VOA常速英语2008年-Oil Prices Reach a Record High

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
21 April 2008

Government energy ministers from oil-rich nations and international oil company executives are attending a three-day International Energy Forum¹ in Rome. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome the meeting, which ends Tuesday, is being held as crude oil prices reached a record high.

Participants at the oil summit in Rome do not seem to find agreement on what is causing the rise in oil prices. International Energy Agency head Nobuo Tanaka warned that current prices, which hit a record of $117 a barrel, are too high for all consumers and particularly punishing for developing nations.

Speaking at the biennial² International Energy Conference, Tanaka said the problem is not underground, but above ground. He added that better infrastructure³ and more stable policies in producing countries are important to increase capacity and stressed the need for investment.

But OPEC and its member nations maintain that raising capacity is unlikely to have any impact. The Iranian Oil Minister Gholam-Hussein Nozari said more than enough oil is being supplied. He added that other issues are affecting oil prices like the dollar.

OPEC Secretary-General Abdalla Salem al-Badri has said the group is prepared to raise production if the price pressure is due to a shortage of supply - but also said he doubted the connection.

"There is a common understanding now that [oil prices] has nothing to do with supply and demand," he said.

The OPEC chief said more oil would not solve the high prices. Al-Badri added that OPEC's production levels are just one of many factors, while others included the political situation, market speculation⁴, labor⁵ issues and natural catastrophes⁶.

Italy's former prime minister Romano Prodi also spoke⁷ of his concern. He says what is taking place is a conflict between food and fuel, with disastrous⁸ social consequences. He adds that governments cannot just watch this happen.

In another industry development, Iraq Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said contracts between the autonomous⁹ Northern Iraqi Kurds and foreign companies remain invalid¹⁰, despite recent talks between the two sides to discuss the country's long-delayed federal oil law.

The Kurds have signed about 25 production-sharing contracts with several small and mid-sized oil companies, but Al-Shahristani said they do not meet the conditions of the draft 2007 law.

The draft law requires an open bidding process and would establish which foreign countries are eligible¹¹ to work in Iraq. The dispute between the the central government in Baghdad and the Kurds has dragged on for many months, delaying agreement on a final oil law that Iraq badly requires to attract foreign investment and increase oil production.

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 biennial   

adj.两年一次的

参考例句：

• The workers were strongly against the biennial election.工人们强烈反对两年一次的选举。
• His is a biennial,and one of the most useful pasture plants we have.这是两年生植物，也是我们最有用的牧草之一。

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 catastrophes   

n.灾祸( catastrophe的名词复数 )；灾难；不幸事件；困难

参考例句：

• Two of history's worst natural catastrophes occurred in 1970. 1970年发生了历史上最严重两次自然灾害。 来自辞典例句
• The Swiss deposits contain evidence of such catastrophes. 瑞士的遗址里还有这种灾难的证据。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

9 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

10 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

11 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。