英语阅读：南亚6亿儿童因新冠而颠倒人生
COVID-19 upends ‘entire generation’ of 600 million South Asian children
23 June 2020
Health UN
Without urgent action, COVID-19 will continue to unravel decades of progress across South Asia, destroying the“hopes and futures of an entire generation”, warns a new report released on Tuesday by the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.
Lives Upended, notes that the rapidly advancing coronavirus pandemic, expanding across a region that is home to a quarter of the world’s population, is particularly affecting health and educational advances for children.
upend v. /ʌpˈend/ [ VN ] to turn sb/sth upside down 翻倒；倒放；使颠倒• The bicycle lay upended in a ditch. 自行车翻倒在一条小水沟里。
Unravel v. /ʌnˈrævl/
1.if you unravel threads that are twisted, woven or knitted, or if they unravel , they become separated （把缠或织在一起的线）解开，拆散，松开 •I unravelled the string and wound it into a ball. 我把绳子解开并绕成一个球。
2.[ V ] ( of a system, plan, relationship, etc. 系统、计划、关系等 ) to start to fail or no longer stay together as a whole 解体；崩溃；瓦解
3.to explain sth that is difficult to understand or is mysterious; to become clearer or easier to understand 阐释；说明；澄清；变得清楚易懂
UNICEF: /ˈjuːnɪsef/United Nations International Children's Fund联合国儿童基金会
“The side-effects of the pandemic across South Asia, including the lockdown and other measures, have been damaging for children in numerous ways”, said Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for the vast region. “But the longer-term impact of the economic crisis on children will be on a different scale entirely”.
side-effects:副作用 numerous/ˈnjuːmərəs/ ( formal ) existing in large numbers SYN many 众多的；许多的
Catastrophic consequences
The report illustrates the disastrous toll of the virus on some 600 million South Asian children, such as growing food insecurity and the disruption of immunization, nutrition and other vital health services, that could be potentially life-threatening for around 459,000 over the next six months.
Catastrophic /ˌkætəˈstrɒfɪk/ 1.ADJ Something that is catastrophic involves or causes a sudden terrible disaster. 灾难性的• A tidal wave caused by the earthquake hit the coast causing catastrophic damage. 地震引发的海啸袭击了海岸，造成了灾难性的损失。2.ADJ If you describe something as catastrophic, you mean that it is very bad or unsuccessful. 极糟的; 失败的
disastrous adj. /dɪˈzɑːstrəs/ very bad, harmful or unsuccessful 极糟糕的；灾难性的；完全失败的
toll /təʊl/
1.[ C ] money that you pay to use a particular road or bridge （道路、桥梁的）通行费
•motorway tolls 高速公路通行费 •a toll road/bridge 收费道路╱桥梁
2.[ Cusually sing. ] the amount of damage or the number of deaths and injuries that are caused in a particular war, disaster, etc. （战争、灾难等造成的）毁坏；伤亡人数
•The official death toll has now reached 7 000. 官方公布的死亡人数现已达7 000人。
3.[ sing. ] the sound of a bell ringing with slow regular strokes （缓慢而有规律的）钟声
4.[ C ] ( NAmE ) a charge for a telephone call that is calculated at a higher rate than a local call 长途电话费
IDIOMS 习语
take a heavy ˈtoll (on sb/sth) take its ˈtoll (on sb/sth)：to have a bad effect on sb/sth; to cause a lot of damage, deaths, suffering, etc. 产生恶果；造成重大损失（或伤亡、灾难等）
作动词：when a bell tolls or sb tolls it, it is rung slowly many times, especially as a sign that sb has died （缓慢而有规律地）敲（钟）；（尤指）鸣（丧钟）
immunization /ˌɪmjunaɪˈzeɪʃn/ 免疫
Meanwhile, school closures have pushed more than 430 million children into remote learning, which has only partially filled the gap as many households in rural areas lack both internet access and electricity.
At the same time, concerns are heightening that some disadvantaged students may join the nearly 32 million children who were already out of school, before COVID-19 struck.
