西部落：车展的绿色趋势

Auto¹ show goes green

Shifting gears: Detroit Auto Show goes green

Just a month ago, it was unclear whether the American auto industry would survive, but thanks to a federal bailout, the industry this week is able to look to the future and the cars that could help drive it into better days. CNBC's Phil Lebeau was at Detroit Auto Show with more. Hello, Phil.

Hi, Lester, and the theme of the show this year, fuel efficiency and electric cars. On the fuel efficiency front the Ford² fusion³ hybrid⁴ gets 41 miles to a gallon. This is gonna be serious competition for the Toyota Prius. On the electric car front, check this out. This is the Cadillac Converj and it has the same technology in it as the Chevy Volt⁵ which means it's gonna be all electric. In fact, it even added solar pan... panels that you can't see on the roof, but that's one indication of how futuristic this vehicle will be. But in terms of futuristic, you have to check out the cockpit here, Lester. The inside of it looks like something out of Knight⁶ Rider. This is gonna be a completely electric car. They're not saying whether or not will be built, but the odds⁷ are probably somewhere in the 2012 - 2013 range, and speaking of future electric cars, check this out. This is from a Chinese automaker. BYD is the automaker. This is their E6. They plan to sell this electric mini van in the United States in 2011, price tag -- somewhere between 30 and 40 thousand dollars. If they bring it here, Lester, this will be the first Chinese automobile⁸ sold in the United States, and if it is priced at 30 to 40 thousand, it's gonna have serious implications for the domestic automakers when it comes to electric vehicles. Overall though, Lester, when you walk around this floor, the somber⁹ tone is much more subdued¹⁰ than in past years. No extravagant¹¹ parties. The production for unveiling vehicles toned down considerably¹². And that's understandable given the state of the auto industry.

All right, Phil Lebeau, thanks for the tour, appreciated it.

1 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

2 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

3 fusion   

n.溶化；熔解；熔化状态，熔和；熔接

参考例句：

• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc. 黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
• This alloy is formed by the fusion of two types of metal.这种合金是用两种金属熔合而成的。

4 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

5 volt   

n.伏特，伏

参考例句：

• You may use 100 and 110 volt appliances in your room.您可以在房间使用100及110伏特的电器。
• The common service voltage of electric power in our country is 220/380 volt.我国普通供电电压为220/380伏。

6 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

7 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

8 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

9 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

10 subdued   

adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
• I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。

11 extravagant   

adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的

参考例句：

• They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
• He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。

12 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。