Yellow Dust

[영어도우미]

 

Yellow Dust                                    Comprehensive Steps Urgent to Minimize Damage       Yellow dust, an unwelcome visitor around this time of the year, made its first appearance Saturday. The dust is blowing in from northeastern China. Worrisome is that the scope of the health problems caused by dust has drastically increased in recent years. Damage from dust is not limited to inconveniencing such routine chores as laundry or car washing. Its long-term effects on farm products, industrial facilities and cultural properties, as well as the overall ecosystem are incalculable. The dust has caused a growing number of people to suffer from eye infections and respiratory problems in recent years. A report also states that the property damage the yellow dust inflicts on some high-tech companies producing electronic equipment such as TVs and semiconductors are incalculably high. Another shocking fact is that the dust from China contains heavy metal substances and dioxin, a toxic chemical that causes cancer apparently a result of rapid Chinese industrialization. Government measures to minimize the damage caused by the dust are required. The dust is made up of particles carried by prevailing westerly winds that blow during spring from the Yellow River region and Gobi Desert in China and Mongolia. Worrisome is that the phenomenon has been getting more serious in recent years due to the accelerating desertification of the regions neighboring the Gobi Desert. The damage from the dust in China is said to be beyond description. In some regions, people can't see what's immediately in front of them on windy days. Japan is another serious victim of the dust. Maintaining a cooperative relationship among the three neighboring nations is crucial for seeking ways to minimize the damage. We can no longer tolerate yellow dust as merely a natural phenomenon. The government has to make unreserved efforts for the promotion of the tripartite cooperation. The government should also seek ways of deepening cooperative relationships with China  a major source of the dust through exchanges of information to minimize damage. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent the dust at present. But it can be controlled to a certain degree by planting trees in the regions where desertification is rapidly taking place. China has already launched a massive campaign to plant trees around the Gobi Desert to prevent the desertification from spreading further. More intensive support from South Korea and Japan for the campaign is required in the years ahead.   03-12-2006 16:31

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200603/kt2006031216320654050.htm

 

VOCABULARY: 

 

worrisome  - worrying:
Alcohol and tobacco consumption by young people is especially worrisome because habits formed early are likely to persist.

scope - the range of a subject covered by a book, programme, discussion, class, etc:
I'm afraid that problem is beyond/outside the scope of my lecture.
Oil painting does not come within the scope of a course of this kind.

 

drastic  - (especially of actions) severe and sudden or having very noticeable effects:
drastic measures:
Many employees have had to take drastic cuts in pay.

ecosystem   - all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and the environment:
Pollution can have disastrous effects on the delicately balanced ecosystem.

respiratory  (system) - refers to the organs which enable you to breathe

desertification  -the process by which land changes into desert

tripartite   - involving three people or organizations, or existing in three parts:
The minister is to hold tripartite meetings with the oil and car industries to discuss ways of reducing pollution.

 

DISCUSSION POINTS:     

*What do you do when you have yellow dust storm? How do you protect yourself?

*Has this yellow dust phenomenon been happening since you were a kid?

*What's the worst yellow dust storm you've experienced?

*Do you think the yellow dust phenomenon has worsened through the years?

*Have serious yellow dust storms affected your economy? How?

*Have there been reported cases of health problems caused by yellow dust?

*Has there been an instance wherein classes or works were suspended because of terrible yellow dust storm?

* Do you think this phenomenon also affects the environment? How?

*What do you think should be done to reduce the damage of yellow dust? 

*Do you agree that there should be a tripartite cooperation among China, Japan and South Korea so the problem of yellow dust will be resolved?

*Is there a desert in Korea?

*Have you been to the desert?