A.spreading B.significantly C.proposed D. prospect E.devastating
F.funds G.completely H.risk I.threat J. implementing K. prospect
Climate-Crisis Fueled Locust Swarms Pose 'Unprecedented Threat to Food Security and Livelihoods' in East Africa
A massive invasion of desert locusts(蝗虫)—partly fueled by the climate crisis—seriously threatens food security in already-vulnerable communities across East Africa and has increasingly alarmed United Nations experts in recent weeks.
"The situation remains extremely serious in the Horn of Africa, where it threatens pastures and crops in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia," says a report (pdf) released last week by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). "The current swarms represent an unprecedented threat to food (31) ______ and livelihoods in the Horn of Africa."
A swarm contains up to 150 million locusts per square kilometers (0.39 square miles) and can devour(吞噬) enough crops in a day to feed 35,000 people, according to FAO, a U.N. agency. Although "ground and aerial control operations continue in Ethiopia and aerial operations started in Kenya in January," the report notes that "insecurity and a lack of national capacity have hampered control operations in Somalia."
"A potentially threatening situation is developing along both sides of the Red Sea, where ongoing breeding is causing locust numbers to increase on the coasts of Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen," FAO warns. "There is a(n) (31) ______ that some swarms could appear in northeast Uganda, southeast South Sudan, and southwest Ethiopia."
FAO has called for a "massive, border-spanning campaign" to combat the hundreds of millions of locusts and stop them from (33) ______ to other countries, noting that impacted regions in Ethiopia and Somalia haven't seen swarms of this scale in 25 years and that Kenya hasn't faced a(n) (34) ______ on this level in 70 years.
The primary method of battling locust swarms is the aerial spraying of pesticides. FAO's "Locust Watch" service explains that "although giant nets, flamethrowers, lasers, and huge vacuums have been (35) ______ in the past, these are not in use for locust control. People and birds often eat locusts but usually not enough to (36) ______ reduce population levels over large areas."
In response to an FAO request of $70 million "to assist with immediate needs in all three countries, including ramping up control operations as well as (37) ______ measures to safeguard rural livelihoods," the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) agreed on Jan. 24 to release $10 million to the agency.
"This (38) ______ locust outbreak is starting to destroy vegetation across East Africa with alarming speed and ferocity," U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said in a statement announcing the allocation. "Vulnerable families that were already dealing with food shortages now face the (39) ______ of watching as their crops are destroyed before their eyes."
"We must act now," Lowcock added, confirming that the (40) ______ will go toward scaling up aerial operations. "If left unchecked, this outbreak has the potential to spill over into more countries in East Africa with horrendous consequences. A swift and determined response to contain it is essential."（467）
【参考答案】
F.funds G.completely H.risk I.threat J. implementing K. prospect
Climate-Crisis Fueled Locust Swarms Pose 'Unprecedented Threat to Food Security and Livelihoods' in East Africa
A massive invasion of desert locusts(蝗虫)—partly fueled by the climate crisis—seriously threatens food security in already-vulnerable communities across East Africa and has increasingly alarmed United Nations experts in recent weeks.
"The situation remains extremely serious in the Horn of Africa, where it threatens pastures and crops in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia," says a report (pdf) released last week by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). "The current swarms represent an unprecedented threat to food (31) ______ and livelihoods in the Horn of Africa."
A swarm contains up to 150 million locusts per square kilometers (0.39 square miles) and can devour(吞噬) enough crops in a day to feed 35,000 people, according to FAO, a U.N. agency. Although "ground and aerial control operations continue in Ethiopia and aerial operations started in Kenya in January," the report notes that "insecurity and a lack of national capacity have hampered control operations in Somalia."
"A potentially threatening situation is developing along both sides of the Red Sea, where ongoing breeding is causing locust numbers to increase on the coasts of Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen," FAO warns. "There is a(n) (31) ______ that some swarms could appear in northeast Uganda, southeast South Sudan, and southwest Ethiopia."
FAO has called for a "massive, border-spanning campaign" to combat the hundreds of millions of locusts and stop them from (33) ______ to other countries, noting that impacted regions in Ethiopia and Somalia haven't seen swarms of this scale in 25 years and that Kenya hasn't faced a(n) (34) ______ on this level in 70 years.
The primary method of battling locust swarms is the aerial spraying of pesticides. FAO's "Locust Watch" service explains that "although giant nets, flamethrowers, lasers, and huge vacuums have been (35) ______ in the past, these are not in use for locust control. People and birds often eat locusts but usually not enough to (36) ______ reduce population levels over large areas."
In response to an FAO request of $70 million "to assist with immediate needs in all three countries, including ramping up control operations as well as (37) ______ measures to safeguard rural livelihoods," the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) agreed on Jan. 24 to release $10 million to the agency.
"This (38) ______ locust outbreak is starting to destroy vegetation across East Africa with alarming speed and ferocity," U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said in a statement announcing the allocation. "Vulnerable families that were already dealing with food shortages now face the (39) ______ of watching as their crops are destroyed before their eyes."
"We must act now," Lowcock added, confirming that the (40) ______ will go toward scaling up aerial operations. "If left unchecked, this outbreak has the potential to spill over into more countries in East Africa with horrendous consequences. A swift and determined response to contain it is essential."（467）
【参考答案】
苏19057182-3号