2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Concerned About Rising Gas Prices

By Scott Stearns
Washington
18 April 2006
 

President Bush  
  
President Bush says he is concerned about the affect rising gasoline prices will have on the U.S. economy. Some of the record increases come from investor¹ worries about the stand-off over Iran's nuclear program.

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President Bush says a variety of global forces are to blame for crude-oil prices topping $70 a barrel.

"There is tight supply worldwide, and we have got increasing demand from countries like India and China, which means that, any disruption in supply, or perceived disruption of supply, is going to cause the price of crude to go up, and that affects the price of gasoline," he said.

The president says prices are also up on increasing domestic demand, as Americans are driving more, now that the cold winter weather is ending, and because states are switching their fuel-mix to a warmer-weather blend.

"The combination of these creates higher gasoline prices, and I am concerned about higher gasoline prices. I am concerned about what it means for working families and small business, and I am also mindful that the government has the responsibility to make sure that we watch very carefully, and investigate possible price-gouging, and we will do just that," added President Bush.

The price of crude hit a new record, eclipsing the previous mark set last August, when Hurricane Katrina disrupted production in the Gulf² of Mexico.

Analysts³ blame some of the current price hikes on worries about global instability in oil-producing regions, including ethnic⁴ violence in Nigeria and the dispute over Iran enriching uranium.

Tehran says its nuclear program is meant to produce electricity. President Bush says the world's fourth-largest oil producer is secretly developing a nuclear-weapons program.

Taking questions from reporters in the White House Rose Garden, Mr. Bush said he will discuss the issue in talks Thursday at the White House with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

"We want to solve this issue diplomatically, and we are working hard to do so," he said. "The best way to do so is for there to be a united effort with countries, who recognize the danger of Iran having a nuclear weapon."

The International Atomic Energy Agency reports back to the U.N. Security Council about Iran next week. If the country does not stop enriching uranium, the Bush administration is expected to call for economic sanctions.

 
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
  
Iran says no amount of pressure will force it to abandon its nuclear program. Tehran's Foreign Ministry⁵ dismissed talks among the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, saying their Moscow meeting is more important to the participants than it is to Iran.

White House officials say President Bush is skeptical⁶ about being able to resolve the dispute peacefully. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says any aggressor would regret attacking his country, because he says Iran has one of the world's most powerful armies.

1 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

2 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。