VOA常速英语:Somali Famine Defies Easy Answers

词汇讲解：

1. famine n. 饥荒
例句：Many people die of starvation during famines every year.
每年发生饥荒时都有许多人饿死。

2. sweep vt. 在…迅速传播；在…迅速蔓延
例句：The rumour about his scandal swept the state where he was running for the state's congressman.
在他竞选的那个州正在迅速传播着有关他丑闻的谣言。

3. restrict vt. 限制; 约束
例句：He feels this new law will restrict his freedom.
他觉得这一新法律会限制他的自由。

4. survival n. 幸存, 生存
例句：The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.
医生告诉我的妻子, 说我活下去的可能性只有50%。

5. contract v. 染上(恶习, 疾病等)
例句：My son's contracted a severe fever.
我的儿子发高烧。

6. vexing adj. 使人烦恼的；使人恼火的
例句：Lately a vexing problem had grown infuriatingly worse. 
最近发生了一个讨厌的问题，而且严重到令人发指的地步。

7. starve v. (使)挨饿, 饥饿
例句：I'm starved very much now because I have had nothing at all today.
我现在饿极了, 因为我今天什么也没吃。

8. ravage v. 毁坏;蹂躏
例句：The countryside has been ravaged by pollution.
乡村受到污染的破坏。

9. spook vt.吓;吓唬
例句：Something in the bushes spooked her horse.
矮树林里有东西惊了她的马。

10. minimal adj. 最小的; 极少的
例句：The storm did only minimal damage.
暴风雨只造成极轻微的损失。

11. escort vt. 护送; 护卫
例句：The Queen's yacht was escorted by destroyers.
女王的游艇由驱逐舰护航。