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Wordset: "environment"
Discussing "tests"
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Example of a round table discussion | HOMEPAGE |
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| Leader: | Good morning, ladies and
gentlemen. This morning we are going to discuss the Los Angeles water problem.
But before we start I want to introduce the participants of our round table
discussion. On my left there is Mrs Miller and Mr Smith. They are members
of the Mono Lake Committee. On my right there are Mr Johnson and Mr Burns
from the Los Angeles Department for Power and Water. My name is John May.
Now let's come to our problem "Save Lake Mono" and my first question is whether or not to take water from Lake Mono. Mrs Miller, what is your point of view? |
| Mrs Miller: | Well, I'm of the opinion that Lake Mono is really in danger. First let's get the facts straight: Lake Mono has become smaller and saltier because the water level has fallen more than 45 feet in the last forty years. |
| Mr Smith: | May I say something? Let's examine what it means that the surface has sunk 45 feet. The L.A. Department for Power and Water has diverted the water from the springs that feeds Lake Mono. Without that water one island has been connected to the shore so that wild animals can now reach the nests of the gulls. That's the reason why there are less birds in the Mono Lake basin than ever before. So the scenic Mono Lake headquarter of alpine tourism will lose one of its attractions. |
| Leader: | Mr Johnson what have you got to say to this? |
| Mr Johnson: | OK Let me make quite clear
from the very start that Los Angeles needs the water from the Mono Lake
springs for the following reasons:
Our little city, the second or third largest city of the USA can't get the water from anywhere else. Furthermore the water produces a lot of electricity when it floats in the aqueducts on its way from the mountains through the hydroelectric turbines. |
| Leader: | May I interrupt you here
Mr Johnson. As far as I can see there are two different positions. On one
hand Mrs Miller and Mr Smith emphasise that they are against taking water
from Lake Mono. on the other hand you claim that the water is necessary
for L.A.
Mr Burns has waited long enough for his turn. Please, Mr Burns, what do you want to say? |
| Mr Burns: | Oh, is it my turn now? Actually there is no doubt about it that L.A. is dependent on the water from Mono Lake. It is for this reason that I believe that we can't do without the Mono Lake water. |
| Leader: | Just a second. I think you have made a crucial point here. Perhaps we can agree so far to disagree. Let's come back to point that Mrs Miller and Mr Smith mentioned. Are the birds really so important as the Mono Lake Committee points out? Mr Johnson? |
| Mr Johnson: | I, for one, want to stress that I don't think that the birds will stay away. Nevertheless I'm of the opinion that men are more important than birds. |
| Mrs Miller: | I'm afraid I don't agree with Mr Johnson. In fact I want to contradict strongly. Don't you realise that the birds' lives and men's lives are joined. That's an idea that we should have learnt from the Indians: Man is part of nature. If nature dies man will die, too. |
| Speaker: | Ladies and gentlemen. I'm
afraid to say that time is up and we have to stop here. As a result we
must state that the differences in the opinions still exist. As far as
I can see we won't come to a compromise.
Nevertheless there is some evidence to suggest that all residents could both save water and save Lake Mono by putting a brick into the cisterns of their toilets. So please think it over and don't waste any water. Thank you all for coming to this meeting especially Mrs Miller, Mr Smith, Mr Johnson and Mr Burns. I hope we'll meet again next week, same place, same time, same topic: The world around us. Have a nice time. Good bye. |
Table of contents |
Example of a round table discussion | HOMEPAGE |
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Wordset: "environment" |
go on to
Discussing "tests" |
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