VOA常速英语2008年-India's Northeast Seeks Improved Infrastructure

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
12 February 2008

India's northeastern states - geographically¹ and culturally distant from the heart of the Hindu majority country - are referred to as "the seven sisters." Official attempts to improve the economy of the isolated² region have largely been a disappointment and several of the states are beset³ by serious insurgencies. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman in New Delhi visited a trade fair intended to promote the region's products and improve its business prospects⁴.

For the majority of Indians, the country's northeast is stereotyped⁵ as exotic, home to several backward tribes. In reality, the region - sandwiched between Tibet and Bangladesh in the west and flanked by Burma to the south - produces some of India's most educated youth, who have no difficulty mainstreaming into a multi-cultural environment in India and abroad.

But at home, job opportunities commensurate with their skills and aspirations⁶ are scarce. Many have migrated to India's urban centers to work in the service industry, where they are readily hired for their English-language skills and strong work ethic⁷.

For years the central government has been trying to integrate the isolated states, the so-called "Seven Sisters," into the national economy. There is little indication of significant progress.

Substantial money has been poured into exploiting the region's natural resources that are much in demand by the rest of India, which is experiencing a booming economy and a shortage of energy. But such projects have been of little benefit to the indigenous⁸ population.

At the Northeast Trade Expo in the Indian capital, Kevitsabi Savino mans the booth displaying samples mined at Nagaland's fledgling, lone⁹, marble quarry¹⁰. The manager of the state's mineral development corporation, is meeting with prospective¹¹ clients who traditionally buy from the state of Rajasthan, the source of 95 percent of the marble produced in the country.

"We are a small state and still very backward to be very frank," said Savino. "So we have got a long way still to catch up even within India itself."

Savino says he appreciates the support shown by India's central government to promote Nagaland's resources, but for the state to be even marginally competitive with Rajasthan it will need massive improvements to its poor infrastructure¹².

"I feel the government also is trying their best because slowly we are also seeing certain development coming up," he said. "Infrastructure is a problem, like good roads, communications and electricity. All those, slowly, it has to come up first."

The potential is huge, even for exports beyond India's borders.

Nagaland is believed to hold one-billion tons of high-calcium limestone¹³, which can be used to build roads and to help make a wide range of products, including chemicals and steel. But without a cost-efficient way to get the rock from the landlocked state to distant ports, foreign markets remain out of the question.

What Savino does not mention is Nagaland's other major barrier to development - namely, one of the world's longest-running insurgencies that has been the catalyst¹⁴ for rebel movements throughout the restive¹⁵ northeast.

Merchants from the region joke half-seriously that insurgencies are the northeast's biggest industry with the rebels far more successful in making money through extortion and kidnappings than in propagating revolution or ideology¹⁶.

As Assamese silk weaver¹⁷ Hriday Moral sits at his small loom¹⁸ at the trade fair, the terrorist violence in his resource-rich state seems far away. He boasts that manually woven premium¹⁹ Moga silk makes for far superior shirts, saris, and shawls than those spun²⁰ by machines.

Moral says he does not see much support from the government in promoting his high-end product. A once-a-year trade fair in New Delhi will not accomplish much, he bemoans²¹. Moral says government agencies tasked with promoting local crafts such as his need to do more.

Many of the stalls of the seven northeastern states feature similar low-end products, such as simple wooden toys, wire flower vases, and cane²² mats made by grassroots cooperatives. It is unlikely these sorts of items of little distinction could ever compete with the cheap, mass-produced made-in-China products now ubiquitous throughout India and the world.

There are exceptions, such as some of the products from the only Indian state at the fair not among the Seven Sisters, Sikkim. An independent kingdom until forcibly annexed²³ by India in the 1970's, Sikkim is displaying colorful carpets and other handicrafts that, even to the unskilled eye, stand out.

The director of Sikkim's handicrafts directorate, Namrata Thapa, also mentions infrastructure challenges. She says this is a barrier to promoting and selling her state's handmade products, including the much sought-after knotted woolen²⁴ carpets using one of the world's oldest forms of weaving on an upright wooden-frame loom.

