Professor: That’s true. However, the Inuit people are trying to change the law. They think that they should be able to sell seal products in Europe because they were some of the first people in North America. To them, the Inuit seal hunt is different from the rest of Canada’s seal hunt. Other questions?
Listening 1
Professor: They compare it to Europeans and other people killing animals such as chickens or cattle for food. Of course, a lot of us don’t see those animals being killed, so maybe that’s why it doesn’t upset us. Anyway, how does the law in the European Union affect hunters in North America? Well, it doesn’t affect a lot of the hunters. Many of the people in those pictures and videos are not Inuit people. They hunt seals for their own reasons. But within the Inuit community, seal skins are a source of income. The seal meat is usually eaten at home, and in the past, they sold the skins—mostly to Europe. So for the Inuit people, the law has serious results. Are there any questions?
want to stop seal hunting! It’s awful!
Professor: It does look bad, but the Inuit people have a different
opinion. They depend on animals for food. After all, not
They say they value the animals and have a lot of respect
for them, and with seals, they know how to kill the
animals quickly.
To be continued >>>
Analytical Listening
to stop the seal hunt. Yes? You have a question?
Student 1: Yes, I have seen those pictures—and videos, too. They’re
really difficult to watch! I’m not surprised that Europeans
Analytical Listening
Listening 1
Professor: All right, today we’re going to continue our discussion on ethics. We’ll discuss the question, “Should the Inuit people of North America be allowed to hunt seals?” It’s an important question, and in recent years, the European Union made it illegal to trade seal products. So in Europe, you can’t buy or sell seal skins, or seal oil, or anything made from seals. Now, you probably don’t wear seal-skin clothing or use a lot of seal oil, right? And the law is popular with most people in Europe. Why? Because they see pictures of cute baby seals, and then they see pictures of the seal hunt. People kill the seals with a gun, or in the more old-fashioned way, by hitting them on the head.
To be continued >>>
Analytical Listening
Listening 1
Student 2: I’m wondering what’s ahead for the Inuit people—you know, what will their future be like? I mean, they can’t control the laws in Europe, right?
To be continued >>>
Analytical Listening
Listening 1
Professor: The pictures show the red blood on the ice, and for many
people, it’s disgusting. They think it’s their responsibgrow in such a cold climate, so people
there can’t raise crops such as rice or wheat. Therefore,
the Inuit people have a special relationship with animals.