环球英语 — 126：Mining Disasters

　　Voice 1
Hello, I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Marina Santee. Welcome to Spotlight¹. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 3
“The place is dirty and wet and dark. There is not much space. Tall people cannot stand up straight. I have to go down one thousand [1000] metres in a large metal box, a cage. I then walk more than three [3] kilometres to reach my work place. I have a light. But I cannot re-light it when it goes out. I cannot find my way in the dark. I must hold on to the end of a pony². These small horses know their way, even in total darkness. I will be happy when work finishes. Then I can see daylight again.”
Voice 2
Underground ... darkness ... restricted³ spaces - this man is a miner⁴. He works⁵ in a mine. People have been mining substances⁶ from the earth for thousands of years. They have taken coal for fuel. They have mined metals such as gold and tin. Where there is a strong industry, mining is providing the materials.
Voice 1
In the twenty-first century, large industry has grown very fast in the miracle⁷ economies⁸ of Asia. India and China are the biggest examples. But where there is industry, there is mining. And where there is mining, there is danger.
Voice 2
In 2003, an accident happened at a mine in India. Miners⁹ had been working four metres down into the earth. They wanted to reach some fresh coal. So they used explosives¹⁰ to split¹¹ the rock. But the explosion¹² also buried the workers under tons of rock. Eleven [11] men were killed. This was the second accident in four months at this particular mine.
Voice 1
The country with the biggest problem with mining accidents today is China. Partly, this is because China has many miners. But the demand for energy there is very high - so mines have to increase their output¹³ of coal. Some people believe that high demand has led to more deaths. They believe mines have become less safe as the pressure to produce has become greater. In 2004, more than six thousand [6000] miners died.
Voice 2
The worst mining accident in history also happened in China. It happened in 1942 during the Second World War. At that time Japan was in control of China. A large number of Chinese people worked in the mines. The accident happened at Honkeiko Mine. Some coal dust caught fire underground. This caused a huge explosion. One thousand, five hundred and forty two [1,542] people died.
Voice 1
In the past, older economies had their fair share of mining disasters. Probably it takes time to learn to avoid them. In Britain, a tragic¹⁴ event over forty [40] years ago brought mining safety into the national news. Miners know that there are dangers working underground. However, this tragedy¹⁵ involved people who were not miners and they were above the ground.
Voice 2
It happened in a small village in Wales¹⁶, part of the United¹⁷ Kingdom. There were many coal mines there once. These mines were the area’s biggest employers¹⁸. It was on the twenty-first [21st] of October 1966. It began as just a normal day for the village people of Aberfan. The streets had been busy. People were hurrying to work or to school. A little later, the young children of Pantglas School had just finished singing. It was time for study. Jeff Edwards was one of these children. Years Later, he described what happened that day:
Voice 4
“Our teacher, Mr Davies was just starting to teach us. He was writing something on the blackboard. We heard a very loud noise. It sounded like something was moving very quickly. Things began to shake. The lights moved from side to side. Mr Davies told us not to worry. He said it was only a storm beginning.”
Voice 1
But it was not a storm. It was fast-moving coal waste. There was a small mountain above Aberfan. The local mine used the mountain as a ‘tip’. That is, they used it to store waste dirt and rock from the coal mine. However, under the tip was a small flow of water. This was not safe. The waste from the tip mixed with the water. It became liquid dirt. But people did not see this. The mine continued to pour its waste on the tip. The tip became huge. It was not firm. It was ready to fall. And it did - on that day in October 1966. Waves of liquid dirt ran down the mountain. The tip moved towards Aberfan.
Voice 2
Jeff Edwards continues his story:
Voice 4
“The next thing I remember was waking up. I was covered in waste material. I wondered what had happened to me. I could hear shouts for help. But I could not see anything. I could not move. I felt very afraid. I could see light through a small hole, high above me. Then I heard voices and I called out. The rescue workers started to pull the dirt away from me. After some time they got me out. They took me to hospital. I had head and stomach injuries.”
Voice 1
News of the accident travelled around the country. People came to help dig²⁰ out the children. But they were too late. The tip had moved too quickly. It had buried the school in minutes. Jeff Edwards survived. One hundred and sixteen [116] children from his school did not. Twenty-eight [28] adults were also killed.
Voice 2
It took a long time to clean up the village. The people of Aberfan were in shock. But they had all decided²¹ one thing. The mining companies must destroy all the other coal tips in the area. A group of men from Aberfan went to see the top man in the government, the Minister of State for Wales. They took some bags of coal waste with them. Enos Sims was one of the men. He said,
Voice 3
“We decided to throw the bags of waste in the government building. This may have been a stupid act. But we needed to do it. The Minister of State for Wales looked at us. Then he started to cry. He agreed to ask for the tips to be removed.”
Voice 1
Forty [40] years on, the tips have gone from the Aberfan area. And, yes, there are now laws about coal waste in Britain - laws designed to prevent another Aberfan accident. Accidents are powerful²² teachers. But still, the memories remain for the people of Aberfan. And the memories remain in every community that has experienced²³ a mining accident. And the question remains²⁴ - will their experience lead to change, change toward¹⁹ safer mines?
 

