VOA标准英语2013--Burma Struggles to Crack Down on Wildlife Consumption

 

Burma Struggles to Crack Down on Wildlife Consumption

Catering¹ to tourist

The pagoda² on the Golden Rock of Kyaiktiyo attracts thousands of visitors who ascend³ the steep mountain to see what appears as a miraculous⁴ balance.

Restaurant hawkers compete for their tourist dollars and some are catering to demands for exotic food, including endangered wildlife.

Demand for wild game

Htet Ko says they have been serving wild animal meat for 13 years, but since this article was translated into Burmese, officials inspect his family's restaurant every week, so they have to hide the meat.

"The local forestry⁵ ministry⁶ banned all kinds of wild animal dishes including our popular dishes like barking deer and sambur meat," he said. "However, 99 percent of visitors want to eat those kinds of wildlife food."

The San Let Tin Resort in Kyaiktiyo township may raise some eyebrows⁷ having the area's only zoo next to its restaurant.

But manager, Tint⁸ Swe Oo, insists the resort owner is an animal lover and says, unlike some restaurants, those in cages here are not on the menu.

"They [restaurant owners who serve wild animals] should stop selling it [wild animal meat] now. There are many other types of meat that can replace it," he said. "Wild animals should not be on the menu. I would like to see wild animals living in the forests peacefully."

Serving endangered wildlife has long been illegal here; but enforcement, before the new government, was lacking says temple official U Myint Swe. 

Game for food enforced

Now, he says, they successfully stopped the trade in about 80 percent of restaurants.

"We cannot accept serving wildlife meat around the religious area. We can only allow selling normal meat that is approved by the government. Some restaurants have served wildlife food secretly before," U Myint Swe explained. "However, the numbers of those restaurants are decreasing because of the inspections⁹ by officials."

Meanwhile, vendors¹⁰ openly sell animal parts as traditional medicine.

U Myint Swe says protectionists have discussed better safeguards for endangered wildlife with United Nations organizations.

He says they would welcome more enforcement efforts.

1 catering   

n. 给养

参考例句：

• Most of our work now involves catering for weddings. 我们现在的工作多半是承办婚宴。
• Who did the catering for your son's wedding? 你儿子的婚宴是由谁承办的？

2 pagoda   

n.宝塔（尤指印度和远东的多层宝塔），（印度教或佛教的）塔式庙宇

参考例句：

• The ancient pagoda is undergoing repairs.那座古塔正在修缮中。
• The pagoda is reflected upside down in the water.宝塔影子倒立在水里。

3 ascend   

vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上

参考例句：

• We watched the airplane ascend higher and higher.我们看着飞机逐渐升高。
• We ascend in the order of time and of development.我们按时间和发展顺序向上溯。

4 miraculous   

adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的

参考例句：

• The wounded man made a miraculous recovery.伤员奇迹般地痊愈了。
• They won a miraculous victory over much stronger enemy.他们战胜了远比自己强大的敌人，赢得了非凡的胜利。

5 forestry   

n.森林学；林业

参考例句：

• At present, the Chinese forestry is being at a significant transforming period. 当前, 我国的林业正处于一个重大的转折时期。
• Anhua is one of the key forestry counties in Hunan province. 安化县是湖南省重点林区县之一。

6 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

7 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

8 tint   

n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色

参考例句：

• You can't get up that naturalness and artless rosy tint in after days.你今后不再会有这种自然和朴实无华的红润脸色。
• She gave me instructions on how to apply the tint.她告诉我如何使用染发剂。

9 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