2016年CRI Cliff Village Commuting via Wooden Ladder Raises Concerns

 

(source: CCTV)

The official of a village in southwest China has pledged¹ to build a steel ladder as a temporary alternate² passway for villagers to the wooden one hanging off a cliff³ right now.

The village official also announced possible road building plans as a long-term solution to the traffic inconvenience.

The issue was first disclosed⁴ on May 24 by Beijing News.

According to the report, the village is situated⁵ on a cliff. The only way to get out of the village is to climb down through a wooden ladder hanging on the cliff.

The facility has put villagers' life in danger, especially for children who have to go through here every day to go to school.

Adults will go out shopping for daily supplies once a week, also by climbing the ladder.

Following the official's response, however, many argued that there might be a better solution.

Someone questioned why the school has to be located outside the village.

The official said if the school was moved up the cliff, the power or water supply could not be guaranteed considering the poor facilities in the village.

Others proposed⁶ possibly relocating the village.

The official responded by saying that most senior villagers may refuse to leave the place they have been living for their lifetime, adding that the high living cost in cities may also be a challenge for the villagers.

The village named Atule'er locates in Sichuan Province. It sits 1,400 meters high above sea level, which forces the villagers to take a dangerous journey between their homes and the outside world, since the only “road” they can take is made of rattan⁷.

There are 15 schoolchildren who go back home by the rattan ladder three times every month. The youngest one, only six years old, was carried by his father climbing on the cliff. The trip took about one hour.

According to the township head, seven or eight people have fallen to their death along the way. He added that the village used to have an electric elevator, but it cost too much money and the villagers couldn’t afford it.

1 pledged   

保证，许诺，发誓( pledge的过去式和过去分词 )； 典当； 保证给予（或做）； 以誓言约束

参考例句：

• They have pledged that they will always remain faithful to each other. 他们发誓他们将永远忠诚于对方。
• The government pledged to rehouse the refugees. 政府许诺给难民提供新住房。

2 alternate   

adj.交替的，间隔的；v.（使）轮流　　

参考例句：

• He and I clean our room on alternate days.我和他隔日轮流打扫我们的房间。
• That was a week of alternate rain and sunshine.那是晴雨天交替的一周。

3 cliff   

n.悬崖，峭壁

参考例句：

• The cliff edge is dangerous and should be railed.崖边危险，应该用栏杆围起来。
• He took the measure of the cliff before he climbed it.他把悬崖的高度估量一下后再攀登。

4 disclosed   

说出( disclose的过去式和过去分词 )； 揭露； 使显露； 使暴露

参考例句：

• She disclosed that she had been married for a month. 她透露自己已经结婚一个月了。
• He disclosed his views about this thing. 他表明了对这事的看法。

5 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

6 proposed   

被提议的

参考例句：

• There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions. 员工对改变工资和工作环境的建议普遍不满。
• an outcry over the proposed change 对拟议的改革所发出的强烈抗议

7 rattan   

n.藤条，藤杖

参考例句：

• When they reached a long bridge fastened with rattan strips,everyone got out and walked.走到那顶藤条扎的长桥，大家都下车步行。
• Rattan furniture,include rattan chair,rattan table,and so on.藤器家具包括藤椅藤桌等等。