VOA标准英语2012--Nigerian Students Threaten Massive Protests Over Fuel Price Increase

Nigerian Students Threaten Massive Protests Over Fuel Price Increase

 

Fuel prices in Nigeria more than tripled in some areas of the country this week after the government announced an end to the fuel subsidy¹. Iny Ememobong, a spokesperson for the National Association of Nigerian Students, says filling stations in the southern town of Yuo have become overwhelmed with demand for fuel due to price uncertainty².

“The public holiday has become nightmarish because there are long queues of fear. There is a lot of annoyance³ in the mind of people. People can’t move around happily, you know. People are annoyed. People are angry,” he says.

Adding to the confusion is the wide variation in new fuel prices says Ememobong. With the subsidy, prices were an average of 65 Naira, or 40 cents per liter, now they have increased to as much as 250 Naira in some places.

“It’s a free for all. The marketers are obviously extorting⁴ money from the buyers because there’s nothing you can do. Some places are selling for 150. I just bought for 200 Naira. On Facebook I have friends who have said they bought for 250 Naira. From 65 Naira to 200 naira you can’t imagine,” Ememobong says.

The student association as well as other groups throughout the country will stage massive protests if the subsidy is not reinstated.

“Labor⁵ is going on protest, students are going on protest, market women - everybody’s going because everybody is affected⁶ by what’s happening. It’s not just about students. It’s not just about labor. It’s about everybody. All of Nigeria except the very rich are going on protest. And like John F. Kennedy said, if a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich,” Ememobong adds.

A fuel attendant fills a tank at a gas station on Lagos' Ibadan highway where new pump prices were implemented7. Queues formed at petrol stations, protests broke out and unions threatened to paralyze Nigeria over a deeply controversial measure that has more than doubled pump prices, January 2, 2012.

Despite being Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria imports most of its refined petrol while exporting its crude resources – a fact that speaks to capacity in Nigeria, says Ememobong.

“It’s unfortunate that we have many refineries⁸ in Nigeria that are not even working at optimal⁹ capacity. Why can’t they work? Why do we need to export the crude oil and re-import them and pay so much on them?”

The Nigerian government says the $7.5 billion used on fuel subsidies¹⁰ is needed for infrastructure¹¹ projects and social programs throughout the country.

1 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。

2 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

3 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

4 extorting   

v.敲诈( extort的现在分词 )；曲解

参考例句：

• Corrupt government officials were extorting money from him. 腐败的政府官员向他敲诈钱财。 来自辞典例句
• He's been charged with extorting protection money from the shopkeepers. 他被指控对店主敲诈勒索保护费。 来自互联网

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 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

8 refineries   

精炼厂( refinery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The efforts on closedown and suspension of small sugar refineries, small saccharin refineries and small paper mills are also being carried out in steps. 关停小糖厂、小糖精厂、小造纸厂的工作也已逐步展开。
• Hence the sitting of refineries is at a distance from population centres. 所以，炼油厂的厂址总在远离人口集中的地方。

9 optimal   

adj.最适宜的；最理想的；最令人满意的

参考例句：

• What is the optimal mix of private and public property rights in natural resources?私人和国家的自然资源产权的最适宜的组合是什么？
• Optimal path planning is a key link for the sailing contest.帆船最优行驶路径规划是帆船比赛取胜的关键环节。

10 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 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。