英语听力—环球英语 831 Palm Oil Problems

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. 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 2009 one woman brought a message to one of the world’s largest companies. The company was Cargill, a major farm business. She told Cargill that she wanted them to change the way they worked. She saw how their business methods were harming the environment and her community. This woman was Matilda Pilacapio.
Voice 2
Matilda Pilacapio owns land in the Sangarai [Sayhn-guh-rye] Valley. This is in Milne [mill-un] Bay province, Papua New Guinea. Pilacapio has been a government official. She fights for human rights. And she works² with a local group called “Milne Bay Women in Agriculture”. As a community leader, Pilacapio believed she had to do something.
Voice 1
Milne Bay is a very small but important place. This is one of the places where large companies like Cargill work with local farmers. Together they grow oil palm plants. These plants produce very useful oil called palm oil. But there are many problems with the current system of farming oil palm plants. These problems influence the farmers and the environment. Pilacapio told the Rainforest Action Network:
Voice 3
“I think it is a disease³ all through the country. A lot of the land, especially the good land, has been taken up for growing palm oil. A lot of the vegetation⁴ plants are lost. A lot of the forests and everything seems to be just going into palm oil. It brings a lot of destruction⁵ when we lose a lot of land, resources, and the environment. It is something that is common going through Papua New Guinea. And it is causing a lot of problems. Rivers and creeks⁶ have dried up because palm oil takes a lot of water. And good water has just gone into oil palm roots. So it has brought a lot of destruction to the lives of our people.”
Voice 2
Palm oil is extremely useful oil. The oil comes from the fruit of the oil palm tree. Some people simply use it to cook fresh food. But companies use it in many different products too. It is used in packaged food - food that stays good for a long time. It is also found in body care products like lotion⁷ and make-up. And it can be used as a fuel to power vehicles. Because it is so useful, demand for palm oil is great. More and more people are producing and using this oil for all kinds of purposes.
Voice 1
But producing this oil comes at a great cost to the environment. Growing oil palm trees often means destroying valuable natural areas like peatland and rainforests. An internet blog of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy is called Think Forward. This blog reports that Papua New Guinea is home to some of the last remaining rainforests. These special ecosystems⁸ are home to many different plants, animals and people. This area in Papua New Guinea contains 5% of global biodiversity. Experts say that the people groups here speak over 830 languages. When the rainforests disappear, these people groups are affected⁹. The languages are lost. And the many plants and animals disappear.
Voice 2
Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s biggest producers of palm oil. In Indonesia, many animals are losing their homes to make room for oil palms. Elephants, tigers, and orangutans all live in the rainforests. Many of these animals are endangered. They may disappear unless people do something to save them.
Voice 1
Rainforests and peatlands can also hold gases like carbon dioxide inside of them. Scientists believe that gases like carbon dioxide are bad for the environment. When these areas are destroyed, they release¹⁰ carbon dioxide into the air.
Voice 2
Pilacapio has seen this damage to the environment. But she has also seen much damage to the traditional way of life in Papua New Guinea. She has seen the negative result for the people there. She told the blog Think Forward:
Voice 3
“Life has changed in a big way. We have a traditional way of life of sharing and giving. What we have, we share with our village. Now our people live in a monetary¹¹ world. Our people are at a point of change.”
Voice 1
Pilacapio is trying to change the way that Cargill works in this area. Traditionally, much of the land in Papua New Guinea is owned by a community. So companies try to find new ways to control the land. Many companies enter legal agreements with community members. The company charges the community for costs like transporting goods. Then, they will take much of the profit. The people agree to plant oil palm until they pay off the money they owe.
Voice 2
But Pilacapio argues that community farmers who enter these agreements suffer. They do not understand the legal documents they sign to work with Cargill. It is not easy to get legal help. And even if the farmers know where they can get it, it is often too far away.
Voice 1
Pilacapio also says these farmers depend too much on the oil palm plant. When the price of the palm oil changes, they do not have money or food. She also describes how many young people cannot become farmers. Too much land is used for oil palm. There is not enough new land to make new farms!
Voice 2
Pilacapio would like to see Cargill work more fairly with farmers. She wants farmers to understand the legal documents they sign to work with big companies. She also wants farmers to return to a more traditional way of farming. She wants them to grow groups of different crops. That way, if one crop fails, farmers can still depend on their other crops.
Voice 1
Cargill and other big companies that use palm oil have agreed to deal with these issues. They have agreed to work toward¹² more sustainable methods of farming oil palm plants. Sustainable methods would save the natural environment of rainforests and peatlands. Other companies have also agreed to use less palm oil in their products.
Voice 2
Individual people can also have an influence on palm oil production. People can know if the products they use have palm oil in them. They can investigate to see if that palm oil is from a sustainable place. These are sometimes difficult things to do. But they could have a big influence on the environment and the people who farm palm oil. This is one way people can make a difference.
 

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 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。

3 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

4 vegetation   

n.植物，草木，（植物）生长

参考例句：

• As we drove towards the desert,the vegetation became sparse.我们驱车前往沙漠，沿途的草木渐渐变得稀疏。
• The earth bore a thick green mantle of vegetation.大地覆盖着一层厚厚的绿色植物。

5 destruction   

n.破坏，毁灭，消灭

参考例句：

• The enemy bombs caused widespread destruction.敌人的炸弹造成大面积的破坏。
• Overconfidence was his destruction.自负是他垮台的原因。

6 creeks   

n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪

参考例句：

• The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句
• There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

7 lotion   

n.洗剂

参考例句：

• The lotion should be applied sparingly to the skin.这种洗液应均匀地涂在皮肤上。
• She lubricates her hands with a lotion.她用一种洗剂来滑润她的手。

8 ecosystems   

n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样，从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句

9 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。

10 release   

vt.发布，发表，发行；释放，放开

参考例句：

• After my examination I had a feeling of release.考完试后我有如释重负之感。
• This medicine will give you release from pain.这药吃后会解除你的疼痛。

11 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

12 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。