VOA标准英语2008年-Bush Says Saudi Oil Increase is Not Enough

By Scott Stearns
Sharm El-Sheikh
17 May 2008

U.S. President George Bush says Saudi Arabia's move to increase oil production to make up for declining output elsewhere does not solve the problem of high gasoline prices for Americans. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, Mr. Bush again called on opposition¹ Democrats² to allow for drilling in an Alaskan wildlife refuge.

It is the second time in four months that Saudi officials rejected the president's request to boost overall oil production to drive down U.S. gasoline prices.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi says the kingdom did boost output by 300,000 barrels a day last week, but only to make up for declining production from Venezuela and Mexico.

U.S. National Security Adviser³ Steven Hadley says Saudi officials told President Bush Friday they do not believe an overall increase in production would dramatically reduce prices at U.S. pumps.

Hadley says Saudi officials argue that rising prices are driven more by uncertainty⁴ in the global market and lack of refining capacity.

Speaking to reporters in Egypt Saturday, President Bush says he told King Abdullah that it is in Saudi Arabia's long-term interest to put more oil on the world market.

"I said very plainly, I said you've got to be concerned about the effects of high oil prices on some of the biggest customers in the world," he said. "And, not only that, of course high energy prices is going to cause countries like mine to accelerate our move towards alternative energy."

President Bush says the kingdom's decision to boost output to make up for other shortfalls is something, but it is not enough.

The president says part of the answer is greater domestic production, and he is criticizing opposition Democrats for not allowing companies to drill for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. He also wants more offshore⁵ drilling, more nuclear power and more U.S. refineries⁶.

Higher energy costs are partly responsible for America's economic slowdown with record high oil prices and gasoline approaching $4 a gallon.

1 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。

2 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》

3 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

4 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

5 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

6 refineries   

精炼厂( refinery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The efforts on closedown and suspension of small sugar refineries, small saccharin refineries and small paper mills are also being carried out in steps. 关停小糖厂、小糖精厂、小造纸厂的工作也已逐步展开。
• Hence the sitting of refineries is at a distance from population centres. 所以，炼油厂的厂址总在远离人口集中的地方。