Closing the doors on paradise 為生態修復關閉旅遊天堂島嶼

泰國政府準備關閉多個受大眾喜愛的海灘和島嶼以防止由旅遊業對環境造成的破壞。本期《隨身英語》討論人類對自然美景造成的影響。

課文內容

詞匯: tourism 旅遊

Koh Tachai is a beautiful Thai island. Sandy beaches, blue sea, plenty of sunshine; paradise … and that’s why you can’t go there! It’s part of the Similan National Park, which attracts too many holidaymakers and divers and this has been causing problems.

According to Tunya Netithammakul, Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation, “we have to close it to allow the rehabilitation of the environment both on the island and in the sea without being disturbed by tourism activities before the damage is beyond repair.”

Many beauty spots around the world have paid a high price for their popularity. The Phi Phi Islands, also in Thailand, came under pressure after the movie The Beach, starring Leonardo Di Caprio, was filmed there. The boom in tourism might have been good news for local traders but not for the coral reefs, destroyed by boats’ anchors and pollution from motorboats.

Far away, in Ecuador, the Galapagos Archipelago, a World Heritage Site, is famous for a unique ecosystem that inspired Charles Darwin to write his Theory of Evolution. There’s a concern about what can be taken away – it’s illegal to buy souvenirs made from animal parts or native wood – but also about the invasive species brought in by visitors. A researcher has warned about the new types of ants arriving all the time travelling in aircraft, boats and even tourists’ luggage.

Maybe we humans are the most threatening of all invasive species. We tend to leave rubbish everywhere and build infrastructure in some areas that can’t support it. The question we should ask ourselves is: would we agree to give up visiting these paradises for a while in order to allow them to regenerate and preserve them for future generations or as we only live once, should we go wherever we like and enjoy it while it lasts?

詞匯表

sandy beach 沙灘
holidaymaker 度假者
diver 潛水員
wildlife 野生生物
rehabilitation 修復
beauty spot 美景，名勝
a high price （付出瞭）高昂的代價
boom in tourism 旅遊業迅速發展
coral reef 珊瑚礁
anchor 錨
motorboat 摩托艇，汽艇，遊船
archipelago 群島
ecosystem 生態系統
theory of evolution 進化論
souvenir 紀念品
invasive species 入侵物種
luggage 行李
infrastructure 基礎設施

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. Why do Thai authorities want to close Koh Tachai to the public?

2. What does the author mean when he says “paid a high price for their popularity”?

3. What have been particularly under threat in the island where The Beach was filmed?

4. True or false? Charles Darwin travelled to the Galapagos Islands before he wrote about how species have changed through the years.

5. Which means of transport are mentioned in the article?

2.請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I want to travel light, so I’m not taking much _________ on holiday.

luggages luggage bags baggages

2. After his operation, he needed to _________ before he was able to go back to work.

rehabilitate recovered retake build

3. The koala is _________ species of Australia.

a domesticated a foreign a native an invasive

4. Roads, railways and shops are part of _________ of a modern city.

the ecosystem the infrastructure the boom in tourism paradise

5. I need a new computer. I dropped mine and it is _________ repair.

above over beyond at

答案

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. Why do Thai authorities want to close Koh Tachai to the public?
Because they want to preserve the local environment.

2. What does the author mean when he says “paid a high price for their popularity”?
He means that too many people visited the beauty spots and it has caused damage to the local environment.

3. What have been particularly under threat in the island where The Beach was filmed?
Coral reefs.

4. True or false? Charles Darwin travelled to the Galapagos Islands before he wrote about how species have changed through the years.
True. The famous British scientist was inspired by the unique ecosystem in the islands.

5. Which means of transport are mentioned in the article?
Motorboats, boats and aircraft.

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I want to travel light, so I’m not taking much luggage on holiday.

2. After his operation, he needed to rehabilitate before he was able to go back to work.

3. The koala is a native species of Australia.

4. Roads, railways and shops are part of the infrastructure of a modern city.

5. I need a new computer. I dropped mine and it is beyond repair.