离该国,在此之前美军经历了8年的战斗。
Recently, Mr. Obama has been considering what to do in Iraq because of Sunni Muslim militants. Militant fighters have taken control of major Iraqi cities and territory. A group called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is leading the offensive.
最近,奥巴马先生一直在考虑怎样处理伊拉克问题,因为逊尼派穆斯林武装分子已经控制了大片伊拉克城市和领土。一家名为伊拉克与黎凡特伊斯兰教国(简称ISIL)的组织主导了这波攻势。
In his speech, Mr. Obama made an appeal to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. He urged Mr. Maliki, a Shi'ite, to rise above religious differences and make the government more inclusive.
在演讲中,奥巴马先生向伊拉克总理马利基发出了呼吁。他督促作为什叶派的马利基超越宗教分歧,使伊拉克政府更具包容性。
"Iraqi leaders must rise above their differences and come together around a political plan for Iraq's future. Shia, Sunni, Kurds, all Iraqi must have confidence that they can advance their interests and aspirations through the political process rather than violence."
:“伊拉克领导人必须超越彼此的分歧,走到一起拿出关于伊拉克未来的政治方案。什叶派(Shia)、逊尼派(Sunni)、库尔德族人(Kurds),所有伊拉克人都必须有信心,他们能够通过政治进程而不是暴力来推进自己的利益和愿望。”
On Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden spoke with Mr. Maliki by telephone. Mr. Biden urged him to govern in what he called an "inclusive manner, promote stability and unity among Iraq's population, and address the legitimate needs of Iraq diverse communities."
周三,美国副总统拜登与马利基通了电话。拜登先生劝解马利基要以他所谓的“包容性方针”执政,“促进伊拉克人民的稳定和团结,解决伊拉克不同群体的合理要求。”
An American official told VOA the U.S. military has been ready to direct with several plans of action. The military has held back because of Iraq's political situation. The official said any military operation must be supported by political actions and goals that would help deal with the crisis.
一位美国官员告诉美国之音,美国军方已经准备好了几套行动方案。军方曾因伊拉克的政治局势被拖了后腿。这位官员说,任何军事行动方案必须得到政治行动和目标的支持,这将有助于解决危机。
Sheik Nasser Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa is a former Qatari Ambassador to the United Nations and to the U.S. The Sheik offered his opinion on the political situation.
Sheik Nasser Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa是前任卡塔尔驻联合国和美国大使。谢赫对政治局势提出了自己的观点。
He said "instead of really opening up Iraq and making it a model for the region, Maliki became beholden to the Iranians' strategic goals in the region, i.e. to dominate the whole Middle East and the Gulf," and "he created a sectarian state."
他说,“马利基不是开放伊拉克并使它成为该地区的典范,而是对伊朗在该地区战略目标感恩戴德,例如主宰整个中东和海湾地区。马利基造就了一个教派之国。”
On Friday, Iraqi troops continued fighting Islamic militants over control of a major oil refinery. Since Tuesday, the two sides have fought more than 200 kilometers north of Baghdad for control of the Beiji refinery. As of late Thursday, each side held part of the factory.
周五,伊拉克部队继续就一个主要炼油厂的控制权同伊斯兰武装分子作战。自周二以来,双方一直在就巴格达以北200多公里的北极炼油厂的控制权作战。截至周四晚,双方各自占据了一部分厂区。
In another development, the U.S. State Department confirmed that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant has taken control of a chemical weapons center. A State Department official said the U.S. is "concerned about the seizure of any site by the ISIL." She added that the center likely does not contain chemical weapons of military value.
另悉,美国国务院证实,ISIL已经控制了一个化学武器中心。美国国务院一位官员称,美国对ISIL占据任何地点都很关注。她补充说,该中心可能没有具备军事价值的化学武器。