经济学人282:柬埔寨乱砍滥伐树木

 　　Logging in Cambodia

　　柬埔寨乱砍滥伐

　　Dead wood

　　树木之死

　　A resurgence¹ in illegal logging takes its toll²

　　非法砍伐再度猖獗

　　OF THE five dirt-poor farmers who set out from Chhoeu Slab³ village in November in search of rosewood, only four returned. The fifth is recuperating⁴ in a Thai hospital, having been shot by a Thai border patrol. The boom in trade of the rich-hued hardwood has already claimed 15 lives in 2011, and dozens more have been wounded by Thai soldiers. An unknown number have simply vanished. The shootings could yet become a source of tension between the Thai and Cambodian governments, whose relations have improved immeasurably since Yingluck Shinawatra became Thai prime minister in August.

　　11月，五个一贫如洗的农民从Chhoeu Slab村出发踏上了寻找紫檀树的征程，最终返回的只有四个。其中一人被泰国边境巡逻兵射伤后在泰国一家医院里接受复原治疗。2011年已有15人死于这种红色硬质木材交易，数以十计的人被泰国士兵射伤，还有不知道多少人就直接消失了。自泰国新总理英拉.西那瓦八月上台以来，泰柬关系已经大大改善，但枪击事件可能又会成为双边关系走向紧张的导火索。

　　Slung⁵ along the Thai-Cambodian border, the forests of the Dangrek mountains were once brimming with the luxury wood. But rosewood stocks have fallen precipitously in recent years as illegal logging has run rampant⁶. For Cambodian loggers, that means having to push farther into Thailand’s territory—risking capture, injury or death.

　　泰柬边境的唐勒山曾有着茂密的奢华木种森林，但近年来由于非法砍伐极度猖獗，导致紫檀木数量锐减。这就意味柬埔寨的伐木工人需要更加深入到泰国的边境去伐木了——冒着被捕，受伤甚至生命危险。

　　The cause of the boom is simple: growing demand in Vietnam and, especially, China. To meet the demand, a complex network of loggers has sprung up, with the riskiest⁷ work carried out by the poorest. Some are country men plucked out by ringleaders promising⁸ large sums for sawn planks⁹. Others are villagers solicited¹⁰ by local soldiers.

　　交易增多的原因很简单：越南，尤其是中国对紫檀木需求持续增长。为了满足市场需求，一个复杂网络的砍伐团伙便产生了，最穷的人分工最危险。当地的头头向村民承诺伐木收入非常可观，其他一些村民被当地的士兵开出的诱惑条件而甘愿去冒险。

　　Timber is smuggled¹¹ out of Cambodia in boats and trucks. For years the trade was overseen¹² by top officials, tycoons¹³ and their families, until international attention and even the Cambodian prime minister’s displeasure put a clamp on things. Environmental groups say it is now led by Cambodia’s armed forces. A long-running Thai-Cambodian border dispute that flared¹⁴ up in early 2011 around the temple of Preah Vihear has been a boon¹⁵ for the trade: the army has free access to surrounding areas that others do not.

　　原木通过卡车和船只从柬埔寨走私出境。数年来，直到引起国际关注甚至是柬埔寨首相透露出不满情绪声称要进行打击这些违法事件之前，这些非法贸易都由柬埔寨高层官员，商业大亨和他们的家族掌管。环保组织说现在这些事情已经由柬埔寨的武装部队领导。2011年初发生的泰柬边境柏威夏古寺主权纠纷确进一步加剧了非法贸易：军队能自由进入其他人不能进入的周边区域进行采伐。

　　Inevitably¹⁶, prices are rising with demand. On the international market, the best rosewood planks can sell for $50,000 a cubic metre. A rosewood wardrobe can fetch $20,000. And as the trade diverts wood abroad, prices within Cambodia have climbed too.

　　价格必然跟着需求走。在国际市场上。最好的红木在市场上能卖到50,000美金每立方米。一只红木衣橱可售达20000美金。随着木材的大量出口，柬埔寨国内的价格也已经上涨。

1 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

2 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

3 slab   

n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上

参考例句：

• This heavy slab of oak now stood between the bomb and Hitler.这时笨重的橡木厚板就横在炸弹和希特勒之间了。
• The monument consists of two vertical pillars supporting a horizontal slab.这座纪念碑由两根垂直的柱体构成，它们共同支撑着一块平板。

4 recuperating   

v.恢复（健康、体力等），复原( recuperate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He's still recuperating from his operation. 他动了手术，还在恢复。
• He is recuperating from a serious back injury. 他背部受了重伤，目前正在康复中。 来自辞典例句

5 slung   

抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往

参考例句：

• He slung the bag over his shoulder. 他把包一甩，挎在肩上。
• He stood up and slung his gun over his shoulder. 他站起来把枪往肩上一背。

6 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

7 riskiest   

冒险的，危险的( risky的最高级 )

参考例句：

• With markets lately rising, the riskiest investments are finding takers. 他说，在周期高峰时，投资者会追逐风险最高的资产。
• The riskiest subprime securitieshave almost no takers. 风险最高的次级证券几乎没有人持有。

8 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

9 planks   

（厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点

参考例句：

• The house was built solidly of rough wooden planks. 这房子是用粗木板牢固地建造的。
• We sawed the log into planks. 我们把木头锯成了木板。

10 solicited   

v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求

参考例句：

• He's already solicited their support on health care reform. 他已就医疗改革问题请求他们的支持。 来自辞典例句
• We solicited ideas from Princeton University graduates and under graduates. 我们从普林斯顿大学的毕业生与大学生中征求意见。 来自辞典例句

11 smuggled   

水货

参考例句：

• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Those smuggled goods have been detained by the port office. 那些走私货物被港务局扣押了。 来自互联网

12 overseen   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was overseen stealing the letters. 他被人撞见在偷信件。 来自辞典例句
• It will be overseen by ThomasLi, director of IBM China Research Laboratory. 该实验室由IBM中国研究院院长李实恭(ThomasLi)引导。 来自互联网

13 tycoons   

大君( tycoon的名词复数 )； 将军； 企业巨头； 大亨

参考例句：

• The great tycoons were fierce competitors, single-minded in their pursuit of financial success and power. 企业巨头都是激烈的竞争者，他们一心追求钱财和权势。
• Tycoons and their conglomerates are even raising money again on international markets. 企业大亨们以及他们的企业甚至正再次从国际市场上筹集资金。

14 Flared   

adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。
• The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

15 boon   

n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠

参考例句：

• A car is a real boon when you live in the country.在郊外居住，有辆汽车确实极为方便。
• These machines have proved a real boon to disabled people.事实证明这些机器让残疾人受益匪浅。

16 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。