VOA常速英语2007年-Azerbaijan Experiencing Economic Boom: Is Oil M

By Brian Padden
Washington
24 December 2007

With oil prices reaching record highs, oil-producing countries like Azerbaijan are getting rich. Located in the energy rich Caspian region of Central Asia, Azerbaijan is expected to export one million barrels of oil a day in the coming year. But some analysts¹ question whether oil money is too alluring² and corrupting³ a force to sustain a nation's economy. As part of his series on Caspian Sea and the politics of oil, VOA's Brian Padden reports on Baku's boom.

 

A new, Russian Lada costs about $7,000 dollars in the Azeri capital. But, big, expensive American and European cars are becoming more common on the streets of Baku. With the price of oil reaching close to $100 a barrel, the rich are getting richer. New car dealerships have appeared on empty lots and are prospering⁴.

Car salesman Etibar Abbssob says he just sold an American luxury car for $41,000.

"The last two or three years, people are getting richer and can afford cars like this," said Abbssob.

Revenues from Azerbaijan's oil exports are expected to increase to more than $15 billion a year by 2010.

While this is a prosperous time for Azerbaijan, Foreign Ministry⁵ official Shamil Alserov says, the government knows it must focus on the future.

"While we are enjoying this increasing revenue from oil, we have to take care of the development of the country to make it diversified⁶, the economy," said Alserov.

Alserov points to new roads, bridges and education projects as signs of progress. In a further sign of the country's new wealth, new construction projects dot the city skyline.

But outside the city, there are areas of high unemployment and discontent.

In the village of Nardiram, people protested recently against a government plan to end subsidized electricity.

"We are being neglected by the government," said a protester.

Vugar Bayramov with the Center for Economic and Social Development in Baku, says the gap between rich and poor is growing in Azerbaijan.

"People have low salary," said Bayramov. "At the same time, people, they have to pay with high price."

Bayramov and others say Azerbaijan seems to be falling into a pattern they say is familiar from other oil producing countries. The influx⁷ of oil wealth, they say, leads to greed and corruption⁸ among the elite⁹, while the poor are excluded.

Ilgar Mammadov, with the Baku Political Research and Advocacy Institute, says, only through a closer alliance with the West and conforming to international standards of conduct can Azerbaijan and its neighbors move beyond the boom and bust¹⁰ cycle.

"The more you are integrated in the global economy, the stronger is your economy and the stronger is your independence," said Mammadov.

To be effective, Mammadov says, economic restructuring must go hand in hand with real democratic reform.

1 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

2 alluring   

adj.吸引人的，迷人的

参考例句：

• The life in a big city is alluring for the young people. 大都市的生活对年轻人颇具诱惑力。
• Lisette's large red mouth broke into a most alluring smile. 莉莎特的鲜红的大嘴露出了一副极为诱人的微笑。

3 corrupting   

（使）败坏( corrupt的现在分词 )； （使）腐化； 引起（计算机文件等的）错误； 破坏

参考例句：

• It would be corrupting discipline to leave him unpunished. 不惩治他会败坏风纪。
• It would be corrupting military discipline to leave him unpunished. 不惩治他会败坏军纪。

4 prospering   

成功，兴旺( prosper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Our country is thriving and prospering day by day. 祖国日益繁荣昌盛。
• His business is prospering. 他生意兴隆。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 diversified   

adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• The college biology department has diversified by adding new courses in biotechnology. 该学院生物系通过增加生物技术方面的新课程而变得多样化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Take grain as the key link, develop a diversified economy and ensure an all-round development. 以粮为纲，多种经营，全面发展。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

8 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

9 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

10 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。