VOA标准英语2009年-Russia's Power-Plant Disaster Highlights D

By Anya Ardayeva
Moscow
02 October 2009

The recent catastrophic accident at Russia's largest hydroelectric plant has reminded leaders in Moscow of the urgent need for inspections¹ and repairs of the country's mostly Soviet-era infrastructure². Long before the deadly accident in Siberia in August, Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry³ had warned that the dam at the power plant was in a dangerous state of neglect, yet little was done over the next 10 years to prevent its tragic⁴ and costly⁵ failure.

The accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric plant highlighted the state of decay in Russia's infrastructure, and the government's faltering⁶ attempts to deal with the problem. Russian media found that authorities had warned of unsafe conditions more than a decade before a breach⁷ in the dam triggered calamitous⁸ floods that killed 75 people.

 
Russia's Decaying Infrastructure 
Another more general warning about the country's infrastructure came in 2005, when the Emergency Situations Ministry said more than 60 percent of all water pipes, sewage, heating and electricity networks across Russia needed replacement⁹ urgently. The ministry predicted that aging Soviet-built facilities would be a major factor in the coming years' technological¹⁰ and industrial accidents.

"The average age of capital equipment in Russia is more than 20 years, so to a significant degree this is still Soviet-era capital equipment in Russia's industry, whereas in the States or in western Europe that would range from 10 to 15 years," says Yaroslav Lissovolik, who is chief economist¹¹ for Deutsche Bank in Moscow.

"I think Russia did not have enough time. Russia started its modernization¹² effort and the effort of upgrading infrastructure in earnest in 2006, and it simply just didn't have the time. You need decades in order to complete this huge task," Lissovolik says, "For Russia it was only two years."

 
Yaroslav Lissovolik
Critics say for years, the Kremlin was urged by independent experts and some ministries¹³ to invest its oil and gas billions to fix not only power plants, but also decaying roads, bridges, buildings, agricultural and industrial machinery¹⁴.

Shortly after the August accident at Sayano-Shushenskaya, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told his ministers that Russia must conduct a thorough check of all strategic and vital parts of the country's infrastructure, and come up with a plan for regular equipment upgrades.

Masha Lipman, an analyst¹⁵ in Moscow for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says the task requires more than just political will; also important is the Kremlin's ability to manage local officials across this vast country.

 
Masha Lipman
"The problem is that the Kremlin, the government in the center, cannot do everything. This is one reason why we have poor manageability: they have to delegate responsibilities. We have leaders and local managers, governors and low-level managers, and not all of them are conscientious¹⁶ and not all of them really do what they ought to do. Putin may sound stern - angry - and give orders, but the fact of the matter is, what should be done is not done," Lipman said.

Another problem with managing the country, Lipman says, is the lack of opposition¹⁷ groups and free media in Russia - people who could question authority.

Last December, Mr. Putin warned that 80 percent of Russia's heating network - a lifeline for a country with cold winters - needs repairs.

Before the financial downturn hit, the Russian government was planning major public-sector infrastructure spending. Now analysts¹⁸ say the main focus will be on social needs until at least next year, when - and if - the Russian economy picks up.

1 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 faltering   

犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的

参考例句：

• The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
• I canfeel my legs faltering. 我感到我的腿在颤抖。

7 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

8 calamitous   

adj.灾难的，悲惨的；多灾多难；惨重

参考例句：

• We are exposed to the most calamitous accidents. 我们遭受着极大的灾难。 来自辞典例句
• Light reveals the subtle alteration of things, the sly or calamitous impermanence or mortal life. 事物的细微变动，人生的狡猾，倏忽无常，一一都在光中显露出来。 来自辞典例句

9 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

10 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

11 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

12 modernization   

n.现代化，现代化的事物

参考例句：

• This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
• The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

13 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

14 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

15 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

16 conscientious   

adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的

参考例句：

• He is a conscientious man and knows his job.他很认真负责，也很懂行。
• He is very conscientious in the performance of his duties.他非常认真地履行职责。

17 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

18 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。