VOA慢速英语-Education Report - High Fuel Prices Mean a Hard Road

Schools across the U.S. are looking for ways to reduce transportation costs. Transcript¹ of radio broadcast:
16 July 2008

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

High fuel prices are affecting all areas of life, including education.
　

Some school districts in the United States are reducing bus service to save money

The United States has an estimated four hundred seventy-five thousand school buses -- all painted yellow. Each day they carry more than twenty-five million children, half of all schoolchildren in the country.

But these buses, on average, use four liters of diesel² fuel to travel less than sixteen kilometers. When the school year began last fall, diesel averaged fifty-five cents a liter nationally. The price nearly doubled, to a dollar and eight cents, by the end of school in June.

Bob Riley speaks for the American School Bus Council, an industry coalition³. He says fuel prices negotiated⁴ for schools are not much lower than others have to pay.

As a result, schools are looking for ways to reduce transportation costs. Bus routes are being redrawn or, in some cases, canceled. Some areas are buying buses that use natural gas or other alternative fuels. And a few places are investigating hybrid⁵ fuel-electric technology.

Other steps include fewer field trips and less travel by sports teams. And some school districts may end any bus service not required by law.

Most states require bus transportation through high school for public school students who need it. Massachusetts requires it only for elementary school. And schools can charge to ride the bus. State education officials say some districts may begin to do that, or raise existing fees.

Studies show that school buses are the safest form of transportation to and from school. The American School Bus Council say cuts in bus service are bad for children and possibly the environment. It says removing buses from the road will mean an increase in other vehicles transporting students. Spokesman⁶ Bob Riley says another concern is that reducing bus service might reduce attendance⁷.

But it could also get more children to walk or bicycle to school. And that would surely make people happy at the National Center for Safe Routes to School. More kids walking or biking safely to school is the aim of a three-year-old federal program, part of an international movement. The goal is to increase physical activity and reduce air pollution.

The United States will celebrate Walk to School Day on October eighth this year. But for some students, high fuel prices could make every day a walk-to-school day.

Next week, we'll talk about other ways that schools and students are reacting to the prices.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. I'm Steve Ember.

　

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 negotiated   

谈判，协商，议定( negotiate的过去式和过去分词 )； 兑现（支票等）； 通过，越过（险要路段）

参考例句：

• The government negotiated with the opposition party over the new law. 政府就新法与反对党进行了协商。
• By careful strategy she negotiated a substantial pay rise. 她精心策划后，谈妥了大幅增加工资的事。

5 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

6 spokesman   

n.发言人，代言人

参考例句：

• The government spokesman gave a quick briefing to the reporters.政府发言人向记者们作了情况简介。
• They drew lots to decide who should be their spokesman.他们抽签决定谁是他们的发言人。

7 attendance   

n.出席，出席人数，护理，照料

参考例句：

• The attendance of this class never dropped off.这个班的出席人数从未下降。
• The young man danced attendance on his rich aunt.这个年轻人小心侍候他有钱的姑妈。