World News for Students of English

20-10-2015 15:00

In true James Bond style, actor Daniel Craig dropped into Cyprus via helicopter, but he wasn’t there on a 007 mission. His visit was part of his role as a UN global advocate.

“It’s been an extraordinary experience because I’ve been able to get close to the people working on the ground in mine fields and de-miners.”

Craig spent two days on the island, offering a helping hand in de-mining landmines and explosives on the 115-mile ceasefire line splitting the land.

“I was given the chance to blow up a couple of anti-tank mines, which I’m used to being near explosions, I suppose, but nothing like this and you really understand when you hear these things go off. Not just the amount of damage that they can potentially do but the sort of terror it strikes into people that are anywhere near them, when they’re just sitting there silently just waiting for a target.”

Over the last decade United Nations de-miners have removed over 27,000 landmines from the U.N. buffer zone in Cyprus. Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a brief coup by militant Greek Cypriots seeking union with Greece.

Difficult words: advocate (someone who publicly supports someone or something), ceasefire line (a border where people are not supposed to fight), go off (to explode), sort (a type), buffer zone (a neutral area), brief (short), coup (an attempt to take control of a government).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com