新闻万花筒：现金只能带来救济——油污染尼日利亚社区

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Cash Brings Relief, But Not Recovery, to Oil-Polluted Nigerian Community

A pair of oil spills in 2008 and 2009 polluted the waters around the town of Bodo, in Nigeria’s southern Rivers State. A settlement between the Shell oil company and the affected community that was negotiated in January put cash in the pockets of townspeople, but it did not undo the environmental damage to the area around Bodo.

Just about everyone in Bodo is building something. But on the banks of the creeks that surround the community, oil laps at blackened ground. Therein lies the reason for the building boom.

Two oil spills years ago dumped thousands of barrels of crude into the creeks of this community, which depends on fishing for its main source of income. Bodo claimed the Shell oil company’s Nigerian subsidiary was responsible for the spill, and took the matter to court in Britain. Earlier this year, Bodo accepted a cash settlement that put money directly into the pockets of more than 15,000 people.

But Sylvester Kogbara, high chief of the community, said money cannot make up for a way of life that was destroyed.

“It is not enough, and it can never be enough. I have mentioned it here and in terms of [money], no, they can't pay enough. And what of the generations unborn?” said Kogbara.

Residents received about $3,000 each from the settlement. Fisherman Giadon Aagbara Timothy is using the money to build a brick house to replace the mud home his family lives in.

But with the waters around Bodo saturated with oil and the fish either dead or too polluted to eat, he said his future looks bleak.

“From the moment the oil spill occurred, we now live with no choice than being in that abject poverty. That, where we cannot go fishing, we cannot go anywhere to get anything to help ourselves. The oil spill really cost us a whole damage,” said Aagbara.

You can still buy fish in the market in Bodo, but it is imported from elsewhere, where the water is cleaner. Some fishermen still tough it out. Marvelous Bonny bought a new fishing boat with the settlement money. He now travels far from Bodo to catch the croaker and salt-water fish popular in its markets.

Shell has also agreed to help clean up the oil that spilled around Bodo. Its residents say things will get back to normal only when its waterways are clean.

 

词汇解析

relation

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.关系；联系；亲戚；陈述；参考

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Relation between the two countries has reached a crisis point.

两国关系已达到出现危机的地步。

The aim of this paper is to examine the theory to reality in relation to HPH and review the current Healthy Hospital Accreditation policy in Taipei City.

本文采用文献探讨方式，探讨国际间推行健康促进医院的相关文献，具体了解健康促进医院的内涵，以作为我国发展健康促进医院的参考。

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Portuguese

难度：2星扩展词汇，属常用10000词

英汉解释

n.葡萄牙语；葡萄牙人

adj.葡萄牙的；葡萄牙人的；葡萄牙语的

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The England striker says the slippery Portuguese winker got him sent off in Saturday's World Cup clash.

英格兰前锋说这个狡猾的葡萄牙人在周六的比赛中迫使自己下场后挤眉弄眼。

用作形容词 (adj.)

Several important property definitions were extended, improving linebreaking for Polish and Portuguese hyphenation.

几个重要属性的定义范围扩大，改善波兰语和葡萄牙语的断行连接符。

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delegation

难度：2星扩展词汇，属常用10000词

英汉解释

n.代表团；委派；授权，委托

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Our cultural delegation met with a hearty welcome.

我们的文化代表团受到热烈欢迎。

The company is discussing about the delegation of staff to Europe.

公司正在商讨委派人员去欧洲的事宜。

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extent

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n. 广度； 宽度； 长度； 大小； 范围； 程度

n. [律]<英>扣押； <美>临时所有权令

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

A particle has no extent so that its position is a point.

质点没有广度因此它的位置是一个点。

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terror

难度：2星扩展词汇，属常用10000词

英汉解释

n.恐怖；惊骇；<口>令人惧怕或讨厌的人或事物

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Her face worked as she stared at him in terror.

她惊恐地注视着他，脸也吓得抽动起来。

His terror is so great that he can do nothing.

他惊骇万分以致什么事都不能做。

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network

难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词

英汉解释

n.网点；网络；网状系统；广播公司

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The fabrics are merchandised through a network of dealers.

通过经销网点销售纺织品。

The broadcast was carried on national network .

这个节目通过全国广播网进行广播。

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leading

难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词

英汉解释

adj.领导的；指导的；主要的；在前的

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

He is a leading cadre.

他是个领导干部。

 

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