VOA标准英语2009年-US Students Lobby for Clean Energy, Carbon Caps

U.S. President Barack Obama set aside more than $30 billion for several renewable energy projects in the government's massive economic stimulus¹ package. And this week, thousands of students from across the nation descended² on Washington for a youth summit on climate change and energy policy. Many of them went to Capitol Hill to demand action on preserving the environment.
　
Participants in 'Powershift, the four-day event organized by the Energy Action Coalition³ in Washington, 02 Mar⁴ 2009

Hundreds of students donned green construction helmets and crowded onto the snow-covered lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol on Monday to call for legislation to curb⁵ carbon dioxide emissions⁶ and for so-called "green" jobs to jump-start the economy.

Called "Powershift," the four-day event was organized by the Energy Action Coalition, a group of 50 organizations that advocate clean energy such as wind and solar power. After rallying on Capitol Hill, students visited congressional offices to push for comprehensive global warming legislation.

University of Albany student Rohan Parikh traveled with a group from New York to meet with an aide for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

"We lobbied a legislative⁷ assistant for energy and environment issues, and we had a big crowd," said Rohan Parikh. "We met with him in the hallway right outside the office; we couldn't fit in the office itself. I believe there were 50 to 80 people for Gillibrand. It's heartening to see that all these people are here to lobby our new Senator and get her on the right path with these issues."

Parich says that because Gillibrand is on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, he hopes she and the chairwoman, Democrat⁸ Barbara Boxer⁹, can move clean energy legislation out of the committee and onto the Senate floor.

University of California at Berkeley senior Sophia Rios is a political science and environmental policy major. She says that she and some of her classmates flew cross-country to show that California, a state that often leads the nation on environmental issues, can help mobilize change.

"We can't be known as the generation that knew what was going to happen and knew the effects of what global warming was going to do and then didn't do anything about it," said Sophia Rios. "So even though we didn't cause it, we're going to feel the effects of it, and we have to do something about it."

Rios says she hopes that if the United States enacts¹⁰ tough standards to curb carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, it can play a leading role at the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in December.

U.S. President Barack Obama set aside more than $30 billion for several renewable energy projects in the government's massive economic stimulus package. And this week, thousands of students from across the nation descended on Washington for a youth summit on climate change and energy policy. Many of them went to Capitol Hill to demand action on preserving the environment.

Hundreds of students donned green construction helmets and crowded onto the snow-covered lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol on Monday to call for legislation to curb carbon dioxide emissions and for so-called "green" jobs to jump-start the economy.

Called "Powershift," the four-day event was organized by the Energy Action Coalition, a group of 50 organizations that advocate clean energy such as wind and solar power. After rallying on Capitol Hill, students visited congressional offices to push for comprehensive global warming legislation.

University of Albany student Rohan Parikh traveled with a group from New York to meet with an aide for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

"We lobbied a legislative assistant for energy and environment issues, and we had a big crowd," said Rohan Parikh. "We met with him in the hallway right outside the office; we couldn't fit in the office itself. I believe there were 50 to 80 people for Gillibrand. It's heartening to see that all these people are here to lobby our new Senator and get her on the right path with these issues."

Parich says that because Gillibrand is on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, he hopes she and the chairwoman, Democrat Barbara Boxer, can move clean energy legislation out of the committee and onto the Senate floor.

University of California at Berkeley senior Sophia Rios is a political science and environmental policy major. She says that she and some of her classmates flew cross-country to show that California, a state that often leads the nation on environmental issues, can help mobilize change.

"We can't be known as the generation that knew what was going to happen and knew the effects of what global warming was going to do and then didn't do anything about it," said Sophia Rios. "So even though we didn't cause it, we're going to feel the effects of it, and we have to do something about it."

Rios says she hopes that if the United States enacts tough standards to curb carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, it can play a leading role at the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in December.

1 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

2 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

5 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

6 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

7 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

8 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

9 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

10 enacts   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The legislative branch enacts laws; the executive branch enforces them, and the judicial branch interprets them. 立法部门制订法律，行政部门执行法律，司法部门解释法律。
• Hold phasic characteristic correctly, ability enacts the policy with an actual suit, measure. 正确地把握形势特点，才能制定出切合实际的政策、措施。