美国国会就阿拉斯加州原油开采议案进行讨论

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                      07 美国国会就阿拉斯加州原油开采议案进行讨论
ENV-Alaska Oil Drilling Proposal
DATE=3/9/01
TITLE=ENVIRONMENT REPORT - (1)Alaska Oil Drilling (2)Proposal
BYLINE=Cynthia Kirk

（Start at 1’02” ）This is Bill White with the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.
(3)Republicans in the United States Congress have proposed a bill that would permit oil drilling in a protected wildlife area in northeastern Alaska. They say the bill would increase (4)energy (5)production in the United States and reduce America’s dependence¹ on imported oil. (6)President Bush strongly supports the bill.
But (7)Democrats², some Republicans and (8)environmental groups strongly oppose the (9)legislation. They say it would harm native Alaskan people and wildlife in the area.
(10)Congress established the huge Arctic National Wildlife (11)Refuge in Nineteen-Eighty. The plan would permit drilling on six-hundred-thousand hectares in coastal³ areas of the Arctic refuge. The whole refuge covers about seven-million (12)hectares of land. Drilling is already (13)banned in the rest of the area.
Two Republican senators presented the new legislation last month. The bill is part of a proposed energy plan that aims to cut the nation’s use of foreign oil to fifty-percent. Currently, the United States imports more than fifty-five percent of its oil. The bill also seeks to increase production of natural gas, coal and nuclear energy sources.
Oil companies have sought to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for years. But environmental groups have long fought to keep them out. They say thousands of polar bears, musk⁴ oxen, birds and other animals live in the area targeted for drilling. A kind of deer called caribou⁵ give birth to their young in the area. The refuge is also important to the native American Gwich’in people. They depend on the caribou for food and clothing.
Supporters of drilling say new technology permits companies to develop oil fields without harming wildlife. They say increasing oil and gas production in the United States will help create jobs and lower energy costs.
But opponents say there is not enough oil under the refuge to solve the country’s current fuel problems. They call for better use of American energy supplies and development of renewable energy sources. Democrats and some Republicans have presented legislation to (14)permanently ban any oil or gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. One Democratic leader says this is the most important environmental issue of this Congress. 4’50”后台词

Alaska[ E5lAskE ]n.阿拉斯加州(美国州名)
proposal[ prE5pEuzEl ]n.提议, 建议
republican[ ri5pQblikEn ]adj.共和国的, 共和政体的, 共和主义的, n.共和党人
energy[ 5enEdVi ]n.精力, 精神, 活力, [物]能量
production[ prE5dQkFEn ]n.生产, 产品, 作品, (研究)成果
president[ 5prezidEnt ]n.总统, 会长, 校长, 行长
Democratadj.美国民主党的
environmental[ in7vaiErEn5mentl ]adj.周围的, 环境的n.环境论
legislation[ 7ledVis5leiFEn ]n.立法, 法律的制定(或通过)
congress[ 5kCN^res ]n.(代表)大会, [C～] (美国等国的)国会, 议会
refuge[ 5refju:dV ]n.庇护, 避难, 避难所
hectare[ 5hektB: ]n.公顷（等于1万平方米）
ban[ bB:n ]n.禁令vt.禁止, 取缔(书刊等)
permanently[5pmEntlI]adv.永存地, 不变地

1 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

4 musk   

n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫

参考例句：

• Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。
• She scented her clothes with musk.她用麝香使衣服充满了香味。

5 caribou   

n.北美驯鹿

参考例句：

• Afar off he heard the squawking of caribou calves.他听到远处有一群小驯鹿尖叫的声音。
• The Eskimos played soccer on ice and used balls filled with caribou hair and grass.爱斯基摩人在冰上踢球，他们用的是驯鹿的毛发和草填充成的球。