2. What two (or more) quotes capture the message of the article?
“Air pollution levels in and around Beijing remained dire last year, underlining the scale of effort that will be needed to win the self-declared “war on pollution". The area surrounding Beijing accounted for the worst air pollution in China, with Hebei home to six cities judged to have the country’s worst air quality, according to figures released over the weekend by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).”
“Average levels of PM2.5, tiny particles in air pollution regarded as the most harmful, dropped from 106 microgram per cubic meter to 93 micrograms in the Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin region in 2014, the MEP said, far above the 35 microgram level deemed as safe by Chinese authorities.”
3. What is the main point of the article, and how is it supported? The main point of this article is to point out that the battle of tackling air pollution seems have little improvement in air quality.
The area surrounding Beijing accounted for the worst air pollution in China, with Hebei home to six cities judged to have the country’s worst air quality, according to figures released over the weekend by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP). Baoding, Xingtai, Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Handan and Hengshui had the worst air quality in China, the ministry said.
In late January Beijing’s mayor Wang Anshun called the city “unlivable” because of its chronic air quality.
4. What actors (individuals or organizations) are referred to? (Provide names and short descriptions.)
The Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) of China.
Li Keqiang: The premier of China.
Wang Anshun: Beijing’s mayor.
Shi Lei: an environmental economics professor at China's Renmin University.
中华人民共和国环保部。
李克强：中国总理。
王安顺：北京市市长。
石磊：中国人民大学环境经济学教授。
5. What kind of causation or responsibility is argued or implied in the article?
Causation: Curbs on coal use in Hebei have done little to improve chronic air quality in neighboring Beijing, where noxious pollution has made the city “unlivable,” according to the capital's mayor.
Responsibility: Dealing with pollution will be major theme at the National People's Congress in Beijing next month, when Communist Party officials will discuss how measures to clean up China's air, soil and water can be integrated in the 13th five-year-plan.
6. How (if at all) are health disparities or other equity issues addressed in the article or report? The capital mayor said that Beijing is no longer "unlivable" due to the noxioius pollution. However, this is not an issue across national wide. Therefore, the air pollution issue is really a sever problem in Beijing. 北京市长说北京由于有害的空气污染已“不适宜居住” 。但是这并不是全国范围的普遍问题。所以说北京的空气污染确实是一个很严重的问题。
7. What three points, details or references from the article did you follow up on to advance your understanding of the issued and actors described in the article?
Although China cannot improve the air quality in short time, but it’s a good way to make an action plan.
China probably needs to put more effort in reducing coal in order to harness the air pollution in the surround area of Beijing.
Citation: John McGarrity, One year on after “war” declared on pollution, Beijing air scarcely improves, Chinadialogue, accessed Feb. 2, 2015.
约翰•麦克加里蒂, 向空气污染宣战一年北京空气质量几无改善, https://www.chinadialogue.net/blog/7695-One-year-on-after-war-declared-on-pollution-Beijing-air-scarcely-improves/ch 2015-02-02
2. What two (or more) quotes capture the message of the article?
3. What is the main point of the article, and how is it supported?
The main point of this article is to point out that the battle of tackling air pollution seems have little improvement in air quality.
- The area surrounding Beijing accounted for the worst air pollution in China, with Hebei home to six cities judged to have the country’s worst air quality, according to figures released over the weekend by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP). Baoding, Xingtai, Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Handan and Hengshui had the worst air quality in China, the ministry said.
- In late January Beijing’s mayor Wang Anshun called the city “unlivable” because of its chronic air quality.
全文主要说明了中国的治污之路看起来没有显著的提高。4. What actors (individuals or organizations) are referred to? (Provide names and short descriptions.)
5. What kind of causation or responsibility is argued or implied in the article?
6. How (if at all) are health disparities or other equity issues addressed in the article or report?
The capital mayor said that Beijing is no longer "unlivable" due to the noxioius pollution. However, this is not an issue across national wide. Therefore, the air pollution issue is really a sever problem in Beijing.
北京市长说北京由于有害的空气污染已“不适宜居住” 。但是这并不是全国范围的普遍问题。所以说北京的空气污染确实是一个很严重的问题。
7. What three points, details or references from the article did you follow up on to advance your understanding of the issued and actors described in the article?