VOA标准英语2011--Kenyans Outraged Over Rising Fuel Prices

Kenyans Outraged¹ Over Rising Fuel Prices

Discontent is rising in Kenya's public and private sectors² over the record-setting price of fuel.
With ongoing³ unrest in North Africa and border clashes in northern and southern Sudan, the price of fuel is reaching new heights in Kenya. The price has already topped 110 shillings per liter of petrol in Nairobi, or $1.30, a new record for the East African nation. The price has jumped from under 90 shillings just over a month ago, prompting concern for Kenya's people and government alike.
With no end in sight, hundreds of protesters from Kenya's civil society and working classes took to the streets of Nairobi Tuesday to demand relief from Kenyan lawmakers.
But in the halls of parliament, tensions were also running high, with the blame for high prices landing on the shoulders of Kenya's Ministry⁴ of Energy. Led by MP Ababu Namwamba, parliamentarians grilled⁵ Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi, holding corruption⁶ within his department responsible for the rising prices. MP John Mbadi suggested that Murungi resign, saying he spent more time in court as a witness than at his post.
Murungi rejected the charges of incompetence⁷ and corruption, telling the chamber⁸ he was addressing issues of graft⁹.
"Where there are issues of corruption I'm taking action on them and that is the reason why I'm appearing in court as a witness. It is one of the ways of fighting corruption." Murungi explained.
He laid the blame for rising prices on the rise in global petroleum¹⁰ prices as well as rising inflation in Kenya.
But for MP Joseph Nkaissery, the problem was not corruption, but Kenya's coalition¹¹ government and its ability to make decisions.
"Who is in charge of increasing this fuel? Is it not the government?" he asked. "Mr. speaker, this is a problem of leadership. And we warned this country. Never again - and I pray - never again, this country should never have a coalition government because we are stuck."
Prices of fuel in Kenya are determined¹² by the country's Energy Regulatory Commission, which last week announced another increase.
The impact is beginning to spread into other staple¹³ items such as flour and corn. According to the World Bank, corn prices in Kenya have jumped 27 percent in the last three months.
After protests hit cities across the country, Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday announced a 20 percent tax cut on diesel¹⁴ fuel to help stem rising costs. But consumer organizations in Kenya have panned the cuts as too little too late.

1 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

2 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 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。

5 grilled   

adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• He was grilled for two hours before the police let him go. 他被严厉盘查了两个小时后，警察才放他走。
• He was grilled until he confessed. 他被严加拷问，直到他承认为止。

6 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

7 incompetence   

n.不胜任，不称职

参考例句：

• He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。
• She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence. 她觉得，本是老板无能，但她却成了替罪羊。

8 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

9 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

10 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。

11 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

12 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

13 staple   

n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类

参考例句：

• Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
• Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。

14 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。