英伦广角 2010-12-19 油价节节高

Just when many households are watching every penny, there is another thing to budget for, the cost of filling up your car. Petrol prices ended last week on a record high and that trend looks set to continue.

"The record price yesterday of 122.28 for unleaded petrol. That's likely to carry on increasing right through to the end of the year. Then of course we have got the double whammy coming in with the government taking yet more tax by way of the duty escalator."

The AA is calling on the government not to increase both duty and VAT¹ on fuel in the new year to ease the pressure on drivers. But there are several other factors pushing up petrol prices.

"The cold weather is being affecting deliveries as well as the supply and demand at the pump. Also in the winter the cost of heating oil increase and that has a knock-on effect at the petrol prices here. Now the AA is advising drivers to shop around for the cheapest prices. But the fact is, if you want to drive, you're going to have to pay that little bit more."

Over the last month, the price of petrol has gone up by just 73 pence a litre while the increase in diesel² has been a little more.

This is largely down to the increase in cost of crude oil that now stand as just 7.90 dollars a barrel forcing up the value of whole-sale petrol.

All these figures aren't welcome news for motorists, many of whom have been forced the cut back on journeys.

"For those who have to keep on using their cars, a pain for the nose for the fuel. It's a life blood of the UK economy, life blood of families and business and yet it's not regulated, we don't have regulate for our fuel prices, we just have pay the going rate which is too high at the moment."

But this is only a start of a harsh winter and it looks like it's going to be a costly³ one for those dependent on their own vehicles to get around.

1 vat   

n.(=value added tax)增值税，大桶

参考例句：

• The office is asking for the vat papers.办事处要有关增值税的文件。
• His father emptied sacks of stale rye bread into the vat.他父亲把一袋袋发霉的黑面包倒进大桶里。

2 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

3 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。