新西兰英语 542 “Occupy” groups in New Zealand

 　　Occupy Wall St which began in New York in September has spread around the world. By last Saturday, there were 2,668 groups in about 100 countries. Occupy protest¹ groups have been in our main cities for the last six weeks but now councils³ are getting tired of them and want the protesters to go home.

　　Occupy groups are protesting⁴ against economic and social inequality. They say, “We are the 99%”. They mean that 1% of the people in countries like ours have most of the money while 99% suffer. Too many people work for low wages or are unemployed⁵. This is not fair.

　　In Dunedin, Auckland⁶ and Wellington, Occupy groups are living in tents in the centre of the city. About 100 people in 70 tents are in Auckland’s Aotea Square. They say that we have freedom of speech in New Zealand so they have the right to protest but the council² says that they are stopping other people from using the Aotea Square. The council wants the court to stop the protest. The judge gave the protesters one week to decide what to do. The court case will be next Monday.

　　Vocabulary

　　occupy – stay there, live there

　　inequality – not equal

　　economic inequality – a few people are very rich; a great many are poor

　　social inequality – a few people live in expensive houses, have expensive cars and go on overseas⁷ holidays; a great many people live in poor houses and never have enough money

　　suffer – they feel pain

　　Questions

　　1.Do you think the Occupy groups should be allowed to stay in the centre of the city?

　　2.Will this protest movement change anything?

　　3.Does protest ever change anything?

　　4.Protest movements are not usually world-wide. How did Occupy become a world-wide protest?

1 protest   

v.反对，抗议；宣称；n.抗议；宣称

参考例句：

• I can't pass the matter by without a protest.我不能对此事视而不见，我要提出抗议。
• We translated his silence as a protest.我们把他的沉默解释为抗议。

2 council   

n.理事会，委员会，议事机构

参考例句：

• The town council passed a law forbidding the distribution of handbills.市议会通过法律，禁止散发传单。
• The city council has declared for improving the public bus system.市议会宣布同意改进公共汽车系统。

3 councils   

n.委员会( council的名词复数 )；（郡、镇等）政务会；（尤指旧时讨论特定步骤的）协商会议；市政（或地方管理）服务机构

参考例句：

• It is one of the most notoriously corrupt city councils. 那是贪污腐败最为臭名昭著的市参议会之一。 来自辞典例句
• Local councils should use their powers to ensure strict observance of laws. 地方政务委员会应当行使权力以保证人们严格遵守法律。 来自辞典例句

4 protesting   

v.声明( protest的现在分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• They were formally protesting. 他们正式提出抗议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were protesting soaring prices. 他们抗议物价暴涨。 来自辞典例句

5 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

6 Auckland   

n.奥克兰(新西兰港市)

参考例句：

• Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand.奥克兰是新西兰最大的城市。
• Return to auckland by bus in afternoon.下午乘车返回奥克兰。

7 overseas   

adj.海外的；adv.在海外

参考例句：

• Her man has been sent overseas by his employers.她的丈夫已被雇主派往海外。
• Many firms are focusing on increasing their markets overseas.许多商行都专注于扩大国外市场。