voa标准英语2008-Nigeria Criticized for Decreased Niger Delta Spe

Groups in Nigeria's Niger Delta¹ have criticized the Yar'Adua administration for the proposed spending for the region next year. President Umaru Yar'Adua proposed a slight decrease in government expenditure² in the Niger Delta, despite a clamor for massive government intervention³ in the region.

Among government plans for next year, nearly $700 million, out of a national budget of $23 billion, will be spent on improving electricity supply in Nigeria and $600 million will go to the Niger Delta's oil producing region.

A Niger Delta analyst⁴ who is a member of a panel set up by the government to consider ways to end the Delta unrest, Tony Uranta, says the proposal was rather provocative⁵.

"We believe that the budget, rather than been seen as a budget of caution is a budget of provocation⁶ to the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta Development Commission had 84 billion [naira] [about $650 million] to it in the last budget. And yet the NDDC [Niger Delta Development Commission] and the Niger Delta ministry⁷, put together, now have only 77 billion naira [about $600 million], which is less than the 84 billion budgeted to them."

Groups in the Niger Delta have denounced the proposed budget as reflecting a lack of political will to resolve the Delta crisis. Attacks by militants⁹ on oil facilities in the Niger Delta, home to Africa's biggest oil and gas industry, have shut down about a fifth of Nigeria's output since early 2006.

Militants say they are fighting for a greater share of the oil wealth for people in the Niger Delta, where more than 70 percent of the population survives on less than one dollar a day.

Analysts¹⁰ say continued insecurity in the Niger Delta could derail Nigeria's projected oil production of more than 2.25 million barrels per day for 2009. Any significant production shortfall could drive down revenues for Nigeria.

Uranta says restoring peace to the Niger Delta could have positive implications for the performance of the 2009 budget. He recommends the release of a rebel leader from the region and the withdrawal¹¹ of government troops.

"Restiveness¹² in the Niger Delta can be curbed¹³ if the president sincerely begins a process of confidence building by granting Henry Okah open and free trial and bail," said Uranta. "The issue of unrest is being exacerbated¹⁴ by the presence of the military in the region."

The federal government has said it is pursuing a "master plan for infrastructure¹⁵ development" in the Niger Delta, but militant⁸ groups say there has been no visible progress.

1 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

2 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

3 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

4 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

5 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

6 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

7 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。

8 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

9 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

10 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。

11 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

12 restiveness   

n.倔强，难以驾御

参考例句：

• There were signs of restiveness among the younger members. 年轻成员流露出了不满的情绪。 来自辞典例句
• Seeing a faint restiveness in Lincoln's eye, he changed the subject. 他觉察到林肯眼神略带烦躁，便改了话题。 来自互联网

13 curbed   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Advertising aimed at children should be curbed. 针对儿童的广告应受到限制。 来自辞典例句
• Inflation needs to be curbed in Russia. 俄罗斯需要抑制通货膨胀。 来自辞典例句

14 exacerbated   

v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The symptoms may be exacerbated by certain drugs. 这些症状可能会因为某些药物而加重。
• The drugs they gave her only exacerbated the pain. 他们给她吃的药只是加重了她的痛楚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。