This all comes against a backdrop of children struggling with depression and a surge in calls to help hotlines, as they suffer violence and abuse during home confinement.
backdrop /ˈbækdrɒp/1.a painted piece of cloth that is hung behind the stage in a theatre as part of the scenery （舞台的）背景幕布 2.everything that can be seen around an event that is taking place, but which is not part of that event （事件发生时）周围陪衬景物 •The mountains provided a dramatic backdrop for our picnic. 群山如画，给我们的野餐平添景色。3.the general conditions in which an event takes place, which sometimes help to explain that event （事态或活动的）背景
surge n /sɜːdʒ/
1.~ (of sth) a sudden increase of a strong feeling （强烈感情的）突发·a surge of excitement 一阵兴奋
2.~ (in/of sth) a sudden increase in the amount or number of sth; a large amount of sth （数量的）急剧上升，激增；大量；一大批•a surge in consumer spending 消费开支的激增
3.~ (of sth) a sudden, strong forward or upward movement 奔涌向前；突然的向上运动
4.a sudden increase in the flow of electrical power through a system （电流）浪涌
hotline：hot-line 热线电话 home confinement：居家隔离
confinement n. /kənˈfaɪnmənt/
1.[ U ] the state of being forced to stay in a closed space, prison, etc., the act of putting sb there 禁闭；监禁；关押•her confinement to a wheelchair 半步离不开轮椅对她的束缚
2.[ UC ] ( formal ) ( old-fashioned ) the time when a woman gives birth to a baby 分娩；产期 •the expected date of confinement 预产期
The report notes that life-saving vaccination campaigns against measles, polio and other diseases must resume, along with work to help an estimated 7.7 million children – more than half the global total – who are suffering from severe wasting, which impairs physical and mental development.
measles/ˈmiːzlz/麻疹 polio n. /ˈpəʊliəʊ/ 脊髓灰质炎；小儿麻痹症
Wasting：a wasting disease or illness is one that causes sb to gradually become weaker and thinner （指疾病）消耗性的，使消瘦的，使虚弱的
impair v. /ɪmˈpeə(r)/ [ VN ] ( formal ) to damage sth or make sth worse 损害；削弱
Moreover, as soon as possible, schools should reopen with adequate handwashing and other physical distancing precautions in place.
adequate： /ˈædɪkwət/ ~ (for sth)~ (to do sth) enough in quantity, or good enough in quality, for a particular purpose or need 足够的；合格的；合乎需要的
precaution n. /prɪˈkɔːʃn/ 常用复数
1.~ (against sth) something that is done in advance in order to prevent problems or to avoid danger 预防措施；预防；防备•safety precautions 安全防范措施
2.precautions [ pl. ] a way of referring to contraception 避孕措施
Economic turmoil
The economic shock triggered by COVID-19 is hitting families hard across the region, with large-scale job losses, wage cuts and remittance losses from overseas workers and through tourism.
turmoil n. /ˈtɜːmɔɪl/ [ Using. ] a state of great anxiety and confusion 动乱；骚动；混乱；焦虑• emotional/mental/political turmoil 纷乱的情绪；精神上的混乱；政治动乱
large-scale job losses 大规模失业 wage cuts：工资减少
remittance losses：汇款减少，remittance在以前的文章中提过，是银行汇款的意思。南亚外出的国际劳务很多，新冠疫情让这些异国亲人的国际汇款减少。
According to UNICEF projections, as many as 120 million more children could be pushed into poverty and food insecurity over the next six months, joining some 240 million children already classified as poor.
projection /prəˈdʒɛkʃən/N-COUNT A projection is an estimate of a future amount. 预计；（影片等）投映
To mitigate the impact, the report maintains that Governments should immediately direct more resources towards social protection schemes, including emergency universal child benefits and school feeding programmes.
“Putting such measures in place now will help the countries of South Asia transition faster from the humanitarian crisis caused by COVID-19 to a resilient and sustainable development model, with long term benefits for child wellbeing, the economy, and social cohesion”, said Ms. Gough.
humanitarian crisis：人道主义危机 humanitarian adj. /hjuːˌmænɪˈteəriən/
a resilient and sustainable development model：一个可迅速恢复、可持续发展的模式
child wellbeing：儿童福利 social cohesion：社会凝聚力
cohesion n. /kəʊˈhiːʒn/ 1.( formal ) the act or state of keeping together 黏合；结合；凝聚力•social/political/economic cohesion 社会╱政治╱经济凝聚性
2.( physics 物chemistry 化 ) the force causing molecules of the same substance to stick together 内聚力
Tackling COVID-related issues affecting children
•Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to health and social services staff.
•Scale up home learning solutions for those without internet access, such as using more paper and mobile phone-based materials.
•Address widescale need for water, toilets and hygiene services in schools and health care facilities.
•Work with religious leaders and others to address pandemic-driven myths and hate-speech.
原文链接：https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/06/1066842
