World News for Students of English

11-06-2024 15:00

The small island of Skye in Europe is greatly impacted by Brexit.

The McKinnon family, who has fished for three generations, supported Brexit due to catch quotas; however, they are now disappointed. Many fishermen hoped Brexit would increase their quotas, but it has not made much difference. The McKinnons mainly export langoustines, crabs, and lobsters to the continent, but prices have dropped, and there’s more bureaucracy. The Scottish salmon industry, a major employer on Skye, faces annual losses of up to 100 million pounds due to Brexit.

The island’s infrastructure has also been affected, as they now rely on less efficient support from Westminster. The British government promised new markets, but Skye’s residents haven’t seen benefits. The island struggles with labor shortages, and that affects tourism and construction. Locals blame Brexit for increased costs and difficulties in trade and staffing. The pro-European Scottish government estimates significant financial losses and aims to capitalize on Brexit dissatisfaction in upcoming elections. Some people are hoping for Scottish independence to rejoin the EU.

Difficult words: quotas (limits on quantities), bureaucracy (complex rules and procedures), capitalize (to profit from something).

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