英语听力精选进阶版 14085

Australia debates nuclear waste

Summary

3 March 2010

Aboriginal¹ groups are to debate controversial plans to build Australia's first nuclear waste dump on tribal² land in the Northern Territory.

The federal government has identified a remote cattle station north of Tennant Creek³ as a likely site.

Reporter:

Phil Mercer

Report

In the next six years nuclear waste that Australia sent to Europe for reprocessing will be returned but officials in Canberra have yet to decide where to put it.

Muckaty Station, an isolated⁴ property 120 kilometres from Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, has been chosen as a possible site. Local Aborigines have offered to sell the land for $11 million, a move that has infuriated other indigenous⁵ groups in the area, who worry about the health and environmental implications.

These conflicting views are expected to collide at a public meeting in Tennant Creek, an old gold-mining town south of Darwin. Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam says the plan to build a radioactive waste dump in the region has become extremely divisive.

Australia's federal government said that Muckaty Station would be subject to thorough scientific and environmental assessments⁶. Ministers have indicated that the nuclear dump won't be built if landowners opposed it.

Critics believe that recent earthquakes in that part of the Northern Territory have raised questions about the safety of the sites. The Australian Greens have said that radioactive waste should be stored at the country's only nuclear facility on the outskirts⁷ of Sydney.

Phil Mercer, BBC News, Sydney

1 aboriginal   

adj.（指动植物）土生的，原产地的，土著的

参考例句：

• They managed to wipe out the entire aboriginal population.他们终于把那些土著人全部消灭了。
• The lndians are the aboriginal Americans.印第安人是美国的土著人。

2 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

3 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

4 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

5 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

6 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

7 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。