VOA标准英语2010年-US Congress Steps Up Gulf Oil Spill Pr

Interior Secretary Ken² Salazar, right, and EPA Administrator³ Lisa Jackson, testify on Capitol Hill in Washington before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, 18 May 2010

The U.S. Congress is stepping up its probe of the Gulf⁴ oil spill.   Top administration officials appeared before three Senate committees on Capitol Hill Tuesday.

The Obama administration is clearly under pressure to do more to help contain the damage, and prevent another such disaster in the future.

This undated frame grab image provided by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, received from British Petroleum⁵ (BP) shows details of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, where the Deepwater Horizon rig sank last month. (AP Photo/Senate Environment and Public Works Committee)
A new underwater video - released as the latest hearings began - shows oil continuing to spill from the deep water well.

The BP oil company, which provided the video, says it has been siphoning about 2000 barrels of oil a day using a narrow tube inserted in the well.

But Barbara Boxer⁶, the chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works committee, says too little progress is being made.

"This is an ongoing⁷ nightmarem" she said. "And if ever we are going to reform, you know, it is now."

The California Democrat⁸ wants the federal agencies involved in off-shore drilling to be more effective.

The lead agency is the Minerals Management Service (MMS), which is part of the Interior Department.  Interior Secretary Ken Salazar admits there have been lapses⁹, and that federal regulators have been too sympathetic in the past to the oil industry.   But he told the Senate panel that things are changing.

"We have done a lot to reorganize this agency," he said. "We will be announcing some more reorganizing efforts in the days ahead with respect to MMS."

Salazar made clear there is a sense of urgency, stressing the battle against the oil spill is being fought on numerous fronts.

 The Environmental Protection Agency, is keeping a close watch on threats to the delicate eco-system along the coastline.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson told senators there are concerns about water pollution.  She says government officials are closely monitoring the use of chemicals called dispersants to break up the spill.

"We know that surface use of dispersants decreases the environmental risk to shorelines and organisms at the surface and we know that dispersants break down over weeks rather than remaining for several years as untreated oil might," she said. "But, we are also deeply concerned about the things we don't know."

Another source of concern:  the discovery of 20 tar¹ balls off Key West, Florida on Monday.  Samples have been sent to a lab for analysis to see if there is any link to the Gulf oil spill.
 

1 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

2 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

3 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

4 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。

5 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。

6 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

7 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

8 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

9 lapses   

n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失

参考例句：

• He sometimes lapses from good behavior. 他有时行为失检。 来自辞典例句
• He could forgive attacks of nerves, panic, bad unexplainable actions, all sorts of lapses. 他可以宽恕突然发作的歇斯底里，惊慌失措，恶劣的莫名其妙的动作，各种各样的失误。 来自辞典例句