環(huán)球英語—986:Amazon Walk

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Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Marina Santee.
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And I'm Nick Page. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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Two men walk to the edge of the sea. They drop their heavy loads on the sand. They forget how hot and tired they are and run into the sea. They play in the water.
These tired men are happy because one of them has just become the first person to walk from the start of the Amazon River to the ocean. His name is Ed Stafford. The other man's name is Cho Sanchez. Cho has been with Ed for the final two years of the walk. He helped Ed to find a way through the dense forests of three South American countries: Peru, Columbia and Brazil.
In today's programme we will hear about their long walk and some of the things Ed Stafford learned on the way.
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The Amazon is about 6500 kilometres long. That is the same as the distance from New York to Rome! Ed's walk started in April 2008 at the beginning of the river - high in the mountains of Peru. It ended two and a half years later in August 2010 in Brazil where the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
Along the way Ed Stafford faced cold snow and high mountain paths. But most of the walk was through hot, wet forests. For many months floodwater covered the forest paths. Ed and Cho were always wet.
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They faced many dangers from wild animals. Snakes were a big danger. One day Ed killed a snake that was ready to bite him. When he and Cho were walking in deep water they often saw electric eels. These eels look like water snakes, but they are really a kind of fish. They can deliver a powerful electric shock.
The men were also attacked by many different kinds of insects. One day they were attacked by a swarm of wasps - a cloud of flying insects that sting. One wasp sting is painful - but Ed says:
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"Each of us received more than thirty stings... We had to lie face down with our hands over our mouths and necks to stop stings that could prevent us from breathing."
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But the big danger for Ed and Cho came from people. Most of the people they met on their long walk were friendly. They gave Ed and Cho food and shelter. But some people were afraid of Ed because he has a white skin. They had not seen a white person before. They had heard stories that white people would eat their babies or steal their heads and other parts of their bodies.
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In other villages, people were afraid that oil companies were coming to destroy their homes. They believed Ed worked for an oil company.
In one place, local people captured Ed. They were carrying bows and arrows and guns. And they looked angry. They released him only after he spoke to them gently, and made them believe he was not a danger to them.
In another village, the people threw dirty water over Ed and into his mouth. Throwing dirty water is a way these people show they do not approve of somebody. Ed had to leave the village quickly. He understood the people's fear. He says:
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"They only wanted to protect their land and the way they live.... When they know there is no danger they are very kind."
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On his walk Ed saw that many trees had been cut down. This made him very sad.
Every country needs wood for building and industry. But too many trees are being destroyed, and this is changing the climate of the world. When humans burn fuel they produce carbon dioxide gas, and this gas causes climate change. But trees help remove harmful carbon dioxide gas from the air .
People in the villages told Ed how the big changes in climate had affected their lives.
In Peru, Ed met a man called Raul. Raul was once a fisherman. He told Ed:
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"The weather is much hotter now. My skin burns in the sun, even though I am Peruvian... We do not know how the water levels will be. Some years there is more rain. Other years there is very little rain. There are not so many fish now."
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Raul can no longer support his family by catching fish. He bought a piece of land that has many good trees. He hopes a company will cut down the trees and pay him for the wood. Then he can pay for education for his daughters. He will raise cows on the land where there were once trees.
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Ed says that when Raul lets a company cut down his trees he will be adding to the problem of killing the forest.
Raul does not agree. He thinks cutting down many trees will not destroy the forest. He says that it will be more beautiful!
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In another part of Peru, Ed heard that the opposite had happened.
A woman called Ancia told Ed that the weather is now colder. She says:
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"The rains come more often. When they come, it is very cold. It never used to be so cold. Because the farm areas are flooded the whole time it is much more difficult to grow some crops. We now have to fish more to earn money."
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So, in one area a man now has a farm because he cannot catch fish. And in another place a woman has to catch fish because she cannot grow food. The effects of climate change are not the same everywhere - but globally, our climate is warming. Raul and Ancia do not know what is causing this change. They think it is natural. They do not know that many thousands of trees are destroyed every day. They only know that things have changed.
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Ed also saw the problem that some oil and mining companies bring to the forests. The modern world needs oil and minerals. But to get these resources the land is damaged or destroyed, rivers are polluted and fish die.
Ed talked to many men who work in the forests for the oil and tree cutting companies. They were friendly, and Ed understood why the work was needed. But he is worried that there is not enough control from governments to protect the forests.
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Ed Stafford did something no one else has achieved. He walked the Amazon! Now he wants to tell people all around the world about the dangers we face from destroying the forests of Peru and Brazil. He said:
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"My aim is to encourage other people and to make them feel that they have a connection to the Amazon, its wonders and its problems. I also hope to help people to believe they can achieve their dreams."
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The writer of today's programme was Alan Harris. The producer was Nick Mangeolles. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted and voiced by Spotlight.
This programme and many more are on our website - https://www.radio.english.net This .programme is called 'Amazon Walk'.
Thank you for listening to Spotlight today. Goodbye.