必克VOA新闻：巴西为奥运场馆建设强拆贫民窟

Brazil Evictions Continue Near Future Olympic Sites

RIO DE JANEIRO — Football's World Cup in Brazil is drawing to a close leaving great sporting memories. It also leaves a legacy of controversy over evictions and land dispossessions that made way for the event. The scenario is repeating itself as Brazil prepares for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Vila Autodromo is a community of low- and moderate-income families in western Rio de Janeiro.

It was established more than 40 years ago outside a racetrack that once hosted events like the Formula One Grand Prix. That facility has since been razed.

And the city government is evicting the 500 families that live here. Nearly one-third of them have already left and their houses have been destroyed.

The official reason? This area is to be a major center for the 2016 Olympic Games.

But many residents here do not want to move. Among them is Jane Nascimento, a member of the local association.

“What’s happening here is real estate speculation. Vila Autodromo has been here for more than 40 years. Originally it was a community of fishermen,” she says.

Nascimento says the government is pressuring people to move by cutting electricity and services and by threatening to seize their properties without compensation.

The government says it needs the land for the Olympics. But Tadeu Marco Peixoto, another long-time resident, disagrees.

“This is not true because the area we live in is not within the boundaries to be used by the Olympics. They want to take us out because they believe the poor cannot live among the rich. They say it’s because of the Olympics, but this is just a smoke screen,” says Peixoto.

He says the real reason is that this area, situated on a lagoon near the beach, has become prime real estate. Entrepreneurs want to build millions of dollars worth of condominiums, offices and shopping malls here.

“There was a proposal originally [before the Olympics were awarded to Rio] to improve sanitation, legalize the water supply and collect taxes here. But now they don’t want to do this, even though we have the title [deed] to the land and it was registered,” says Peixoto.

Peixoto paid about $10,000 for his property 21 years ago. It is now worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. He says he intends to stay until he is paid enough to allow him to live somewhere of equal value.

In the run-up to the 2014 World Cup, authorities evicted residents in dozens of neighborhoods across Rio and other major Brazilian cities.

The evictions have sparked protests from some who believe the mega-events serve primarily the interests of the wealthy. And with Brazil hosting the Summer Olympic Games just two years from now, such demonstrations are not likely to end.

 

词汇解析

collision

难度：2星扩展词汇，属常用10000词

英汉解释

n.碰撞；冲突

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The car was completely wrecked by the force of the collision.

这辆汽车受到很大的撞击力而完全损坏。

This collision had a very unusual cause.

这次冲突有着非同寻常的原因。

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so-called

pinlv: hanyin:

英汉解释

adj.<贬>号称的；所谓的

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

There is no so-called "recipe for success".

所谓“成功的诀窍”是不存在的。

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recognize

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

vt.承认；认出；意识到；表示感激；识别

参考例句

用作及物动词 (vt.)

His thorough knowledge and competence were recognized.

他的渊博的学识和工作能力得到了承认。

The firm recognized Tom's outstanding work by giving him an extra bonus.

公司发给汤姆一笔额外奖金以表彰他出色的工作。

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mount

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

v.登上；爬上；装上；上升

n.底板；爬上；支架；乘用马

n.山；峰

参考例句

用作动词 (v.)

He mounted the horse and rode off.

他骑上马走了。

用作名词 (n.)

The general had an excellent mount.

将军有出色的坐骑。

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keeper

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.看守人；饲养员；管理者

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The keeper told him to sweep out the monkey cage.

看守叫他清理那个猴笼。

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advance

难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词

英汉解释

n.前进；进展；预付金

v.前进；预付；增长；推进

adj.预先的；提前的

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Advance in the jungle was very slow.

在丛林中行进很慢。

用作动词 (v.)

The officer directed them to advance.

指挥官命令他们前进。

用作形容词 (adj.)

There was no advance warning before the earthquake hit.

地震之前没有任何预兆。

 

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