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Whale Blaze
Task 1
Use the clues to fill the highlighted words from the text into the grid
Across 2. dead bodies 6. moving awkwardly 7. recognise 11. put on in large amounts 12. decide after investigation 13. ignores forcefully
Down 1. deadly 3. a journey to find something 4. left 5. reproducing 8. for sale 9. staff on a boat 10. image or disguise
February 28, 2007
Japan abandons its annual Antarctic whale hunt
Japan has abandoned its annual whale hunt to the Antarctic today after a fatal fire two weeks ago crippled its main 8,000-tonne whaling ship.
The Nisshin Maru, a factory ship that stores whale carcasses, has been limping along since a devastating fire broke out below deck, killing a 27-year-old sailor.
Despite the ship being able to sail under its own power after restarting its engines over the weekend the decision to halt the hunting expedition was made today because its equipment was too badly damaged, the Fisheries Agency said.
“We have been research whaling for 20 years, but this is the first time we have had to cut the expedition short,” Takahide Naruko, an official from the Fisheries Agency, told reporters in Tokyo. “It is very unfortunate."
He added: “We don’t think this will have a major effect on the price of whale meat."
Commercial whaling was banned by the International Whaling Committee in 1986, yet Japan continues with its annual hunt under the guise of research. Yet, a vast majority of the whale meat caught during these expeditions ends up in restaurants or on supermarket shelves.
The fleet's catch this year of 505 minke whales and 3 fin whales, since it set out in November, is well below its intended haul of 850 minke and 10 fin whales.
News was welcomed by environmental groups who have heaped pressure on the Japanese government to scrap the annual hunt, saying it is cruel and violates the global ban on commercial whaling.
“We acknowledge your grief at the loss of your crew member,” Greenpeace said it told the crew of the Nisshin Maru in a radio message. “But this must be the last time your government sends you to the Southern Ocean to hunt whales and threaten the Antarctic environment. For the sake of the environment, the whales and your crew - never again!”
Following the fire the 20-year-old Nisshin Maru was stranded in the frozen waters of the Antarctic, prompting concerns of an environmental disaster if oil or chemicals spilled into the Southern Ocean, close to the world's largest Adelie penguin breeding colony.
The Japanese fleet sailed out of those waters today and is due to return to Tokyo in late March, where the Nisshin Maru will undergo an inspection to determine the cause of the fire.
The Institute of Cetacean Research, a partly government-funded body that oversees Japan's whaling programme, published a letter of protest against environmental activist group Sea Shepherd today, after the vessel rammed into the Japanese fleet during the hunt. Chemical substances and smoke bombs were thrown and nets released in an attempt to jam the Japanese ships’ propellers, the letter said.
Mr Naruko said: “We don’t think there was any direct connection. On the other hand, we can’t say for certain that there was none.”
Task 2
Using the new words, write 8 new sentences
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Task 3
Answer these questions
1. What was the Nisshin Maru?
2. Who is Takehide Naroko?
3. In which Ocean did the disaster take place?
4. When is the Japanese fleet due to return to Tokyo?
5. Name two environmentalist groups mentioned in the text.
6. When was commercial whaling banned?
Task 4
Find four examples of the perfect tenses.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Task 5
Discuss these questions
- Do you think that hunting whales is wrong?
- Are there any endangered species in your country?
- Are there any other environmental matters that you feel are more important?
- Should Japan stop their research on whales?
- What do you think will happen next?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1451510.ece
http://www.remotepassages.com/images/index_whale.jpg
Answers
Task 2
Answers will vary
Task 3
a factory ship that stores whale carcasses.
An official from the fisheries agency
The South Ocean
In late March
Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd
In 1986
Task 4
- its equipment was too badly damaged
- we have had to cut the expedition short
- environmental groups who have heaped pressure on the Japanese government
- We have been research whaling for 20 years
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