A nuclear explosion destroyed the city of Chernobyl
Have you heard of 'dark tourism'?
This is travel to places that are connected with bad or sinister things.
Destinations like the concentration camp at Auschwitz, the site of the nuclear
disaster at Chernobyl in present-day Ukraine , and Ground Zero in New York
Rob and Neil discuss the rise in
this type of holiday and why people want to go on them.
This week's question:
a) 1991
b) 1996
c) 1999
b) 1996
c) 1999
Original source here
tourism
- the business of providing services such as transport, places to stay, or
entertainment for people who are on holiday
depressing
- making you feel unhappy and without
hope
catastrophic
- causing huge destruction or suffering
curious
- interested in finding out about things
morally
wrong - against what is generally believed to be the right
way of doing something
morbid
fascination - an interest in things to do with death and
destruction
macabre
- unpleasant or shocking because they
are related to death
compelled
- doing something because you feel forced to or feel it has to be done
ethics
- what is believed to be the right way to behave
exploiting
- (here) using something for financial gain
human
nature - the natural
ways of behaving that most people share
tasteful -
showing good judgement about what is suitable
memorialisation
- the act of honouring someone or an event
respectful
- feeling or showing admiration for someone
Rob:
Welcome to 6 Minute English. I’m Rob.
Neil:
And I'm Neil. Hello.
Rob:
Today we’re talking about an unusual type of tourism. Tourism is the business
of providing services such as transport, places to stay, or entertainment for
people who are on holiday.
Neil:
But instead of providing sunny holidays in a nice hotel by the sea – this is where
tourists travel to sites of death, brutality and terror. It's being called 'dark
tourism'. Rob, have you ever been to any dark tourist destination – or place?
Rob:
Yes. I've visited Auschwitz in Poland Chernobyl
Neil:
So these are not your typical sightseeing trips but a visit to places that make
you curious because of their significance – their importance – in history?
Rob:
Exactly. We'll talk more about this soon but not before I set you today's question.
Robben Island
in South Africa
a) 1991
b) 1996
c) 1999
Neil:
I don't know but I'm going to guess a) 1991 because I think he was released in
1989 and surely they would have shut it down pretty quickly after that.
Rob:
I'll reveal the answer later. So let’s talk more about 'dark tourism'. The word
'dark' is used here because it relates to places that are connected with bad or
sinister things or things that could be considered morally wrong.
Neil:
It's strange to want to visit places like these. There is what we call a morbid
fascination – that's showing an interest in things connected with death and destruction.
And these kinds of trips are on the increase.
Rob:
Yes, there are organised tours to places like Ground Zero in New
York , the killing fields in Cambodia
and the nuclear power station in Chernobyl
Neil:
And there are the battlefields of World War I and II – and the top security prison
of Alcatraz .
Rob:
There are also plans to turn the disaster site of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
power plant in Japan
Neil:
But why do people want to visit these macabre sites? Well I mentioned curiosity
and a chance to learn about history – but sometimes people just feel compelled
to visit them.
Rob:
But what about the ethics of dark tourism – is it wrong to make this trip? Are we
not just exploiting – making money or cashing in on someone's suffering?
Neil:
Doctor Phillip Stone is an expert in this subject. He's director of the
Institute for Dark Tourism Research. He says this type of tourism isn't new –
people have been visiting these types of places for years. He says it's always
been there…
Doctor
Phillip Stone, Director of the Institute for Dark Tourism Research:
It's not new in the sense that we are fascinated by
other death and people's suffering. But it's how it's packaged up by the
tourist industry.
Rob:
So he says dark tourism isn't new. In fact a medieval execution was an early form
of dark tourism. Maybe it's just human nature that draws us to these places?
Doctor Stone says it's all about how these dark trips are packaged.
So it depends how they are sold and how tasteful they
are – are they sensitive to the horrors of what has taken place?
Neil:
Yes, being able to walk around a historic site or visit a museum is one thing but
how about staying in a former prison in Latvia
Rob:
Maybe that is taking the experience too far. Doctor Stone says there is a "blurred
line between memorialisation and tourism". He means it is hard to separate
going to remember an event and the people who've died with visiting somewhere
as part of a holiday.
Neil:
Another issue when visiting these places is how you remember your visit –you
must be respectful - perhaps taking photos, yes, but should you take a 'selfie'?
And should you buy a souvenir or send a postcard home?
Rob:
Well you certainly wouldn't write on your postcard 'wish you were here'.
Anyway, let's now reveal the answer to the question I
set you earlier.
Neil:
Yes, this was about the former prison on Robben Island
Rob:
I asked you when it finally closed as a prison. Was it in:
a) 1991
b) 1996
c) 1999
Neil:
I said 1991.
Rob:
And you were wrong actually. It was in 1996. About 350,000 people now visit the
site every year – which shows how much interest there is in a place that you
would have once never wanted to go near. Is it somewhere you would like to
visit Neil?
Neil:
I'm not sure about dark tourism to be honest.
Rob:
Ok Neil, could you remind us of some of the vocabulary we’ve heard today:
Neil:
Yes, we heard:
Rob:
Thanks. We hope you’ve enjoyed today’s programme. Please join us again soon for
6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
Both: Bye.
No comments:
Post a Comment