VOA标准英语2009年-Russia, Ukraine Open Gas Valves

Russia and Ukraine have resumed the flow of natural gas to Europe, ending a mid-winter standoff that left millions of consumers on the continent without heat or power during 13 days of bitter cold.

An official at a metering station owned by Russia's Gazprom state energy company says the taps were opened at 10:24 am - 24 minutes later than scheduled. Officials on both sides of the Russian-Ukrainian border confirm gas is flowing toward Europe.

Gazprom and its Ukrainian counterpart, Naftohaz, signed a 10-year contract Monday, based on an agreement between the prime ministers of both countries.

The previous contract expired on December 31, prompting Russia to cut-off gas to Ukraine on New Year's Day. Both sides blame each another for halting deliveries to Europe on January Seventh, during an unusually cold winter.

Gazprom Chairman Alexei Miller¹ says Ukraine will pay market price for gas with a 20 percent discount, through the end of this year.

Miller says the base price for the first quarter will be 360 dollars per thousand cubic meters. He says that gas prices are pegged² to the price of oil, which means Ukraine's future costs will depend on price fluctuations³ for oil and oil products.

The price Russia will pay Ukraine for transit⁴ will remain at $1.70 per 100 kilometers of pipeline⁵. Miller says the contract also stipulates⁶ 100 percent pre-payment, if Ukraine fails to pay for gas on time. Currently, payment is made a month after delivery.

Ukraine Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko praises the discount.

Ms. Tymoshenko says it gives Ukraine time to work on energy efficiency and diversification⁷ and to do everything to make the country feel that the global price of gas demands a different attitude toward energy use.

Ukrainian industry is considered among the most inefficient⁸ of any country.

Moscow and Kyiv also agreed to direct purchase of gas, eliminating controversial intermediary companies, which Ms. Tymoshenko said were a source of corruption⁹ in the energy trade. However, the spokesman for Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko is criticizing the new gas price, saying it is higher than that paid by European countries.

Europeans that rely on Russian natural gas were left without heat and power for nearly two weeks. Ukraine and Russia were criticized on the continent as unreliable, prompting calls for construction of alternative pipelines¹⁰ and energy sources.

1 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

2 pegged   

v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的过去式和过去分词 )；使固定在某水平

参考例句：

• They pegged their tent down. 他们钉好了账篷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She pegged down the stairs. 她急忙下楼。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 fluctuations   

波动，涨落，起伏( fluctuation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table. 他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• There were so many unpredictable fluctuations on the Stock Exchange. 股票市场瞬息万变。

4 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

5 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

6 stipulates   

n.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的名词复数 )；规定，明确要求v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的第三人称单数 )；规定，明确要求

参考例句：

• The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB. 贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The contract stipulates for the use of seasoned timber. 合同上订明用干透的木料。 来自辞典例句

7 diversification   

n.变化，多样化；多种经营

参考例句：

• The seminar was to discuss diversification of agriculture. 该研讨会讨论的是农业多种经营。 来自辞典例句
• Firm diversification is increasingly achieved by the means of takeover and merger. 通过接管和兼并，厂商经营范围日益多样化。 来自辞典例句

8 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

9 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。

10 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。