A town on Taro Island in the Solomon Islands has decided it will move to a neighboring island due to rising sea levels.

All 800 residents will be relocated and new schools, hospitals and other facilities will be built. The town is actually the provincial capital for its area and the move is expected to take several decades. However, officials say it is the only way to keep the community safe. The island is less than two meters above sea level and is threatened by rising waters caused by global warming. There are fears the island could be submerged by a tsunami.

This is the first relocation of an entire Pacific island population with all services and facilities due to coastal hazards. As a disaster prevention measure, the move is likely to save many lives. However, it also illustrates the increasing threat posed by global warming.

ソロモン諸島にあるタロ島の町は、海面上昇が原因で近隣の島に移ることを決定しました。

住民全800人が移住し、新たに学校や病院などの施設も建設される予定です。実のところ、この町はその地域の州都であるため、移動には数十年かかる見込みです。しかし当局は、この地域社会の安全を確保するにはこれが唯一の方法であると述べています。タロ島の海抜は2メートル未満であるため、地球温暖化によって引き起こされる水位の上昇に脅かされています。津波によって島が浸水するかもしれないと懸念されています。

沿岸の危険性のために、太平洋の島の全住民が全ての事業や施設と共に移動することは、これが初めてのことです。災害防止対策として、この移住は多くの命を救うことになるでしょう。しかしながら、こうした状況は、地球温暖化による脅威が高まっていることの表れでもあります。

Listening Quiz

1. How long will it take to completely move the town?

• aAt least 10 years
• bAbout 15 to 20 years
• cAbout 30 years or more

2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to “submerged” in paragraph two?

• asoaked
• bcovered
• cdestroyed

3. Which of the following ideas is implied by the information in the article?

• aOther Pacific communities may have to make similar moves as sea levels rise.
• bMany people are likely to stay in their current town as it is their traditional home.
• cAfter the move, residents will enjoy better lives with new hospitals and other facilities.

4. Under the relocation plan, the town will move to higher land on Taro Island to keep it safe from floods caused by rising sea levels.

• aTRUE
• bFALSE
• cN/A (not applicable)