DANGER IN THE FIELDS
Mines are perhaps the most terrible weapons of modern wars because they
kill soldiers during wartime and because they can kill or injure innocent civilians
in peacetime.
When the war in Bosnia ended in 1996, people were happy but they knew that they
were still in danger since there were about six million mines hidden in ex-Yugoslavia.
A lot of these mines have now been found and removed; but doing this is very
dangerous. A person may be walking along a path through the fields, and suddenly,
the ground explodes under his feet. Sometimes mines are found by chance by young
children, who start playing with them as if they were toys. The consequences
can be fatal.
Mine clearing is one of the jobs that the British soldiers of the U.N. are doing
in Bosnia. The soldiers also visit schools to show mines to children and warn
them about the dangers, which will continue for years. An international convention
took place in autumn 1997, but some countries, like the U.S.A. and China refused
to sign it
Every day, every minute, a person gets killed or injured by
a mine in Europe, Africa or Asia.
QUESTIONS
1. Mines
A) only kill soldiers
B) disappear after wars
C) kill civilians after wars
2. British soldiers of the U.N.
A) put more mines in Bosnia
B) remove some mines and try to warn about their dangers
C) think that nothing can be done
3. The USA and China
A) have banned mines
B) continue to use mines
C) have never used mines
ANSWERS
1C | 2 B | 3.B