VOA标准英语2010年-More Oil Captured from Spill in Gulf o

The Obama administration says the effort to contain the massive oil spill in the Gulf¹ of Mexico is making progress, with more oil captured each day. But oil continues to escape from the leaking well, and clean up will take years, and no one really knows what the future holds.

These are the signs that pull at the heart.  Baby pelicans² rescued from the oil.  Scientists say they cry for their parents.

Workers from the International Bird Rescue Center hold their beaks³ and soak the birds in vegetable oil.

"We use some kind of light oil that we heat up and we actually work it into the oily feathers.  It loosens the oil up," said Jay Holcomb from the International Bird Rescue Research Center.

Then they bathe the birds with dishwashing liquid. A tooth brush is used around the eyes to protect them from the suds. Then the little ones go under the blow dryer⁴.

"They are so happy once they're de-oiled and it actually makes you feel pretty good that this part of the operation is being done to save these animals," said Mary Dwyer - a volunteer.

Off the coast of Louisiana, thick patches of goopy oil.  Scientists have now found oil suspended in the water down to 1,000 meters.  The Coast Guard says the cap now allows the collection of about 15,000 barrels a day - an increase of about 4,000 barrels from Monday.  But three of the four vents⁵ remain open, still spewing thousands of barrels of oil to the surface.

"The reason those vents have not been closed yet are two reasons," said Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen. "To prohibit the buildup of hydrates and something called chatter⁶.  If you get too much pressure in just the oil, everything moving around, they could dislodge the cap."

The spill may be occurring along the Gulf coast of the United States, but experts say it is an international problem.  Celine Cousteau is the granddaughter of world renown⁷ ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau.

"Whatever it is that happens in the oceans, happens to all of us," said Celine Cousteau. "A lot of our food resources come from our oceans. Those are going to be impacted.  Yes, it's an international issue. Not only that, it doesn't mean that because it happens in the United States it can't happen elsewhere."

As for longterm effects, scientists are trying to answer unending questions, but have few answers:

About drinking water contamination?

"That will be something we won't know until the event occurs," said Robert Twilley, from Lousiana State University.

About 4,000 - year-old corals?

We don't know how much oil is down there," said Thomas Shirley, from Harte Research Institute.

"And that's the prevailing⁸ comment.  The U.S. - the world - has never experienced a spill this enormous, this deep.  So, the scientists say no one can really predict the future of the ocean.  Or, the living creatures that rely on it. 
 

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 pelicans   

n.鹈鹕( pelican的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Kurt watched the Pelicans fire their jets and scorch the grass. 库尔特看着鹈鹕运兵船点火，它们的喷焰把草烧焦。 来自互联网
• The Pelican Feeding Officers present an educational talk while feeding the pelicans. 那个正在喂鹈鹕的工作人员会边喂鹈鹕边给它上一节教育课。 来自互联网

3 beaks   

n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 )；鹰钩嘴；尖鼻子；掌权者

参考例句：

• Baby cockatoos will have black eyes and soft, almost flexible beaks. 雏鸟凤头鹦鹉黑色的眼睛是柔和的，嘴几乎是灵活的。 来自互联网
• Squid beaks are often found in the stomachs of sperm whales. 经常能在抹香鲸的胃里发现鱿鱼的嘴。 来自互联网

4 dryer   

n.干衣机，干燥剂

参考例句：

• He bought a dryer yesterday.他昨天买了一台干燥机。
• There is a washer and a dryer in the basement.地下室里有洗衣机和烘干机。

5 vents   

（气体、液体等进出的）孔、口( vent的名词复数 )； （鸟、鱼、爬行动物或小哺乳动物的）肛门； 大衣等的)衩口； 开衩

参考例句：

• He always vents his anger on the dog. 他总是拿狗出气。
• The Dandelion Patch is the least developed of the four active vents. “蒲公英区”在这四个活裂口中是发育最差的一个。

6 chatter   

vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战

参考例句：

• Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。
• I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。

7 renown   

n.声誉，名望

参考例句：

• His renown has spread throughout the country.他的名声已传遍全国。
• She used to be a singer of some renown.她曾是位小有名气的歌手。

8 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。