2006年VOA标准英语-Will High Energy Prices Affect the War on

By George Dwyer
Washington, DC
27 April 2006
 
watch Military Energy Cost

The cost of fighting the war on terror is measured in blood and in treasure -- the number of lives lost, and the number of U.S. dollars it will take to accomplish the mission. And as VOA's George Dwyer reports, the rising cost of petroleum¹ has become a part of the strategic calculation of war.

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The U.S. Senate began debate this week in Washington on the largest emergency spending bill in American history - a $106 billion request that will go mostly toward funding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Estimates of the total costs of the wars are closing in on $400 billion.  One reason why may be seen at a military motor pool in Baghdad, supervised by Lieutenant² Colonel Darren Wright.  "It is critical to have those assets up and operational at all times so we can put them into the fight."
 
  
  
Today's modern, motorized, mechanized army runs on oil, and as its cost soars, so does the cost of military operations. The Bush administration is on record as promising³ that nothing will stand in the way of getting American troops the supplies and equipment they need.

But it has become increasingly important to be cost conscious when doing so, says Democratic Senator Jack⁴ Reed, who sits on the Armed Services Committee. "We have to support the troops in the field but we have to do it in a responsible way."

Reconciling efforts to cut the budget and pay for the war are not easy -- especially when military fuel costs went up 57 percent to more than $7 billion in the last fiscal⁵ year. And the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq make it harder for ground forces to save fuel.

From 2004 to 2005, fuel use by the Army and Marine⁶ Corps⁷ increased by more than one-third, to 15.4 million barrels. One reason is that extra armor was added to humvees and other vehicles to make them safer. The military is now trying to develop hybrid⁸ engines that are more efficient.

And military bases and facilities have been ordered to cut energy use by two percent per year and pursue alternative energy sources, such as solar and wind. The Air Force also is switching over to more fuel-efficient engines.

1 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

2 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

3 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

4 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

5 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

6 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

7 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

8 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。