oil can cause a global crisis

　　Jackie: Oil makes our world go round…they call it black gold. It fuels our cars, runs our industries,  it makes our countries work. So when oil prices go up, or when supplies are scarce, oil can cause a global crisis.
　　Oil is the topic of this second chance to hear Insight Plus - your guide to the language you hear every day in the news, first broadcast in 2001. Here’s Lyse Doucet.
　　Lyse:In the last few months of the year 2000, oil was in the headlines again. Protests swept across Europe as truck drivers, farmers, and thousands of other people demonstrated（示威） against high oil prices. It was an unprecedented（空前的） show of strength across the region - a call for governments to reduce high taxes on oil to help bring the prices down. But governments argued the oil producers or OPEC was to blame. We’ll hear more about OPEC in a moment. Let's listen to a typical news report from that time. This one is from Andrew Walker, BBC World Service Economics correspondent.
　　ClipFour times already this year OPEC has agreed to boost output. But the price of crude（原油） remains¹ stubbornly（顽固） high - three times the level of less than two years ago. There are signs that energy costs have added to inflation（通货膨胀） in oil importing countries. Some economists², albeit（虽然，尽管） a minority, are concerned about the historical parallels（平行）. In the past when oil prices have risen so sharply, recessions have followed in many oil consuming nations. Nonetheless at this meeting it is not likely that OPEC will increase production again. Its most recent boost came at the beginning of November. The organisation⁴ prefers to wait and give output changes some time to affect prices. In any event, most analysts⁵ think that the high price of crude is not caused by insufficient⁶ production.  The problem is that stocks of oil products, notably（显著的） heating oil are low.
　　Lyse:The oil world divides into consuming and producing countries. Consumer nations don’t have any oil fields to produce their own oil.  They often import crude oil, oil that is not refined. It’s sold by the barrel.
　　High oil prices can have a devastating⁷ impact on the economy of a consuming nation. If prices remain high for a long period, it affects prices of goods across the economy. A general rise in prices is called inflation and, as the last report pointed⁸ out, some economies can even go into recession - that’s a long period of falling economic activity.
　　So in the year 2000, when prices stayed above thirty dollars a barrel, oil producing countries came under huge pressure to boost output - to increase production -  to bring prices down. It was this need to have some control over worldwide output and prices that led many oil producing nations to establish an organisation or cartel in 1960 called OPEC -  the Organisation of Petroleum⁹ Exporting Countries.
　　OPEC now brings together 11 governments from around the world including major Arab producers such as Saudi Arabia and Libya, African states like Nigeria and Algeria, producers in South America such as Venezuela, and from Asia, Indonesia.
　　OPEC tries to coordinate¹⁰ policies on how much is produced in each country. This is to ensure a certain supply of oil worldwide, as well as satisfactory prices for OPEC producers, and sufficient profits for companies as well as countries which invest in the oil industry. But some major producers such as Mexico, Russia, Norway and Oman decided¹¹ not to join this collective effort to coordinate production and prices. That affects OPEC’s power to control the oil market.
　　Lyse:   Almost everything we use in our daily lives has been produced in factories that depend on some kind of fuel - everything from the glasses we drink from, to the paper we write on.  It's not hard then, to see how increases in the price of oil can create wider economic problems. It works in at least three different ways.
　　ClipThe first stage, the immediate¹² effect is the petrol prices go up, you pay more at the pumps therefore you’ve got less left over to spend on other things. The second round effect is industry’s costs go up, and that feeds through to prices more generally across the economy, for example, we’ve seen airline fares going up recently. And that second round effect will continue to come through over the next year, even if oil prices stop going up.
　　Lyse: That was Michael Saunders, a commodity trader. As he points out, wefeel the effects of oil prices when we purchase it ourselves and when webuy goods or services that also rely on oil. And there’s another effect.
　　ClipThe third effect is that the high inflation rates which you get from those first two factors, often raise people’s inflation expectations and then push up pay and you then get a much longer lasting¹³ rise in inflation.
　　ClipThe high price of petrol is simply the result of the world demand on oil being higher than the supply.  It’s as simple as ABC.
　　Sarah Hadad, LondonIf petrol and natural gases are running low and will run out in approximately ten years, shouldn’t we plant to remove our dependency in five?
　　CJO, UKThe current discussions seem to ignore the fact that oil is traded as a commodity and the price is effectively set by the commodity brokers¹⁴ and the market.  It seems a little unfair that OPEC is constantly blamed for the high prices when time and time again it has shown itself as having only a minor³ role in setting prices.
　　Folarin, CambridgeI don’t mean to sound so “crude” but you are unfortunately almost completely dependent on oil for your survival as a nation. Taken to its extreme, without oil, your economy (not to mention your entire infrastructure)（基础构造，基础设施） would most definitely collapse¹⁵.
　　James USALyse:  Oil and oil prices are the subject of today's Insight Plus from the BBC World Service, your guide to the language and background to the stories that stay in the news.
