VOA慢速英语2016 越南人因为鱼类神秘死亡举行抗议活动

AS IT IS 2016-05-03 Vietnamese Protest Mysterious Fish Kill 越南人因为鱼类神秘死亡举行抗议活动

Hundreds of people demonstrated in Vietnam on Sunday against a company they accuse of killing¹ large numbers of fish along the country’s central coast.

周日，因疑一工厂排污致中部沿海大量鱼类死亡，数百越南民众举行抗议示威活动。

Some demonstrators criticized Vietnam’s government for reacting slowly to a major environmental disaster.

示威者抨击称，越南政府对这次重大环境灾难的处理消极、迟缓。

An official investigation² has found no links between the fish kill and a steel plant operating along the coast. The factory belongs to a Taiwanese company, Formosa Plastics.

政府调查发现，并无直接证据表明鱼类大量死亡与沿海的钢铁厂有关。该钢铁厂隶属于台湾台塑公司。

Public anger against the company was evident at the recent demonstration³ in Hanoi.

河内市近期举行的示威活动中，民众对污染企业的不满显而易见。

Protesters carried signs reading, “Formosa destroying the environment is a crime” and “Who poisoned the central region’s waters?” Others signs said, “Formosa out of Vietnam!” and criticized Vietnamese officials for failing to take action.

示威者举着写有“台塑破坏环境就是犯罪”以及“谁污染了中部地区的水源？”的标语。还有标语写道，“台塑钢铁厂滚出越南！”，越南民众还批评政府未能采取相关措施。

Demonstrations⁴ are rare in Vietnam. Police are usually quick to suppress them. Last weekend, police officers cleared traffic to let demonstrators march near a big lake in the center of Hanoi.

示威活动在越南并不常见。通常警方会立即镇压示威者。上周末，警方疏散了交通以便示威者在河内市中心的大湖附近游行。

Huge numbers of dead fish have appeared at fish farms and along the central coast since April 6. The dead fish include rare species that live in deep water, far from land.

4月6日以来，渔场及中部沿海的鱼类出现了大规模死亡。包括远离陆地深海中的珍稀鱼类。

The fish kill has affected⁵ 200 kilometers of coastland in four provinces, with no known cause.

鱼类死亡已经波及越南4个省份长达200公里的沿海区域，原因尚不明确。

At first, the environmental disaster was thought to have resulted from industrial waste. Some Vietnamese and environmental activists⁶ believe it came from the huge steel plant.

最初，民众认为这起环境灾难是因工厂废弃物污染所致。一些越南民众和环保主义人士认为罪魁祸首是这家大型钢铁厂。

Last week, Vietnamese officials said they failed to find evidence linking the fish kill to the factory.

上周，越南官员表示，并未有证据表明鱼类死亡和这家工厂有关。

Tran Hong Ha, the top environmental official, apologized for the government’s reaction to the large fish kill. He demanded that the Taiwanese company dig up a waste pipe at the steel project so the government can study the waste.

越南环保局高层Tran Hong Ha对政府应对此次大型鱼类死亡事件表示歉意。他要求台塑公司在建设钢铁项目时挖一条污水管道，以便政府进行污水调查。

At first, the government said the cause of the fish kill could be a “red tide.” Red tides happen naturally when algae⁷ become so numerous that they discolor coastal⁸ waters. The organisms remove oxygen from the water. They can also release toxic⁹ substances that may sicken animals and human beings.

政府起先称鱼类死亡可能是赤潮引起的。赤潮指海藻泛滥使沿海海水变色的一种有害生态现象。这种生物会消耗水中的氧气，还会释放可能会让动物和人类患病的有毒物质。

The government also said that the fish kill could have resulted from chemicals released by humans.

政府还表示鱼类死亡可能是由人类排放的化学物质造成的。

A comment by a Formosa official helped to fuel public anger in Vietnam. The official reportedly said that the country had to choose between catching¹⁰ fish and shrimp¹¹, and building a modern steel industry.

台塑公司发表的一份言论让越南民众的愤怒情绪爆发。据悉该公司负责人表示，越南当局必须决定要捕鱼虾，还是要建现代钢铁厂，有得就有失。

Reports on Facebook say several hundred protesters marched in Ho Chi Minh City. However, state-controlled media have yet to report on any of the demonstrations.

Facebook报道显示，数百名示威者在胡志明市游行。但是，越南官方媒体尚未对任何一次示威活动进行报道。

Social media and witnesses said protests also took place in central Vietnam last Friday. They said fishermen threw fish on a road after failing to sell their catch. The Reuters news service could not confirm the incident.

社交媒体和目击者纷纷表示，上周五越南中部地区也爆发了抗议活动。他们说，渔民们将卖不出去的鱼丢在路边。路透社尚未证实这一事件。

On Saturday, the government ordered the trade and agriculture ministries¹² to help buy seafood¹³ caught during deep-sea fishing.

上周六，越南政府下令贸易和农业部门协助收购远洋作业期间捕捞的海鲜。

Words in This Story

species – n. a particular group of things that belong together or have some shared quality

toxin¹⁴ – n. a poisonous substance and especially one that is produced by a living thing

red tide – n. a discoloration of seawater caused by a bloom of toxic red organisms  

algae – n. simple plants that have no leaves or stems and that grow in or near water

1 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。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

4 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 algae   

n.水藻，海藻

参考例句：

• Most algae live in water.多数藻类生长在水中。
• Algae grow and spread quickly in the lake.湖中水藻滋蔓。

8 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

9 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

10 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

11 shrimp   

n.虾，小虾；矮小的人

参考例句：

• When the shrimp farm is built it will block the stream.一旦养虾场建起来，将会截断这条河流。
• When it comes to seafood,I like shrimp the best.说到海鲜，我最喜欢虾。

12 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

13 seafood   

n.海产食品，海味，海鲜

参考例句：

• There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
• Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

14 toxin   

n.毒素，毒质

参考例句：

• Experts have linked this condition to a build-up of toxins in the body.专家已把这一病症与体内毒素的积累联系起来。
• Tests showed increased levels of toxin in shellfish.检验表明水生有壳动物的毒素水平提高了。