VOA标准英语2010年-Gulf Oil Spill Presents New Challenges

In southern Louisiana, idled fishermen whose fertile fish and shrimping grounds are closed due to that massive oil spill in the Gulf² of Mexico are scrambling³ for another kind of work. British Petroleum⁴ is recruiting local crews and boats for the clean up effort. Among the groups hoping for work are the Vietnamese and Cambodian fisherman who live along the Gulf Coast.

They come in large numbers, recruited by BP to help in the clean up. Most speak Vietnamese or Cambodian. According to the Louisiana Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, approximately 80 percent of commercial fishing licenses⁵ in the state are owned by people with Asian surnames.

In his office, Tuan Nyguen fills out the necessary paper work.

Nyguen moved here in the 1980s like many fellow Vietnamese from the fishing regions of the Mekong Delta⁶. He has built a thriving wholesale⁷ business, but not without setbacks. Hurricane Katrina wiped him out in 2005. "During Katrina, I lost everything - everything here brand new-brand new," he said.

Nyguen says he has already used his savings⁸ to pay fishermen who can't fish and now he is contemplating⁹ working for BP - the first time he will work for anyone but himself. "I never done it in my life - I don't, know kind of hard, that's why I am still here - unemployed," he said.

Fellow Vietnamese Chamroeun Kang is hoping to work for BP. He has this shrimp¹ boat and a small skiff -- his wife and he the only crew. Since the shrimping grounds were shut they have lost their livelihood¹⁰. His only catch today - a catfish¹¹ caught in the harbor. "I got two boat (sic). I have one big one and one small one right here. If they hire me I go to what boat they want and I would be go  because I need to make money for living you know," he said.

Making this life change is hard on all fishermen, but for the Vietnamese and Cambodians here, the language barrier is an added obstacle in trying to reach out to BP for work and compensation. Members of this community say they're determined¹² to show the same resolve over the coming months as they did 20 years ago when they moved here to start a new life.

 

1 shrimp   

n.虾，小虾；矮小的人

参考例句：

• When the shrimp farm is built it will block the stream.一旦养虾场建起来，将会截断这条河流。
• When it comes to seafood,I like shrimp the best.说到海鲜，我最喜欢虾。

2 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

6 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

7 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

8 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

9 contemplating   

深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想

参考例句：

• You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
• She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。

10 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

11 catfish   

n.鲶鱼

参考例句：

• Huge catfish are skinned and dressed by hand.用手剥去巨鲇的皮并剖洗干净。
• We gigged for catfish off the pier.我们在码头以鱼叉叉鲶鱼。

12 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。