Belgian farmer moves border with France

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. unwittingly / ʌnˈwɪt ɪŋ li / (adv.) – without one’s knowledge or intention
    Example:

    Andrew unwittingly downloaded a computer virus when he clicked on a link in an email.


  2. territory / ˈtɛr ɪˌtɔr i / (n.) – an area of land and water that belongs to or is controlled by a person or government
    Example:

    The small island was once a British territory.


  3. cause a flap / kɔz ə flæp / (idiom) – to cause a lot of people to feel angry, upset, or excited
    Example:

    Dawn caused a flap when she announced that she got engaged to her boyfriend only one week after meeting him.


  4. keen / kin / (adj.) – having a strong desire to do something
    Example:

    After a long day at work, James is very keen to go home and rest.


  5. boundary / ˈbaʊn də ri / (n.) – something, such as a wall, fence, or imaginary line, that marks where an area ends and another begins
    Example:

    The fence marks the boundary between my yard and my neighbor’s yard.


Article

Read the text below.

A Belgian farmer unwittingly extended his country’s territory by moving an ancient stone 2.20 meters. The stone, which was on the farmer’s land, marks Belgium’s border with France and its exact location was decided by a border agreement two centuries ago.


The stone’s new location was discovered in April by a group of local history enthusiasts on a walk in a wooded area on the French side, and has caused a flap in the normally sleepy rural community.


“If it belongs to us, it belongs to us. We don’t want to be robbed of 2 meters,” a resident of the French village of Bousignies-sur-Roc told French TV station RTL Info.


On the other side, in the Belgian village of Erquelinnes, Mayor David Lavaux appeared keen to avoid an international incident.


“The land was sold and I think the person who bought it changed the borders the way he wanted,” he said. “But this isn’t just a private border, it’s a border between countries and you can’t just at will move boundary markers that have been there for a long time.” (Reuters)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • A Belgian farmer unwittingly extended his country’s territory by moving an ancient stone 2.20 meters. Do you think the farmer should be punished for what he did? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • A resident from the French village on one side of the stone border said that the French don’t want to be robbed of 2 meters of land. Do you think that such a small amount of land really matters? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Mayor Lavaux appeared keen to avoid an international incident. Aside from moving the stone back to its original place, what (if anything) do you think he should do? Why? Discuss.
  • The stone has been used to mark the border between Belgium and France for two centuries. Do you think that it’s time to replace it with a clearer boundary marker (ex. a fence, a wall)? Why or why not? Discuss.