VOA标准英语2010年-Beleaguered BP Boss Relinquishes Gulf

BP Chief Executive Officer Tony Hayward, left, and BP Managing Director Bob Dudley, right, arrive with other BP executives at the White House in Washington, 16 Jun 2010 (file photo)

Beleaguered¹ BP boss Tony Hayward has handed over his Gulf² of Mexico oil spill duties to another senior manager in the firm.  Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron says he remains³ in close communication with President Barack Obama regarding the latest developments.

The man now in charge of BP's Gulf team is Bob Dudley, president and chief executive officer of the company's Gulf Coast Restoration Organization.  According to the firm's London office, he will report to Tony Hayward, BP's group chief executive.

 

Dudley, an American from the Gulf state of Mississippi, is now the high-profile point man for the embattled company as it continues to stop the gusher⁴ and deal with the economic damage it is causing.

Some of Hayward's comments were interpreted as insensitive in the United States, and when he decided⁵ to go yachting last weekend around the Isle⁶ of Wight in southern England, there were renewed calls for him to go.

Recently, many U.S. members of Congress on the House Energy and Commerce Committee were infuriated when Hayward appeared before them and denied he had any direct responsibility for the decisions that may have led to the disaster on the Deepwater Horizon rig on April 20.

In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron told his parliamentary colleagues he has spoken twice to President Barack Obama about the disaster.  His last call, he said on Tuesday.

"The point I made particularly in the earlier phone call is the importance of, yes of course BP itself wants to pay for the cleanup, wants to stop the gushing⁷ of the oil into the Gulf, recognizes it is going to have to pay money in respect of fisherman and others who have lost their livelihoods⁸, but we do want to make sure that this remains a strong and stable company for our benefit, but also for the benefit of the United States," said Cameron.

BP has agreed to put $20 billion into an escrow account to deal with Gulf compensation claims and many believe that figure will have to increase over time.

In the House of Commons, Cameron underlined that BP must remain viable⁹ and that it is in a very real sense a multi-national concern.

"Over 40 percent of its shareholders¹⁰ I believe are U.S. shareholders, 39 percent here in the U.K. and it employs more people in the U.S. than it does in the U.K., so it is in all our interests, this company is strong and secure for the future," said Cameron.

According to his 10 Downing Street office, Cameron intends to press Mr. Obama this coming weekend at the G-8 summit in Toronto for more clarity on the costs BP may ultimately have to cover.

 

1 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 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。

4 gusher   

n.喷油井

参考例句：

• We endeavour to avoid the old,romantic idea of a gusher.我们力图避免那种有关喷油井的陈旧的、不切实际的计划。
• The oil rushes up the tube and spouts up as a gusher.石油会沿着钢管上涌，如同自喷井那样喷射出来。

5 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。

6 isle   

n.小岛，岛

参考例句：

• He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
• The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。

7 gushing   

adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话

参考例句：

• blood gushing from a wound 从伤口冒出的血
• The young mother was gushing over a baby. 那位年轻的母亲正喋喋不休地和婴儿说话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

9 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

10 shareholders   

n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
• the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任