2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Pushing Alternative Energy

By Scott Stearns
White House
21 February 2006

President Bush speaks on Energy Conservation and Efficiency panel at National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Tuesday   
  
President Bush says investments in alternative sources of energy will help reduce America's dependence¹ on foreign oil. The president spoke² at a federally-funded research laboratory in Colorado.

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President Bush says it is an important national goal to lower America's reliance on foreign oil.

"I have spent a lot of time worrying about the national security implications of being addicted³ to oil, particularly from parts of the world where people may not agree with our policy or our way of life," said George W. Bush.

The president says alternative sources of energy are a national security issue at a time when 60 percent of the crude oil used by U.S. refineries⁴ comes from outside the country.

He wants Congress to boost funding for research into cleaner-burning coal and more cost-effective solar and wind energy.

Mr. Bush spoke at the federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory where 32 jobs were cut earlier this month.

Five million dollars from the Energy Department restored those jobs in advance of the president's visit. He told employees there that the nation appreciates their work and their funding issues have been "cleared-up."

"The issue of course is whether or not good intentions are met with actual dollars spent," he said. "Part of the issue we face, unfortunately, is that sometimes decisions are made, but as a result of the appropriations⁵ process, the money may not end up where it was supposed to have gone."

The president says he wants to reduce U.S. oil imports from the Middle East by 75 percent during the next two decades. One of the ways to achieve that goal is for Americans to make greater use of fuels from agricultural materials, including ethanol, which is now made mostly from corn.

Mr. Bush says technological⁶ advances will make it possible to produce ethanol more cheaply from grasses and agricultural waste such as stalks and leaves.

He says there are also promising⁷ advances in developing more efficient batteries to power hybrid⁸ automobiles⁹ which are capable of running on either electricity or petroleum¹⁰.

"I want the people to know we are close," said President Bush. "The hybrid vehicles you are buying today are an important part of making sure you save money when it comes to driving. But they are going to change with the right research and development. Technology will make it so that the hybrid vehicles are even better in getting us less addicted on oil and making it good for the consumers' pocketbook."

President Bush says the government is encouraging alternative energy with a more than $3,000 tax credit for the purchase of hybrid vehicles.

The president began this tour to promote his energy initiative with visits Monday to a commercial research lab in the Midwest state of Wisconsin and a solar power manufacturer in the Midwest state of Michigan.

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 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 addicted   

adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的

参考例句：

• He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。
• She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。

4 refineries   

精炼厂( refinery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The efforts on closedown and suspension of small sugar refineries, small saccharin refineries and small paper mills are also being carried out in steps. 关停小糖厂、小糖精厂、小造纸厂的工作也已逐步展开。
• Hence the sitting of refineries is at a distance from population centres. 所以，炼油厂的厂址总在远离人口集中的地方。

5 appropriations   

n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• More commonly, funding controls are imposed in the annual appropriations process. 更普遍的作法是，拨款控制被规定在年度拨款手续中。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Should the president veto the appropriations bill, it goes back to Congress. 假如总统否决了这项拨款提案，就把它退还给国会。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

6 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

7 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

8 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。

9 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。