一起聽英語 08 印第安部落的反抗

Dima: Hi, welcome to this edition of 6 Minute English with me, Dima Kostenko

Kate: and me, Kate Colin. I am going to be your language guide over the next 6

minutes, and we're talking about a protest by an Indian tribe whose historical

land - the Niyamgiri Mountain range - is about to be used for industrial mining.

But before we look at the story, I thought it might be a good idea to go through

some of today's vocabulary.

Dima: OK, shall we do it now?

Kate: Yeah, sure. First, the adjective 'indigenous'. We use this word when we talk

about people or sometimes things that have always naturally lived in a place,

rather than arriving from elsewhere. Secondly, the verb 'to displace', meaning

to force people to leave the place where they normally live. And finally,

another verb: 'to worship' - that's to have deep faith in someone or something,

to be fully devoted to them and to treat them as divine.

Dima: That's 'to worship', 'to displace' and 'indigenous' Well, the latest protest by the

indigenous tribal people in India, known as the Kondh, was given a fresh start

last week. It was then that demonstrators in London protested outside the

headquarters of Vedanta, a company that looks set to mine around 250 square

kilometres of the Kondh land for the bauxite.

Kate: Bauxite, that's another name for the world's main type of aluminium ore. And

aluminium of course is a light metal which is silver in colour and is used in

many different ways, especially for making cooking equipment and aircraft

parts.

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Dima: In a moment we'll hear from Dr Bratindi Jenna, an activist who works with the

community. Dr Jenna says the 8,000 people who live in the mountains

completely rely on their surroundings for everything: food, water, livelihood

and, importantly, faith. And here comes this week's question for you Kate.

What or who do you think many indigenous people in the world often worship?

Is it their tribal chief (because of his position)? Is it church? Or is it nature?

Kate: Answers

Dima: You'll hear the answer in Dr Bratindi Jenna's words - let's listen and check if

you got it right:

Clip 1 0'22"

Indigenous people across the world worship nature. They worship something which has

contributed to their existence for generations. That's their lifeline. It has river, it has food, it

has everything. Indigenous people are the owner of the land - and first of all we displace them

and we give them some job which has no meaning for them.

Kate: Dr Jenna says indigenous people across the world worship nature. Which

means I was right/wrong with my earlier guess…

Dima: And how does she explain this devotion to nature Kate?

Kate: Well she says that's because nature has given them the land they live and feed

on for many generations, from parents to children. Dr Jenna doesn't believe in

displacing people because for them, she says, things can simply lose their

meaning.

Dima: So that's what last week's protests in London were all about. But

understandably perhaps, the mining company sees the situation differently.

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Let's listen to Vedanta's Chief Executive, M. S. Mehta. He says on the whole

India's systems balance well the economic and social development.

Kate: This is a good word to know and use: 'to balance', meaning to give several

things equal amounts of importance, time or money so that a situation is

successful. And another expression I wanted to mention is 'a final stamp of

approval', or 'a final seal of approval'. This phrase is used when it has been

officially decided that something should definitely happen.

Dima: That's 'to balance' and 'a final stamp of approval'. Listen out for these words -

and also try to find out which very important Indian institution has given their

final stamp of approval to Vedanta's project:

Clip 2 0'22"

The issue has been in debate for last three years. And all the regulatory agencies in India have

had a look at it and the Supreme Court of India had got it re-verified and put the final stamp

of approval [in] August last year. India has a very good legal system, regulatory system both

balancing development and the social development. I think we've got to start respecting the

legal system.

Dima: Did you hear the answer? Which important Indian institution has given its final

stamp of approval to the mining project?

…

It was the Supreme Court of India. Still campaigners are not convinced. They

say they want Vedanta to give up the mining project and to leave the area for

good. Until then, they say, they won't stop their fight.

Kate: Quite a dramatic story - and you can find out more about it by following the

links from our website, bbclearningenglish.com.

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Dima: But before that, can I ask you to go through some of today's key words and

phrases again Kate?

Kate: Responds. We began with the adjective indigenous, meaning people that have

always naturally lived in a place, rather than arriving from elsewhere. Then we

talked about displacing, that's when people are forced to leave the place where

they normally live, and worshiping. 'To worship' means to have deep faith in

someone or something, to be fully devoted to them and to treat them as divine.

We mentioned bauxites - that's another name for the world's main type of

aluminium ore. And aluminium of course is a light metal which is silver in

colour and is used in many different ways.

We had the verb to balance, meaning to give several things equal amounts of

importance.

And just one more phrase to remember: a final stamp of approval. This

phrase is used when it has been officially decided that something should

definitely happen.

Dima: I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. Until next week.

Both: Goodbye!