2006年VOA标准英语-Diesel Cars Making a Comeback

By Mil Arcega
Washington, D.C.
23 August 2006
 
watch Diesel¹ report

Drivers looking for alternatives to high gasoline prices are increasingly turning their attention to hybrids³ and so-called "smart cars".  But as VOA's Mil Arcega reports some are taking a look back at older technologies and finding a new generation of cleaner, more efficient diesel cars.

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Drivers are concerned about the cost of fuel, but also the effects of exhaust on the air  
  
Thirty years ago they were the noisy, smelly alternative to the fuel crisis of the 1970s. But with gasoline prices once again hitting new highs, auto⁴ engineers, such as Don Hillebrand, are hard at work -- cleaning up the diesel engine's dirty reputation.

"Literally⁵, they're 98 percent cleaner.  I mean, what used to be a bucket of emissions⁷ is now a drop," sys Hillebrand.

The selling point was fuel efficiency for new car owner Chris Hynes. "The car is paying for itself.  I believe the money I am saving in the fuel is going toward the payments for the car."
 

Don Hillebrand   
  
Hynes says he now spends $200 less per month and gets 30 extra miles per gallon since trading in his gas-powered pick-up truck.  Diesel's fuel economy is about 30 percent better than gasoline-powered vehicles.

At a Volkswagen dealership⁸ in Chicago, Chris Willuweit says demand has tripled. "Anybody and everybody is looking at diesels⁹ now," says the salesman.

Auto analyst¹⁰ Anthony Pratt at JD Power & Associates says that's one reason why automakers have shifted diesel car production into high gear. "Currently, diesel penetration¹¹ in the U.S. is right around three and a half percent.  We anticipate that demand to increase to approximately 12 percent by 2015."

  
  
But some environmental groups question the future of diesel power.  Brendan Bell of the Sierra Club calls it a waste of time and money. "Do we invest in a new generation technology, which is hybrid² technology, or do we look backwards¹² and go to diesel vehicles?" he asks.

Despite recent improvements, the new diesel engines still don't meet emission⁶ standards in five U.S. states, including California and New York.  But automakers say they expect to reach full compliance¹³ by the end of the decade.

1 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。

2 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。

3 hybrids   

n.杂交生成的生物体( hybrid的名词复数 )；杂交植物（或动物）；杂种；（不同事物的）混合物

参考例句：

• All these brightly coloured hybrids are so lovely in the garden. 花园里所有这些色彩鲜艳的杂交花真美丽。 来自辞典例句
• The notion that interspecific hybrids are rare is ill-founded. 有一种看法认为种间杂种是罕见的，这种看法是无根据的。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

6 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

7 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

8 dealership   

n.商品特许经销处

参考例句：

• The car dealership has a large inventory of used cars. 这家汽车经销商拥有数量庞大的二手车。
• A key to this effort is the experience in the dealership. 达到这个成果的关键是销售的体验。

9 diesels   

柴油( diesel的名词复数 )； 柴油机机车（或船等）

参考例句：

• The diesels roared, the conductors jumped aboard, and off the train went. 内燃机发出轰鸣声，列车员跳上车厢，火车开走了。
• The diesels catch and roar, a welcome sound. 柴油机开动，发生了怒吼，这是令人鼓舞的声音。

10 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

11 penetration   

n.穿透，穿人，渗透

参考例句：

• He is a man of penetration.他是一个富有洞察力的人。
• Our aim is to achieve greater market penetration.我们的目标是进一步打入市场。

12 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

13 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。