Obama Defends Energy Policy

　　President Barack Obama is defending his energy plan against opposition¹ Republican claims that his policies are driving up fuel prices. The president is also demanding an end to government subsidies² for oil companies.

　　As gasoline prices continue their steady climb, President Obama is working to control the potential political damage.

　　The president took his campaign for a comprehensive energy policy to the northeastern city of Nashua, New Hampshire on Thursday.

　　He again called for more government support for solar, wind and other alternative energy industries, and an end to subsidies for the oil industry.  He called the subsidies outrageous³ and inexcusable.

　　“Every time you fill up your gas tank, they are making money - every time.  Now, does anyone really think that Congress should give them another $4 billion this year? Of course not,” Obama said.

　　Republican presidential candidates and opposition leaders in Congress have attacked the proposal, saying the administration should do more to increase U.S. oil production.

　　The Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, began his Thursday news conference by saying gasoline prices have doubled since Mr. Obama took office.

　　“Now, we have seen some positive economic news lately, but it is being overshadowed for many families by soaring energy costs that are increasing the cost of living.  So we must work together to find both energy and economic solutions,” Boehner said.

　　Oil prices have risen nine percent this year, largely due to higher global demand and disruption in supplies.  Retail gasoline prices have increased 11 percent in the past five weeks.

　　However, the president says the United States is producing more oil today that at any time in the past eight years.

　　“Under my administration, we have a near-record number of oil rigs operating right now - more working oil and gas rigs than the rest of the world combined,” he said

　　Obama also said his administration has helped the U.S. to use less foreign oil.

　　“Six years ago, 60 percent of the oil we used was imported.  Since I took office, America’s dependence⁴ on foreign oil has gone down every single year,” he added.

　　This was the president’s second visit to the small but politically important state of New Hampshire in recent months.

　　Public opinion polls show Obama comfortably leading all major Republican candidates in New Hampshire.  But Republican contender Mitt⁵ Romney owns a vacation home in the state, and Republicans scored big wins in statewide elections in 2010.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 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》

3 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

4 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。

5 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。