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 pony   

adj.小型的；n.小马

参考例句：

• His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
• They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。

3 restricted   

adj.有限的；受约束的

参考例句：

• Speed is restricted to 30 mph in towns. 在城里车速不得超过每小时30英里。
• a restricted range of foods 有限的食物种类

4 miner   

n.矿工

参考例句：

• He was a miner all his working life.他一辈子都是矿工。
• I think it is dangerous to be a miner.我认为当矿工是很危险的。

5 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。

6 substances   

n.物质( substance的名词复数 )；实质；物体；[哲学]1)。 本质

参考例句：

• substances with high levels of toxicity 毒性大的物质
• Many highly corrosive substances are used in the nuclear industry. 核工业使用许多腐蚀性很强的物质。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 miracle   

n.奇迹，令人惊奇的人或事

参考例句：

• The doctors said that his recovery was a miracle. 医生们说他的复原是件奇事。
• It is simply a miracle that rice should grow in such a place.稻子竟能在这样的地方生长，这实在是个奇迹。

8 economies   

n.节约( economy的名词复数 )；经济；经济情况；经济结构

参考例句：

• A customs union would integrate the economies of these countries. 关税联盟会把这些国家的经济紧密结合在一起。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Economies have peaks and troughs. 经济有高峰，也有低谷。 来自辞典例句

9 miners   

矿工( miner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The coal miners have come out for about two weeks. 煤矿工人已罢工约两周了。
• The roof of the cave dropped in on the miners, trapping them. 洞穴的顶部坍了下来，砸在矿工身上。

10 explosives   

n.爆炸物，炸药( explosive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They caved in the roof of the underground passage with powerful explosives. 他们用强大的炸药把地下通道的顶部炸塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The slightest spark can set off the explosives stored here. 一点点火星就能够使储存这里的火药爆炸。 来自《用法词典》

11 split   

n.劈开，裂片，裂口；adj.分散的；v.分离，分开，劈开

参考例句：

• Who told you that Mary and I had split up?谁告诉你玛丽和我已经离婚了？
• The teacher split the class up into six groups.老师把班级分成6个小组。

12 explosion   

n.爆发，发出，爆炸

参考例句：

• The police arrived right at the moment of the explosion.警察就在爆炸的那个时候赶到了。
• The shock of the explosion was felt far away.爆炸引起的震动很远都可感觉到。

13 output   

n.产量，输出，输出功率，输出端；vt.输出(信息等)

参考例句：

• Grain output reached a new high in the three years.谷物产量达到三年中最高水平。
• The chart showed us the global output of a factory.这张图表展示了一个工厂的总产量。

14 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

15 tragedy   

n.悲剧；惨事，惨案，灾难

参考例句：

• The news of the tragedy really knocked us out.关于这一惨案的消息确实使我们感到震惊。
• The play was a tragedy,but the acting was laughable.戏是悲剧，可是演得却令人发笑。

16 Wales   

n.威尔士(在大不列颠岛西南部)

参考例句：

• The company are opening up a new factory in Wales.公司将在威尔士开一家新工厂。
• She teaches English at the University of Wales.她在威尔士大学教英语。

17 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

18 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

19 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

20 dig   

v.挖（洞，沟等）；掘

参考例句：

• It is difficult to dig the ground when it is frozen.地面冻住了就不易挖掘。
• In those days we often went to dig for wild vegetables.那时候我们常常出去挖野菜。

21 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

22 powerful   

adj.有力的，有权力的，强大的

参考例句：

• The UN began to get more and more powerful.联合国开始变得越来越强大了。
• Such are the most powerful voices of our times!这些就是我们时代的最有力的声音！

23 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。

24 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。