新西兰英语 298 IWC – International Whaling Commission

　　The IWC is meeting this week in Morocco to discuss whether some countries can be allowed to kill whales. New Zealand is especially interested in whaling in the Southern Ocean, near Antarctica. Japan has a quota² of 935 Antarctic¹ Minke whales each year which they are allowed to kill. They call this scientific research, studying whales. They are allowed to sell the whale meat so that it is not wasted. Twenty years ago, the IWC discovered there were about three quarters of a million Minke whales in Antarctica so they are not endangered. However, many countries and individual people are not happy about killing³ whales at all. Listen to March 12th 2010 about one protester⁴.
Norway and Iceland now kill whales for food. This is a traditional food for their countries. Some other people, like native people in Alaska, are also allowed to kill a few whales because it is their traditional food. The Maori Fisheries Trust tonight made a speech to the IWC and said they want to do the same because whale meat was a traditional food in their culture.
The New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, wants a compromise⁵ to keep both sides happy. He thinks Japan should be allowed to kill some whales for food. However, Australia does not want Japan to kill whales at all in the Southern Ocean.
The IWC meeting finishes on Friday.
Questions
1. Why does Japan have to kill 935 whales to study them?
2. Do you think people who eat whale meat as part of their traditional culture should be allowed to kill whales?
3. The Maori Fisheries Trust say that some countries traditionally have very cruel ways of treating animals for food like putting rings around a bird’s neck but they are allowed to do this so Maori should be allowed to kill whales. Is this a good argument?
4. Why are some countries and individuals not happy about killing whales?

1 Antarctic   

adj.南极(区)的；n.(the A-)南极洲，南极圈

参考例句：

• The Antarctic is a mountainous area.南极洲是一个多山的地区。
• It is well known that penguins live in the Antarctic.企鹅生活在南极洲是众所周知的。

2 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 protester   

n.抗议者；反对者；提出异议者；断言者

参考例句：

• The protester was jabbing a finger aggressively at a policeman. 那个示威者挑衅地用手指戳向一名警察。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Greek police arrested a protester during clashes in central Athens. 希腊警方在一场骚乱中逮捕了一名示威者。 来自互联网

5 compromise   

n.妥协；妥协方案；vt.损害；vi.妥协，让步

参考例句：

• The spokesman made it clear that no compromise was yet in sight.发言人表明，目前还不会妥协。
• The probable outcome of the talks is a compromise.会谈的结果很可能是妥协。