Brazil Evictions Continue Near Future Olympic Sites

RIO DE JANEIRO — Football's World Cup in Brazil is drawing to a close leaving great sporting memories. It also leaves a legacy of controversy over evictions and land dispossessions that made way for the event. The scenario is repeating itself as Brazil prepares for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Vila Autodromo is a community of low- and moderate-income families in western Rio de Janeiro.

It was established more than 40 years ago outside a racetrack that once hosted events like the Formula One Grand Prix. That facility has since been razed.

And the city government is evicting the 500 families that live here. Nearly one-third of them have already left and their houses have been destroyed.

The official reason? This area is to be a major center for the 2016 Olympic Games.

But many residents here do not want to move. Among them is Jane Nascimento, a member of the local association.

“What’s happening here is real estate speculation. Vila Autodromo has been here for more than 40 years. Originally it was a community of fishermen,” she says.

Nascimento says the government is pressuring people to move by cutting electricity and services and by threatening to seize their properties without compensation.

The government says it needs the land for the Olympics. But Tadeu Marco Peixoto, another long-time resident, disagrees.

“This is not true because the area we live in is not within the boundaries to be used by the Olympics. They want to take us out because they believe the poor cannot live among the rich. They say it’s because of the Olympics, but this is just a smoke screen,” says Peixoto.

He says the real reason is that this area, situated on a lagoon near the beach, has become prime real estate. Entrepreneurs want to build millions of dollars worth of condominiums, offices and shopping malls here.

“There was a proposal originally [before the Olympics were awarded to Rio] to improve sanitation, legalize the water supply and collect taxes here. But now they don’t want to do this, even though we have the title [deed] to the land and it was registered,” says Peixoto.

Peixoto paid about $10,000 for his property 21 years ago. It is now worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. He says he intends to stay until he is paid enough to allow him to live somewhere of equal value.

In the run-up to the 2014 World Cup, authorities evicted residents in dozens of neighborhoods across Rio and other major Brazilian cities.

The evictions have sparked protests from some who believe the mega-events serve primarily the interests of the wealthy. And with Brazil hosting the Summer Olympic Games just two years from now, such demonstrations are not likely to end.

 

詞匯解析

collision

難度：2星擴展詞匯，屬常用10000詞

英漢解釋

n.碰撞；沖突

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

The car was completely wrecked by the force of the collision.

這輛汽車受到很大的撞擊力而完全損壞。

This collision had a very unusual cause.

這次沖突有著非同尋常的原因。

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so-called

pinlv: hanyin:

英漢解釋

adj.<貶>號稱的；所謂的

參考例句

用作形容詞 (adj.)

There is no so-called "recipe for success".

所謂“成功的訣竅”是不存在的。

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recognize

難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞

英漢解釋

vt.承認；認出；意識到；表示感激；識別

參考例句

用作及物動詞 (vt.)

His thorough knowledge and competence were recognized.

他的淵博的學識和工作能力得到了承認。

The firm recognized Tom's outstanding work by giving him an extra bonus.

公司發給湯姆一筆額外獎金以表彰他出色的工作。

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mount

難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞

英漢解釋

v.登上；爬上；裝上；上升

n.底板；爬上；支架；乘用馬

n.山；峰

參考例句

用作動詞 (v.)

He mounted the horse and rode off.

他騎上馬走了。

用作名詞 (n.)

The general had an excellent mount.

將軍有出色的坐騎。

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keeper

難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞

英漢解釋

n.看守人；飼養員；管理者

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

The keeper told him to sweep out the monkey cage.

看守叫他清理那個猴籠。

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advance

難度：5星基本詞匯，屬常用1000詞

英漢解釋

n.前進；進展；預付金

v.前進；預付；增長；推進

adj.預先的；提前的

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

Advance in the jungle was very slow.

在叢林中行進很慢。

用作動詞 (v.)

The officer directed them to advance.

指揮官命令他們前進。

用作形容詞 (adj.)

There was no advance warning before the earthquake hit.

地震之前沒有任何預兆。

 

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