VOA慢速英语--由于缺乏降雨,大坝破坏了湄公河上的生计

The rainy season has begun in South and Southeast Asia. Farmers and fishermen are hopeful for wet weather after a long period of below normal rainfall. This year the Mekong River, Southeast Asia's longest, has reached its lowest levels since record keeping began 60 years ago.

The Mekong River Commission¹ (MRC) studies the river and its use. It said rainfall over the Lower Mekong Basin was about 68 percent lower than in May 2019. The area includes parts of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The situation worsened in June.

In its latest yearly² report, the MRC said Lower Mekong countries needed to carefully study extreme weather events like droughts⁴. "Flood and drought³ have hit our region⁵ hard lately and require stronger regional collaboration⁶," said MRC chief An Pich Hatda of Cambodia. He added that nations needed to have good quality and timely⁷ information on water sharing.

About 70 million people depend on the Mekong for their livelihoods⁹ and food. Among them is Man Ly He who has worked on the waters of the Mekong River for 40 years. He is upset by the building of dams in northern Cambodia, Laos and China.

"The reason why there is no fish is because of the new dams...which blocked the river flow and the water levels are going up and down three or four times a month depending on whether the dams are open or closed.

He noted¹⁰, "This rainy season there has been no rain."

Scientists have also linked the drought to the climate event known as the Indian Ocean Dipole, when the ocean experiences unusual temperature changes.

Colder than average surface temperatures in the eastern half of the Indian Ocean cause less rainfall in Southeast Asia. Scientists say the warming of the Earth intensifies¹¹ the dipole.

The changing weather patterns are creating hardship and forcing people to change the way they live.

"My family wakes up at 2:00 a.m. to buy fish at Chhaing Chamras fish market and then we sell it in the Kandal Market...I buy fish because there are no fish in the river," said Yan, a former fisherman.

The drought has hurt the 850 kinds of fish in the Lower Mekong. Many, water animals in the area like the Irrawaddy Dolphin and the giant catfish¹², are endangered.

Record low water levels and falling fish catches, however, have failed to change the minds of Laotian officials in Vientiane. They continue to support hydro-electric dam building and hope to turn the land-locked country into the "battery of Asia."

Laos recently announced it would move ahead with its third dam across the Mekong at Pak Beng. The project is to cost $1.88 billion. The huge $3.8 billion dam at Xayaburi went into full operation in last October.

There are about 140 dams planned for the mainstream¹³ of the Mekong and its connected waterways. Most are in China, but Chinese officials deny the dams are hurting water levels on the lower river.

A report by the research company Eyes on Earth Inc. found that China has been restricting¹⁴ the Mekong's natural water flow. It has done this with many dams on the upper part of the river. However, China denies that its dams affect water levels.

Brian Eyler is an expert with the Stimson Centre, a research group. "When drought sets in, China effectively controls the flow of the river," he said.

I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.

Words in This Story

drought –n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

regional –n. of or about a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way

livelihood⁸ –n. a way of earning money in order to live

collaboration –n. the process of two or more groups working together towards a goal

pattern –n. something that happens in a regular and repeated way

1 commission   

n.委托，授权，委员会，拥金，回扣，委任状

参考例句：

• The salesman can get commission on everything he sells.这个售货员能得到所售每件货物的佣金。
• The commission is made up of five people,including two women.委员会由五人组成，其中包括两名妇女。

2 yearly   

adj.每年的，一年一度的；adv.一年一次地

参考例句：

• The flower show is a yearly event in our town.我们镇上的花展一年举行一次。
• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。

3 drought   

n.旱灾，干旱，久旱

参考例句：

• The plants are growing in again,despite the drought.尽管干旱，植物又长出来了。
• The ground is as hard as stone after the drought.长期干旱后土地硬得就像石头一样。

4 droughts   

n.干旱（时期）( drought的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Some of these droughts must have been severe. 有一些旱灾想必是严重的。 来自辞典例句
• Farmers' problems continued, and their suffering was compounded by serious droughts in 1986 and 1988. １９８６年和１９８８年的干旱使农民的处境更是雪上加霜。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

5 region   

n.地区，地带，区域；范围，幅度

参考例句：

• The students went to study the geology of that region.学生们去研究那个地区的地质情况。
• It is unusual to see snow in this region.这个地区难得见到雪。

6 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

7 timely   

adj.及时的，适时的；adv.及时地

参考例句：

• We are particularly grateful to him for his timely help.我们特别感谢他的及时帮助。
• Your arrival was most timely yesterday.你们昨天来得非常及时。

8 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

9 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 intensifies   

n.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的名词复数 )v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A clear atmosphere intensifies the blue of the sky. 纯净的空气使天空变得更蓝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blowing on fire intensifies the heat. 吹火使热度加强。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 catfish   

n.鲶鱼

参考例句：

• Huge catfish are skinned and dressed by hand.用手剥去巨鲇的皮并剖洗干净。
• We gigged for catfish off the pier.我们在码头以鱼叉叉鲶鱼。

13 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

14 restricting   

v.（以法规）限制( restrict的现在分词 )；约束；束缚

参考例句：

• laws restricting immigration into the US 美国限制外来移民的法律
• She argued for import control, ie the restricting of imports. 她主张实行进口限制。 来自辞典例句