2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Pushes Energy Plan

By Paula Wolfson
White House
20 February 2006

President Bush speaking at Johnson Controls, Inc. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin  
  
President Bush is campaigning for support for his plan to cut America's reliance on foreign sources of energy. During a stop in the state of Wisconsin, the president stressed it is a matter of national and economic security.

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The president's words were blunt, as he spoke¹ again of what he says is the threat to the nation posed by its addiction² to foreign oil.

He said some of the oil-producing nations that do business with the United States have unstable³ governments, or fundamental differences with America.

"These countries know we need their oil, and that reduces influence," said George W. Bush. "It creates a national security issue when we are held hostage for energy by foreign nations that may not like us."

President Bush said the answer is a commitment to producing alternative fuels and new technologies.

He said the first objective is to encourage the development of vehicles that use less gasoline, such as so-called hybrid⁴ cars that run on a combination of gas and electricity.

Mr. Bush said the nation is on the threshold of advances that will, in his words, startle people.

"The American people will be amazed at how far our technology has advanced, in order to meet an important goal, which is to reduce our imports from the Middle East by 75 percent by 2025, and, eventually, getting rid of our dependence⁵ totally," he said.

The president had the perfect audience for an address on alternative sources of energy. He spoke to employees of a company that is working on new types of batteries for hybrid cars.

Mr. Bush said the transportation sector⁶ is one half of the energy problem. He said finding better ways to meet the everyday electrical power needs of the nation is the other.

The president cited recent advances in clean coal and solar technologies. But he also stressed the need to promote the use of nuclear power, at home and abroad.

Mr. Bush emphasized there has not been a new nuclear power plant built in the United States for decades. He said that must change. He also talked about steps to help other countries increase their access to nuclear power, with appropriate safeguards.

"This is a global world in which we live, and demand for oil in China and India affects prices here in America," continued President Bush. "And, so, therefore, if we can relieve the pressure off of demand for fossil fuels, it helps the entire world."

Opposition⁷ Democrats⁸ in Congress have complained the president's plan to ease the nation's reliance on foreign oil does not go far enough, and is unlikely to provide American consumers with relief from escalating⁹ energy prices.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 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。

8 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句