"In spite of so many obstacles, hindrances²⁵, we are all trying to give our best so that our handicrafts of my state get a proper place in the global market," said Thapa. "And in the process it becomes sustainable also so that we do not have to depend on our state government, so that we do not have to depend on ministries²⁶ also."

But for now, many craftsmen²⁷ and traders from the northeast are appealing for additional support from state governments and ministries.

Many economists²⁸ and some state planners warn dependence²⁹ on the government for welfare handouts³⁰, including public-sector jobs, poorly thought-out development plans, and low-interest loans prevent the Seven Sisters and Sikkim from fending³¹ for themselves and achieving self-sustaining growth.

1 geographically   

adv.地理学上，在地理上，地理方面

参考例句：

• Geographically, the UK is on the periphery of Europe. 从地理位置上讲，英国处于欧洲边缘。 来自辞典例句
• All these events, however geographically remote, urgently affected Western financial centers. 所有这些事件，无论发生在地理上如何遥远的地方，都对西方金融中心产生紧迫的影响。 来自名作英译部分

2 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

3 beset   

v.镶嵌；困扰，包围

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• The plan was beset with difficulties from the beginning.这项计划自开始就困难重重。

4 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

5 stereotyped   

adj.(指形象、思想、人物等)模式化的

参考例句：

• There is a sameness about all these tales. They're so stereotyped -- all about talented scholars and lovely ladies. 这些书就是一套子，左不过是些才子佳人，最没趣儿。
• He is the stereotyped monster of the horror films and the adventure books, and an obvious (though not perhaps strictly scientific) link with our ancestral past. 它们是恐怖电影和惊险小说中的老一套的怪物，并且与我们的祖先有着明显的（虽然可能没有科学的）联系。

6 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

7 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

8 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

9 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

10 quarry   

n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找

参考例句：

• Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
• This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。

11 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

12 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

13 limestone   

n.石灰石

参考例句：

• Limestone is often used in building construction.石灰岩常用于建筑。
• Cement is made from limestone.水泥是由石灰石制成的。

14 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

15 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

16 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

17 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

18 loom   

n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近

参考例句：

• The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
• The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。

19 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

20 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

21 bemoans   

v.为（某人或某事）抱怨( bemoan的第三人称单数 )；悲悼；为…恸哭；哀叹

参考例句：

• He always bemoans the shortage of funds for research. 他总是叹息研究经费不足。 来自互联网

22 cane   

n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的

参考例句：

• This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
• English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

23 annexed   

[法] 附加的，附属的

参考例句：

• Germany annexed Austria in 1938. 1938年德国吞并了奥地利。
• The outlying villages were formally annexed by the town last year. 那些偏远的村庄于去年正式被并入该镇。

24 woolen   

adj.羊毛(制)的；毛纺的

参考例句：

• She likes to wear woolen socks in winter.冬天她喜欢穿羊毛袜。
• There is one bar of woolen blanket on that bed.那张床上有一条毛毯。

25 hindrances   

阻碍者( hindrance的名词复数 )； 障碍物； 受到妨碍的状态

参考例句：

• She also speaks out against the traditional hindrances to freedom. 她甚至大声疾呼，反对那些阻挡自由的、统礼教的绊脚石。
• When this stage is reached then the hindrances and karma are overcome. 唯此状态达到后，则超越阻碍和因果。

26 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

27 craftsmen   

n. 技工

参考例句：

• rugs handmade by local craftsmen 由当地工艺师手工制作的小地毯
• The craftsmen have ensured faithful reproduction of the original painting. 工匠保证要复制一幅最接近原作的画。

28 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

30 handouts   

救济品( handout的名词复数 )； 施舍物； 印刷品； 讲义

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts. 士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Even after losing his job, he was too proud to accept handouts. 甚至在失去工作后，他仍然很骄傲，不愿接受施舍。

31 fending   

v.独立生活，照料自己( fend的现在分词 )；挡开，避开

参考例句：

• He is always spending his time fending with the neighbors. 他总是与邻里们吵架。 来自互联网
• Fifth, it is to build safeguarding system and enhance the competence in fending off the risk. 五是建立政策保障体系，提高防范和抵御风险的能力。 来自互联网