Article/Link: "South Asia's water: Unquenchable Thirst" by The Economist
Published: Nov. 19, 2011 ; accessed: Nov. 20, 2011
Summary: Water sources in South Asia are starting to be disputed as they seem to be running out. A dam in northern India is generating massive amounts of power for the power-starved region, but it is diverting water from Pakistan, which is causing tension between the countries. Certain newspapers in Pakistan are even calling for war, although many people are writing it off as Pakistan just trying to cause trouble. However, what is true is that this gives India the ability to stockpile water. India is also having trouble, however, but from a different country; China. There were rumours that China was trying to divert one of India's largest rivers into its own land, but the Prime Minister of India assured the people that these were false. All these countries may be in trouble in the future, as their combined populations are growing faster than the water can keep up with. The governments have two options; manage their water better or try to get as much water as possible.
Response: It seems that people will go to war over anything, be it expensive and rare, or common and free. Even one of, if not the most, abundant resources in the natural world is causing tension between countries. Previously it was oil, but now it's simple water; soon we'll be fighting over oxygen. Luckily things have not come to a head yet, but if they do start escalating they are going to be very difficult to stop, as water is so necessary. We can survive without oil; we can't survive without water. As well, if we have gotten to the point where we are losing our supply of water, one of the bases of life, then we need to change our ways. Our planet is struggling with 7 billion people, so with it still increasing we are going to have to be extra careful with our resources. At least the Pakistani's are still getting water, India could have kept all the water for itself.
Vocabulary:
Word 1: arbitration
a) "When Pakistan objected to the dam's design, India accepted international arbitration, the first case in the treaty's history."
b) The act of referring a case to a person with power to decide a dispute. Middle English arbitre, from Anglo-French, from Latin arbitr-, arbiter. First Known Use: 14th century.
c) The honour council acts as an arbitration committee; they settle disputes between students and the moral code.
Word 2: cumulative
a) “The cumulative effect of [many dam] projects could give India the ability to store enough water to limit the supply to Pakistan at crucial moments in the growing season.”
b) Formed by the addition of new material of the same kind. Latin cumulatus, past participle of cumulare, from cumulus mass. First Known Use: 1604.
c) The cumulative amount of unfinished homework, from four nights of watching television for three hours, was massive.
Word 3: torrent
a) "Cool heads point out that speculation about China channelling the torrent from near the border, at a spot known as the Great Bend, looks fantastical, at least at present."
b) a violent stream of a liquid (as water or lava). Middle French, from Latin torrent-, torrens, from torrent-, torrens, adjective, burning, seething, rushing, from present participle of torrēre to parch, burn. First Known Use: 1582.
c) The student of short stature was no match for the river's torrent; she was swept off her feet as soon as she stepped in.
Published: Nov. 19, 2011 ; accessed: Nov. 20, 2011
Summary: Water sources in South Asia are starting to be disputed as they seem to be running out. A dam in northern India is generating massive amounts of power for the power-starved region, but it is diverting water from Pakistan, which is causing tension between the countries. Certain newspapers in Pakistan are even calling for war, although many people are writing it off as Pakistan just trying to cause trouble. However, what is true is that this gives India the ability to stockpile water. India is also having trouble, however, but from a different country; China. There were rumours that China was trying to divert one of India's largest rivers into its own land, but the Prime Minister of India assured the people that these were false. All these countries may be in trouble in the future, as their combined populations are growing faster than the water can keep up with. The governments have two options; manage their water better or try to get as much water as possible.
Response: It seems that people will go to war over anything, be it expensive and rare, or common and free. Even one of, if not the most, abundant resources in the natural world is causing tension between countries. Previously it was oil, but now it's simple water; soon we'll be fighting over oxygen. Luckily things have not come to a head yet, but if they do start escalating they are going to be very difficult to stop, as water is so necessary. We can survive without oil; we can't survive without water. As well, if we have gotten to the point where we are losing our supply of water, one of the bases of life, then we need to change our ways. Our planet is struggling with 7 billion people, so with it still increasing we are going to have to be extra careful with our resources. At least the Pakistani's are still getting water, India could have kept all the water for itself.
Vocabulary:
Word 1: arbitration
a) "When Pakistan objected to the dam's design, India accepted international arbitration, the first case in the treaty's history."
b) The act of referring a case to a person with power to decide a dispute. Middle English arbitre, from Anglo-French, from Latin arbitr-, arbiter. First Known Use: 14th century.
c) The honour council acts as an arbitration committee; they settle disputes between students and the moral code.
Word 2: cumulative
a) “The cumulative effect of [many dam] projects could give India the ability to store enough water to limit the supply to Pakistan at crucial moments in the growing season.”
b) Formed by the addition of new material of the same kind. Latin cumulatus, past participle of cumulare, from cumulus mass. First Known Use: 1604.
c) The cumulative amount of unfinished homework, from four nights of watching television for three hours, was massive.
Word 3: torrent
a) "Cool heads point out that speculation about China channelling the torrent from near the border, at a spot known as the Great Bend, looks fantastical, at least at present."
b) a violent stream of a liquid (as water or lava). Middle French, from Latin torrent-, torrens, from torrent-, torrens, adjective, burning, seething, rushing, from present participle of torrēre to parch, burn. First Known Use: 1582.
c) The student of short stature was no match for the river's torrent; she was swept off her feet as soon as she stepped in.
This "dehydration" issue, interesting to me..
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