Part A Indonesian Fires Reveal Unfulfilled Environmental Promises
Vocabulary Preparation:
hazardous adj. involvingrisk or danger, esp. to sb’s hearlth or safety 危险的；有害的
haze n. smoke, dust, or mist in the air which is difficult to see through 烟雾
blanket v. to cover something with a thick layer 以厚层覆盖
asthma n. a medical condition that causes difficulties in breathing 气喘；哮喘
unabated adj. continuing at full strength or intensity 不减弱的，不减退的
prosecute v. to officiallychage someone with a crime in court 控告；起诉
slash-and-burn adj. relating to a method of farming in which existing plants, crops, etc. arecut down and burned before new seeds are planted刀耕火种的；烧垦的
deforestation n. thecutting or burning down of all the trees in an area 毁林；烧林
contradict v. (of statements) to be so different from each other that one ofthem must be wrong 相抵触；相矛盾
pledge v. to make aformal, usually public, promise that you will do something 保证；承诺
emission n. a gas orother substance that is sent into the air（光、热、气等的）排放
institute v. tointroduce or start a system, rule, legal process etc 实行；制定（政策、体系等）
moratorium n. a legallyauthorized postponement before some obligation must be discharged（行动，活动等的）暂停；暂禁
designate v. to choosesomeone or something for a particular job or purpose 指定
coordination n. the organization of people or things so that they work togetherwell 协调；配合
commitment n. a promise to do something or to behave in a particular way 保证；承诺
incentive n. a positive motivational influence刺激；鼓励
hamper v. to prevent the progress or freemovement of 妨碍；束缚；限制
penalty n. apunishment for breaking a law, rule or contract 惩罚；刑罚
Notes:
The Malacca Strait isa narrow, 805 km stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and theIndonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate thatruled over the archipelago between 1400 and 1511. 马六甲海峡
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (1949—) is an Indonesian politician and retired Army generalofficer who has been Presidentof Indonesia since 2004. 苏西洛·班邦·尤多约诺（印尼现任总统）
World Resources Institute(WRI)is an independent, non-partisan,non-profit organization founded in 1982 with offices in the United States(Washington, D.C.) and China (Beijing). WRI India, based in Mumbai, is anindependent organization inspired by WRI and sharing WRI's mission, goals, andprograms. 世界资源研究所（一个解决环境方面问题的智囊团）
Exercise1: Listen to the news report and get the main idea.
What is the main point of the report?
A. The ongoing deforestation in Indonesia is the source ofthe pollution.
B. Thefires reveal the Indonesian government’s unfulfilled environmental promises.
C. Indonesian President offered a public apology for thehazardous haze.
D. A smoky, hazardous haze blankets southern Malaysia andSingapore.
Exercise2: Listen to the news report again and fill in the blanks with the exact wordsor phrases.
BrianPadden: It's an annual occurrence in the dryseason: a smoky, 1 haze blankets southern Malaysia and Singapore.This year it was so bad that in some affected areas there was a 100 percentrise in the number of asthma cases. Hundreds of schools were closed, and thegovernment of Malaysia 2 gas masks. The source of the pollution liesacross the Malacca Strait in Indonesia where 3 of forests to clear space forpalm oil plantations continues unabated. Indonesian President Susilo BambangYudhoyono offered a public apology.
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono: For what has happened, as president, I apologized and asked for theunderstanding of brothers in Singapore and Malaysia.
BrianPadden: The Indonesian president promised toprosecute anyone involved in illegal slash-and-burn activities. Eight SoutheastAsian companies are reportedly 4 . But the ongoing deforestation seems to contradict past promises.In 2009, President Yudhoyono pledged to reduce by 26 percent greenhouse 5 , caused mostly by deforestation. And in 2011, he instituted amoratorium protecting designated forest areas. 6 , environmentally conscious Norway pledged $1 billion to supportthese efforts. Ariana Alisjahbana at the World Resources Institute says localofficials are not supporting the national plan.
Ariana Alisjahbana: Actually it’s a lack of coordination and lack of 7 . So when we, when we look over all the different rules Indonesiahas on the books, you know, theoretically speaking they’re very, very goodones. But they’re just not enforced.
BrianPadden: Although the 8 to replace forests with farms hampersconservation, Alisjahbana says long-term progress is being made.
Ariana Alisjahbana: Only 4 percent of the fires, of the fire alerts, happened in protectedareas. So I think one of the really good solutions is to actually, you know, 9 the area as protected.
BrianPadden: But she says a greater 10 to stop the slash-and-burndeforestation through incentives and strict penalties for violations is needed.Brian Padden, VOA news, Washington.
