2020-2021学年度第35期总第828期

Decision disregards concerns (P2)
吉林毓文中学  赵传彦

Lead-in 
Do you know about the leak of radioactive (放射性的) materials from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant? 
 

 
Faced with the serious challenge, Japan has made a decision that disregards concerns! 

Prediction
 

Skimming 
Read the passage quickly and find the key information.
When: 
Where: 
What: 
On April 13, the Japanese prime minister announced that the government has decided to pour radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. 

Key: 
 

Let’s learn about the structure of a typical news report. 
 

Read and explore
 
Read and explore
   Read the text carefully and answer the following questions.
1.How was the wastewater produced? And why did Japan decide to dilute the tainted water and pour it into the ocean? 
 

2.What damage could the tainted water cause if poured into the ocean? 
 

3.What is the attitude toward this decision at home and abroad?
It aroused concern, anxiety and anger. 
At home: People gathered in the streets and held up signs to protest.
Abroad: China expressed serious concern. 

Language study
非谓语作定语
1. It also said that the treated wastewater needs to be further purified to remove other radionuclides.   
单个过去分词短语作定语时，通常放在所修饰的名词之前。过去分词和所修饰的名词之间是被动关系。    

2. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, if the wastewater containing tritium is poured into the sea, it will affect the marine environment and the health of people of neighboring countries.
动词-ing短语作定语时，放在所修饰的名词后。所修饰的名词是动词-ing短语的逻辑主语，动词-ing短语和逻辑主语之间是主动关系，此时相当于一个定语从句: ... if the wastewater which/that contains tritium is poured into the sea, ...

Culture 
In China
"The ocean is not Japan's trash can, and the Pacific is not Japan's sewer! Ask some Japanese officials to drink the nuclear waste water!" 
                                     ——Zhao Lijian, China

South Korea also expressed concern regarding what will happen with the radioactive waste. 
After Japan decided to discharge the waste water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea, the South Korean government condemned Japan's decision and South Korea's supermarkets plan to not sell Japanese Seafood.
 

The US
On April 13, the US State Department responded by saying that it supported the Japanese government's decision and that the practice met globally recognized nuclear safety standards.
However, according to the FDA's previously updated 99-33 import warning, a series of Japanese foods are still prohibited from entering the United States.