VOA标准英语2008年-Militants Blow Up 2 Oil Pipelines in Nigerian O

Nigeria's main militant¹ group says it has blown up two more oil pipelines² in an overnight attack. Militant attacks repeatedly force oil companies to cut production in Nigeria, pushing up oil prices on international markets. Sarah Simpson has more from Lagos.

In an email to journalists giving details of the overnight attack, the Movement for the Emancipation³ of the Niger Delta⁴ says the pipelines in Rivers State are operated by a unit of oil giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC.

Shell spokeswoman Caroline Wittgen in Nigeria confirmed to VOA that an incident had taken place. However she could not provide any further details until an assessment⁵ had been made of the site from the air.

Last week MEND said a ceasefire, called in June, was over and threatened fresh attacks on the oil industry.

MEND wants a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to benefit the Niger Delta, which produces the country's vast oil exports. The people of the delta are desperately⁶ poor despite the riches beneath their land.

The militant group also wants Henry Okah, one of its leaders, released from Nigerian detention⁷. Okah faces a number of charges, including treason, which carries a possible death penalty.

In recent years, MEND attacks have targeted oil infrastructure⁸ and forced Nigerian oil production to drop by some 25 percent.

Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa and a key exporter of crude to the United States.

Militant attacks and the kidnapping of foreign workers in the region have contributed to record high crude oil prices.

 

 

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

3 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

5 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

6 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

7 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。