2006年VOA标准英语-New Call for Reducing US Dependence on Foreign

By Zulima Palacio
Washington, DC
19 December 2006
 
watch US Energy Security report

A group of leading U.S. businessmen and former top military commanders has called on the White House and Congress to reduce America's dependence¹ on oil from overseas, a move it says is necessary for the country's national security.  VOA correspondent Meredith Buel narrates² for producer Zulima Palacio.

In a recently released report, the non-profit Energy Security Leadership Council says the United States must significantly improve the nation's energy security by taking a series of steps to decrease the country's reliance on foreign oil.

Frederick Smith

The co-chairman of the group, Frederick Smith, who is president of the FedEx Corporation, says even a minor³ disruption of the world's oil supply would have grave consequences for the American economy.

"Other than perhaps nuclear proliferation and weapons of mass destruction, there is no greater threat to the security of the United States and our economic security, than our continuing dependence on imported petroleum⁴."

The report says because of instability throughout much of the oil-producing world a supply crisis is likely in the coming years. The council says even a four percent shortfall in global oil delivery would drive the price of petroleum to $120 a barrel, about double the current price.

Co-chairman Frederick Smith says competition for energy resources from other rapidly growing economies puts even more pressure on supply and demand.

"At the same time as our energy dependence has increased, new emerging economies, like China and India, have put significant demands on the world's petroleum supplies and these supplies are increasingly found in unstable⁵ parts of the world."

The panel is recommending legislation to strengthen fuel efficiency standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks.  It also says Congress should pass new laws increasing the availability of alternate fuel sources and should ease restrictions⁶ for off-shore domestic oil exploration.

The group endorsing⁷ the recommendations includes a number of former military leaders, such as retired⁸ Admiral Gregory Johnson, who was the commander of U.S. naval⁹ forces in Europe.  "The single most important thing we can do in terms of energy security: all the naval forces in the world are not going to solve this problem, and the only way that we can really provide true energy security in the 21st century for our nation is to get much more serious about reducing demand and increasing the diversity of supply."

In bringing together representatives of the business community and retired senior military officers, the council says it intends to break what it describes as a lengthy¹⁰ stalemate on energy policy.

The council acknowledges it will take years to reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil.  In the meantime, it says, a comprehensive energy policy is needed to improve America's economic and national security.  

1 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

2 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

3 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

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 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 endorsing   

v.赞同( endorse的现在分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• Yet Communist leaders are also publicly endorsing religion in an unprecedented way. 不过，共产党领导层对宗教信仰的公开认可也是以前不曾有过的。 来自互联网
• Connecticut Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman is endorsing Republican Senator John McCain. 康涅狄格州独立派参议员约瑟夫。列波曼将会票选共和议员约翰。麦凯恩。 来自互联网

8 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

9 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

10 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。