环球英语 — 124：Sign Three: Climate Refugees

　　Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight¹ program. I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Rebekah Schipper. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
In 2005, scientists with NASA, the United States space program, took a picture of the earth from space. What they saw shocked them.
Voice 2
The picture showed that the Arctic²’s thick ice is shrinking³. You see, the scientist compared their picture with another picture taken in 2004. It was very clear that there was less ice in 2005.
Voice 1
In fact, in just one year, seven hundred and thirty thousand [730,000] square kilometres of the Arctic’s thick ice melted. Dr. Nghiem is one scientist who studied the pictures.
Voice 3
“...The change we see between 2004 and 2005 is enormous⁴. What we have here is fourteen [14] percent loss in one year. This is eighteen [18] times greater than the previous rate.”
Voice 2
Scientists have reason to believe that the earth’s temperature is rising. They have studied many affects of warmer weather. This is the third and last program in a series about the physical signs of global warming. People all over the world are seeing evidence of climate change. Take a look around. Do you see any of these signs where you live?
Voice 1
Today’s sign: Climate Refugees⁶
Voice 2
Tuvalu is a small Pacific Island nation. Many areas of the islands sit just a metre above sea-level. Many people believe that one day Tuvalu will disappear. Why? Well, thousands of kilometres away, melting Arctic ice causes sea levels to rise. Many Tuvaluans are moving away from their beloved⁷ islands. They are moving to higher ground. Many now live in New Zealand. Here, many Tuvaluans worry that their culture and their traditions are slowly starting to change.
Voice 1
Telaki Taniela is a Tuvaluan now living in New Zealand. Telaki remembers being a child on the island.
Voice 4
“As a child I used to play on the beach. I saw the ocean’s high tide...But in recent years high tide has gone over and above what it used to be. I said to myself, yes, the scientists really are telling the truth. I built two houses in Tuvalu. But, I just got up and...left them behind...I do not want to rise from sleep in the morning and find myself under water.”
Voice 2
Many scientists are saying that within fifty [50] to one hundred [100] years much of Tuvalu will be under water. There are other opinions. Some scientists believe that the earth will shift⁸ and change. The land will rise. The islands will survive. But, measuring sea levels shows the water raises an average of five and a half [5.5] millimetres each year. That may not seem like much. However, five and a half millimetres over many years equals a lot of water!
Voice 1
Tuvaluans now living in New Zealand call themselves “climate refugees.” They are trying to make new lives in New Zealand. They like their new lives. But, they fear losing their island and their culture. Fala is a climate refugee⁵.
Voice 5
“I am living in New Zealand. But hey, people will still look at my colour and go, ‘Hey, where are you from? Which island?’ And I will say, ‘Oh, I am from Tuvalu.’ They will say ‘Where is that?’ What shall I say then? ‘Oh, it has disappeared or drowned under the sea because of global warming?’ That is our identity⁹, our culture. Everything will disappear. We may get together here as a community and celebrate Tuvalu holidays...but it is different here in New Zealand. It is going to be really hard for us to accept that we are no longer on the map.”
Voice 2
Rising sea levels do not just threaten Tuvalu. In the coming years, rising water will affect most coastal¹⁰ areas around the world. And sadly, many of these areas are among the poorest areas in the world.
Voice 1
Most of Bangladesh is just above sea level. Millions of Bangladeshis live in areas that may one day disappear under water. But many of them do not know it.
Voice 6
“In my case, since I am quite educated, I can go to Dhaka and live quite happily. But what will happen to my neighbours and family who are really uneducated, who do not even know what climate is? For them the climate disaster will be unexpected¹¹ so they are going to die.”
Voice 2
That was Mohon Mondal. He works¹² for a local group called “Working for Coastal People.” Mohon and his group are teaching¹³ coastal Bangladeshis about climate change. They do this by performing plays for the people.
Voice 6
“To the village people, plays are a great source of entertainment and joy. They do not really have access to films. So whatever you say in a drama or play, people remember it better.”
Voice 1
But is information about climate change enough? Many people believe that it is not. Many people are hoping the government will create a plan for the people of Bangladesh. But, how will the government move millions of people? And how can they worry about a problem like climate change? The government already must provide for millions of poor people. The government must worry about educating them and providing health care for them. So, what should be done?
Voice 2
Well, many people in Bangladesh believe that they can survive rising water and climate change. If the climate changes, then the people will just change too. The people have experienced¹⁴ hard times before. And they have survived.
Voice 1
Ismail Hossain is a farmer. Already, Ismail changed his life to survive the rising water. He learned¹⁵ to grow vegetables on the water. He created floating gardens. He has thirteen [13] vegetable gardens resting on the surface of the water. But, will his floating gardens be enough? Can Ismail and millions of other people survive rising water? Only time will tell.
Voice 2
Climate change is affecting many parts of our world. We can find signs in the mountains, deep in the waters, in the behaviour of animals, and in the lives of people. Look for these signs where you live. And, let them remind you that the earth is ours to care for.
Voice 7
“Let the sea resound¹⁶, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.” [Psalm 98]
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 Arctic   

adj.北极的；n.北极

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• The sort of animal lived in the Arctic Circle.这种动物生活在北极圈里。

3 shrinking   

a.畏缩的，犹豫不决的

参考例句：

• She purposely made the dress larger to allow for shrinking when it was washed. 她故意把衣服做大一些，以防洗时缩水。
• I can't imagine why a dynamic young woman like her is marrying a shrinking violet like him. 我不能想像，像她这样一个充满活力的年轻女子为什么会嫁给他这样一个胆怯害羞的人。

4 enormous   

adj.巨大的；庞大的

参考例句：

• An enormous sum of money is injected each year into teaching.每年都有大量资金投入到教学中。
• They wield enormous political power.他们行使巨大的政治权力。

5 refugee   

n.难民，流亡者

参考例句：

• The refugee was condemned to a life of wandering.这个难民注定要过流浪的生活。
• The refugee is suffering for want of food and medical supplies.难民苦于缺少食物和医药用品。

6 refugees   

n.避难者，难民( refugee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The UN has begun making airdrops of food to refugees. 联合国已开始向难民空投食物。
• They claimed they were political refugees and not economic migrants. 他们宣称自己是政治难民，不是经济移民。

7 beloved   

adj./n.受爱戴的，敬爱的；爱人，被心爱的人

参考例句：

• She longs for the early return of her beloved.她盼着心上人早日归来。
• She is Tom's beloved wife.她是汤姆的爱妻。

8 shift   

n.交换，变化，移动，接班者；vt.更替，移转，变声；vi.改变，定责，更衣

参考例句：

• Lend me a hand to shift this box,will you?来帮一下忙，把这箱子搬开，好吗？
• A sudden shift in the wind warned of the coming storm.风向的突然改变预示暴风雨来临。

9 identity   

n.身份，本体，特征；同一(性)，一致

参考例句：

• He never revealed his identity.他从未暴露过自己的身份。
• He showed his identity card and went in.他把工作证亮了一下就进去了。

10 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。

11 unexpected   

adj.想不到的，意外的

参考例句：

• I always keep some good wine in for unexpected guests.我总保存些好酒，用来招待不速之客。
• His promotion was unexpected.他的升迁出人意料。

12 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

13 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

14 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

15 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

16 resound   

v.回响

参考例句：

• A roar of approval resounded through the Ukrainian parliament.一片赞成声在乌克兰议会中回响。
• The soldiers' boots resounded in the street.士兵的军靴踏在地面上的声音在大街上回响。