新奇事件簿 为拯救企鹅智利制止采矿项目

The government of Chile has rejected plans for a billion-dollar mining project because it would disrupt marine¹ life. The area that was threatened with mining is home to 80 per cent of the world's Humboldt penguin². Other creatures that live in the waters include blue whales, fin³ whales and sea otters⁴. A mining company called Andes Iron had wanted to extract millions of tons of iron and copper⁵ in the north of Chile. It also wanted to build a new port to facilitate the mining process. Chile's Environment Minister told reporters: "I firmly believe in development, but it cannot be at the cost of our environmental heritage or cause risk to health, or to unique ecological⁶ areas in the world."

为了避免危害海洋生物，智利政府拒绝了投资10亿美元的采矿项目。全世界80%的洪堡企鹅栖息在受到采矿业威胁的这个地区。这片水域中生活得其他动物包括蓝鲸，长须鲸和海獭。Andes Iron矿业公司想要在智利北部开采数百万吨铁和铜。这家公司还想建造新的港口，方便采矿。智利环保部长告诉记者：“我坚定地相信该项目会促进发展，但是不能以危害环境，对身体或整个世界独一无二的生态环境带来危险为代价。”

Chile's National Mining Society said the decision was bad news for mining and for the country. It said the mining project was essential for the economic development of the region and the country. The controversial mining project would have generated $2.5 billion in revenue. Government ministers said the mining company had not shown the full negative impact of the mining project on the local environment. It also questioned the project's finances. The Environmental Minister said: "There are deficiencies in basic information and insufficiencies in mitigation, compensation, and reparation measures, meaning we believe that the eventual⁷ impacts have not been properly taken care of."

智利国家矿业协会表示，该决定对整个国家的采矿行业来说是个坏消息。该协会称，采矿项目对于这个地区和整个国家的发展来说是必要的。这个有争议的采矿项目原本可以为国家带来25亿美元的收入。政府部长们表示，这家矿业公司并未完全阐明该项目对当地环境带来的负面影响。政府还质疑该项目的融资问题。环保部长表示：“基本信息，对各项不足的补充，赔偿，修复措施等等都有所欠缺。这意味着他们没有充分考虑该项目带来的负面影响。”

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

2 penguin   

n.企鹅

参考例句：

• The penguin is a flightless bird.企鹅是一种不会飞的鸟。
• He walked with an awkward gait like a penguin.他走路的步子难看得就像企鹅。

3 fin   

n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼

参考例句：

• They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
• The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

4 otters   

n.（水）獭( otter的名词复数 )；獭皮

参考例句：

• An attempt is being made to entice otters back to the river. 人们正试图把水獭引诱回河里去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Otters are believed to have been on Earth for 90 million years. 水獭被认为存活在地球上已经9千多万年。 来自互联网

5 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

6 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

7 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。