新西兰英语 606 No Dam for Mokihinui River

　　Today the power company, Meridian¹ Energy, cancelled the plan to build a dam across the Mokihinui River gorge². The river is on the West Coast of the South Island, north of Westport. Meridian Energy has been planning this dam since 2008 and has spent $18m already. The plan was for an 85m high dam and power station which would generate 360 gigawatt hours a year. This would provide enough electricity for the West Coast which now gets its power from the Waitaki River power stations 600km away.

　　In April 2010, Meridian received resource consent for the dam from the Coast Council but DoC, the Department of Conservation, was not happy about this and appealed to the Environment Court. The conservation group, Forest and Bird, said the Mokihinui gorge is the home for many endangered birds, eels³, bats, lizards⁴, giant snails⁵ and native fish. It is very popular with people who enjoy white water rafting and kayaking. It is also popular with people who enjoy the natural landscape of the West Coast.

　　The Meridian plan was to make a 14km long lake which could be used for boating and other leisure activities. However, there is such strong opposition⁶ to the idea of a dam on this gorge that Meridian has decided⁷ not to go ahead.

　　Earlier this year, Meridian decided not to go ahead with plans for a wind farm in Central Otago and in 2004 Meridian cancelled plans to build another dam on the Waitaki River. Meridian had already spent over $100m on these plans but there was strong opposition to both of them. Meridian believes that wind energy could be successful on the West Coast.

　　Listen to January 25th 2012 to hear about the wind farm plan in Central Otago.

　　If you are interested in seeing the gorge and white water rafting and kayaking on the Mokihinui River watch a video on YouTube.

　　Vocabulary

　　?gorge –a deep valley with river at the bottom

　　?resource consent – to say ‘yes’ to using natural resources like water

　　?appeal – to go to a higher court

　　?Environment court – listens to both sides when there is an argument about the environment

　　?endangered – not many left, could become extinct

　　?opposition (n)– a group with strong beliefs different from the other side; to oppose (v), opposite (adj)

　　?go ahead – do it (idiom)

　　Questions

　　?Why are people opposed to hydro electricity schemes, to wind farms and to nuclear power stations? What about coal-fired and gas-fired power stations? New Zealand now uses thermal⁸ energy from underground steam. Is there opposition to this also?

　　?What is the future for electricity generation?

　　Listen to November 22nd 2008 to hear about a Geothermal power station.

1 meridian   

adj.子午线的；全盛期的

参考例句：

• All places on the same meridian have the same longitude.在同一子午线上的地方都有相同的经度。
• He is now at the meridian of his intellectual power.他现在正值智力全盛期。

2 gorge   

n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃

参考例句：

• East of the gorge leveled out.峡谷东面地势变得平坦起来。
• It made my gorge rise to hear the news.这消息令我作呕。

3 eels   

abbr. 电子发射器定位系统（=electronic emitter location system）

参考例句：

• Eels have been on the feed in the Lower Thames. 鳗鱼在泰晤士河下游寻食。
• She bought some eels for dinner. 她买回一些鳗鱼做晚餐。

4 lizards   

n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nothing lives in Pompeii except crickets and beetles and lizards. 在庞培城里除了蟋蟀、甲壳虫和蜥蜴外，没有别的生物。 来自辞典例句
• Can lizards reproduce their tails? 蜥蜴的尾巴断了以后能再生吗？ 来自辞典例句

5 snails   

n.蜗牛；迟钝的人；蜗牛( snail的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I think I'll try the snails for lunch—I'm feeling adventurous today. 我想我午餐要尝一下蜗牛——我今天很想冒险。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Most snails have shells on their backs. 大多数蜗牛背上有壳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 thermal   

adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的

参考例句：

• They will build another thermal power station.他们要另外建一座热能发电站。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。