IELTS(LIstening, words) from BBC Learning English

Gulf oil leak recovery continues

Summary

20 April 2011

It's a year since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven people were killed in the accident and huge amounts of oil poured out into the water nearby. Many people continue to struggle with life after the disaster.

Reporter:
Andy Gallacher

Clean up work is still continuing in Perdido Key, Florida

Listen

Click to hear the report:

Report

When President Obama stood on the beaches of Louisiana and Florida last year, he was as powerless as just about everyone else.The fate of the Deepwater Horizon rig was in the hands of BP engineers and for almost three months, it gushed crude oil out into the Gulf of Mexico in almost unimaginable volumes.

By the time the pipeline was capped, BP's reputation was in ruins. Tourism across three states had ground to a halt and thelivelihood of countless fishermen was threatened.

Twelve months later, the healing process has been slow; tourists are beginning to return. But for many still seeking compensation, there's continued frustration and a loss of faith in both BP and the Obama administration. Almost $4 billion has been paid out to those who lost business, but many view the process as confusing, unfair and far too slow.

Many questions also remain about the environmental damage. Most scientists agree it wasn't as severe as first thought, but the long-term effects of such a huge catastrophe will take years to unfold. The last of the fishing waters that were closed last year have finally been re-opened, but for the people of the Gulf states, the scars have far from healed.

Andy Gallacher, BBC News

Listen

Click to hear the vocabulary:

Vocabulary

SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL

the fate of

the future of

in the hands of

being managed by

gushed

poured, spilled

crude oil

fuel that has not been changed by chemicals

capped

covered to stop the leak

ground to a halt

completely stopped

livelihood

income, money earned from working

a loss of faith

a situation where there is no longer any trust or confidence

to unfold

to become clear or fully known

far from healed

not become better yet, not recovered yet