第2508期:People on Island Near Singapore Face Uncertain Future(1)

A short boat ride from the wealthy city-state of Singapore is something rare – a small, quiet island. 

距离富裕的城邦新加坡只有很短的船程，这是一个罕见的小而安静的岛屿。 

People living on Pulau Ubin still talk about the arrival of solar power 11 years ago. They call it a “miracle.” 

生活在乌敏岛上的人们至今仍谈论着十一年前太阳能的到来。他们称之为“奇迹”。

Although the electricity was expensive, Chu Yok Choon said he loved the convenience. He could just press a button, and a pump would send water to his home from the village well. Until 2013, Chu had to carry water from the well by hand and use generators to provide electricity. 

尽管电费昂贵，但朱育春说他喜欢这种便利。他只需按一下按钮，水泵就会从村里的井里把水送到他家。直到2013年，朱先生还得用手从井里打水，并用发电机提供电力。 

Chu is one of 30 people living on Pulau Ubin. The island measures only 10 square kilometers. He spoke to Reuters recently and compared life on the island to life in Singapore, or as he calls it, the mainland. 

Chu是居住在乌敏岛的30人之一。该岛面积只有10平方公里。他最近接受路透社采访，并将岛上的生活与新加坡（或者他所说的大陆）的生活进行了比较。 

"Life on the mainland doesn't feel natural," said the 79-year-old. "Life here is quieter." 

“大陆的生活感觉不太自然，”这位 79 岁的老人说。“这里的生活比较安静。

”Pulau Ubin includes forest areas and wetlands. The wetlands were once under threat from development until the plans were postponed. 

乌敏岛包括森林地区和湿地。湿地一度受到开发的威胁，直到计划被推迟。 

The island offers visitors walks along thick greenery and lakes that were formed from rock quarries. They can ride bicycles on roads free of vehicles and eat seafood meals by the water's edge. 

岛上的游客可以沿着茂密的绿色植物和采石场形成的湖泊散步。他们可以在没有车辆的道路上骑自行车，在水边吃海鲜大餐。 

For those living in Singapore, the island is an escape. It can be reached in about 10 minutes by ferry. But for those who live on the island, those ferry rides can be inconvenient. Trips to the mainland to buy food and other necessities can be delayed. 

对于居住在新加坡的人来说，这座岛屿是一个逃离喧嚣的地方。乘坐渡轮约10分钟即可到达。但对于住在岛上的人来说，乘坐渡轮可能会很不方便。前往大陆购买食物和其他必需品的行程可能会被推迟。 

Also, ferries can be costly. For visits to the city, Chu said he would have to wait until the ferry filled up with 12 passengers. Each person pays $3. This cost is similar to Singapore's public transportation. But if he is in a hurry, he would have to pay $36 for the whole boat. 

此外，渡轮也可能很贵。朱说，要前往这座城市，他必须等到渡轮载满 12 名乘客。每人支付3美元。这个费用与新加坡的公共交通类似。但如果他赶时间，他就得为整艘船支付 36 美元。

Still, the residents stay. They say they are enjoying a life different from the busy, stressful conditions in the city. 

尽管如此，居民还是留下来了。他们说，他们正在享受一种不同于城市忙碌、压力的生活。 

"The energy is so fantastic," said 54-year-old Koh Bee Choo. She lives in a house on top of wooden supports that extends out over the water. 

“能量真是太棒了，”54 岁的 Koh Bee Choo 说道。她住在一所房子里，房子的顶部有木支撑，延伸到水面上。

"I go for morning walks and I absorb the energy in the jungle," added Koh. She lived in Singapore for nearly five years but returned to the island to run a bicycle rental shop. 

“我早上去散步，吸收丛林中的能量，”Koh 补充道。她在新加坡生活了近五年，然后回到岛上经营一家自行车租赁店。