VOA常速英语2008年-Fuel Shortage in Nepal Hits Hospitals, Schools,

By Liam Cochrane
Kathmandu
19 February 2008

Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, has almost run out of gasoline, because political protests in southern districts have blocked deliveries for six days. The fuel shortage is causing long lines at gasoline pumps and starting to affect critical public services, such as transport and hospitals. Liam Cochrane reports from Kathmandu.

At this gasoline station in central Kathmandu, the line of motorbikes, taxis and buses stretches around all four sides of a city block and continues on.

Nepal's capital is feeling the effects of political protests in the country's southern districts, which have effectively blocked imports of petroleum¹ products from India.

Nepal relies solely² on India for gasoline, diesel³ and kerosene⁴, most of which is trucked in along a single highway.

Political leaders who say they represent ethnic⁵ groups in the southern districts, known as the Terai, have organized the protests to pressure Nepal's government to accept their demands for more autonomy.

But motorists in Katmandu are frustrated⁶ that politics is affecting basic supplies. Vivid Thakali waited in line for 12 hours to buy gasoline.

"The condition of the country is pathetic right now," Thakali said. "We can't do anything, there is no petrol, Terai is 'bandh', you know, it's because of the Terai. Terai is 'bandh', so we don't get petrol. We have to do it, need petrol to ride our bike and all the vehicles. So, no fuel."

Across Kathmandu valley, at least 15 private schools have closed because their school buses have no fuel and only about 10 percent of public buses are running.

With limited diesel to run generators⁷, many hospitals are struggling to provide services.  Public power is cut during eight hours of every day. Nepal has too few hydroelectric plants to supply its needs and hydropower producing dams suffer from a lack of water during the dry season.

Wes Lutz runs the support services at a 150-bed missionary⁸ hospital east of Kathmandu. He says the hospital has shut down outreach clinics and reduced ambulance services to try to conserve⁹ fuel for essential surgeries, emergency cases and its critical care ward¹⁰. 

"Basically, when you don't have power, people die," Lutz said. "When someone's on a ventilator and there's no power, the ventilator stops and so does the person."

So far, the Scheer Memorial Hospital has been able to secure enough diesel for its backup generators, which consume about 500 liters a day during power cuts. But, other private hospitals have not been able to get even this supply.

The government has asked police to provide security convoys¹¹ for oil tankers¹² and curfews have been announced in several districts to try to get supplies through the roadblocks to the capital.

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 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

3 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。

4 kerosene   

n.(kerosine)煤油，火油

参考例句：

• It is like putting out a fire with kerosene.这就像用煤油灭火。
• Instead of electricity,there were kerosene lanterns.没有电，有煤油灯。

5 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。

6 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 missionary   

adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士

参考例句：

• She taught in a missionary school for a couple of years.她在一所教会学校教了两年书。
• I hope every member understands the value of missionary work. 我希望教友都了解传教工作的价值。

9 conserve   

vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭

参考例句：

• He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。
• Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

10 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

11 convoys   

n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队

参考例句：

• Truck convoys often stop over for lunch here. 车队经常在这里停下来吃午饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A UN official said aid programs will be suspended until there's adequate protection for relief convoys. 一名联合国官员说将会暂停援助项目，直到援助车队能够得到充分的保护为止。 来自辞典例句

12 tankers   

运送大量液体或气体的轮船[卡车]( tanker的名词复数 )； 油轮； 罐车； 油槽车

参考例句：

• They should stop offloading waste from oil tankers into the sea. 他们应当停止从油轮上往海里倾倒废弃物。
• The harbour admits large tankers and freighters. 这个港口容得下巨型油船和货轮。