　　As we heard in those comments, posted on the BBC Talking Point website, many things can affect the price of oil. What is certain is that it’s vital to the world we live in. It's little wonder that we talk about our dependence¹⁶ on it - a dependence so great it’s like an addiction¹⁷, we think we can’t live without it.
　　Here's another extract from the report by the BBC’s Mike Gallagher on the recent European oil crisis.
　　ClipOne thing this crisis has proved more than any other recent event is how much the modern world depends on oil for its very survival.  And it’s raised awkward question: is it time to deal with this addiction? And how easy would that be? Environmentalists have been arguing for years that we should reduce the amount of oil we burn, to avoid the catastrophe（大灾难） of global warming.  For them, the OPEC production cuts and resulting price rises are a timely reminder¹⁸ of that message.
　　Rob DeuterbockThey’re making us realise how addicted¹⁹ we are to the stuff and if that can bring to the where we decide to wean ourselves off it then that’s a great thing.
　　Lyse: That was Rob Deuterbock from the environmental organisation, Greenpeace.  So is it possible for us to reduce the amount of oil we use? What are the alternatives? And will we be forced to change because the world will run out of oil?
　　At present, billions of barrels of oil are produced every day. Industrialized nations, like the United States, consume a great deal. And country like China which is expanding production and its use of cars, will soon be demanding more.
　　ClipIt’s hard to think of limited supplies when you consider that the world’s oil fields pump out eighty million barrels of crude every single day. But consider too the fact that there are now two billion vehicles worldwide dependent on that same oil. That new economic giants(经济大国) like China are now queueing up for their share. And that, despite all the warnings, the US continues to use no less than a quarter of the entire world output. Geologist²⁰ Richard Miller²¹ believes the current price fluctuations（起伏现象） are evidence of nothing less than the beginning of the end for oil.
　　Richard MillerYes, oil will become scarcer（缺乏的，不足的） and scarcer. What we will see is a deceleration, and I think we’ve already started to see some of that: market wobbles（摆动，动摇）. Wobbles in the price. General instabilities（不安定，不稳定）. I think we have already started to see this. We are very close to balancing supply and demand. And the supply is very limited at the moment.
　　Lyse:New oil fields are being discovered almost every year, but oil is a finite（有限的） resource, one day it will run out. That’s something environmentalists might welcome. For them, oil is a dirty fuel. When it burns, it releases carbon dioxide, one of the most harmful gases to our environment. Cutting gases like this are part of the battle to stop global warming, the heating of the earth’s temperature which is causing chaotic²² changes in our weather.
　　But if we don’t use oil, what else is there? There are biofuels（生物燃料） produced from plants, there’s also hydro-electric - or water power,  as well as wind and solar energy. Many of these alternatives sources are known as renewable energy - they keep renewing themselves and won’t run out.
　　Here's another extract from the BBC World Service. Jed Davis is in charge of alternative energy projects with the Shell oil company.
　　ClipThere’s nuclear which nobody particularly likes at the moment but nuclear is an option, potentially an important option if it can be produced in a way that meets public needs. But there is a a lot of emphasis at the moment on the renewables（可更新的）. Developing technologies that can make use of the energy from wind, solar power and so on.  People have been working hard to try and make solar and wind competitive over the last ten to twenty years and in some areas the pricing structures have allowed that to happen. But these are young technologies. Large scale energy technology development doesn’t occur over one, two, five years.
　　Lyse: Alternative sources of energy like wind and solar power are being used on a small scale in many parts of the world.  But for big industries there are no affordable²³ alternatives to oil for now.
　　Today on Insight Plus we've looked at this vital commidity, oil. Thatmeans a crucial （关键的，决定性的）role for OPEC, the organisation of oil producers. And italso means a risky²⁴ dependence on this resource for oil consumingnations.  High oil prices keep provoking the crises which make us ask:
　　are there cheaper and cleaner alternatives to this substance that we callblack gold?  That’s all for today. Join me again soon for more insightinto the world’s top news stories.

(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

4 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

5 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。

6 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

7 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 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。

10 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

13 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

14 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分

15 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

16 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

17 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

18 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

19 addicted   

adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的

参考例句：

• He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。
• She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。

20 geologist   

n.地质学家

参考例句：

• The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley.在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。
• He was a geologist,rated by his cronies as the best in the business.他是一位地质学家，被他的老朋友们看做是这门行当中最好的一位。

21 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

22 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

23 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

24 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。