VOA标准英语2015--尼日利亚燃料短缺可能影响其经济和选举

Fuel Shortages in Nigeria Could Affect Economy, Election 尼日利亚燃料短缺可能影响其经济和选举

LONDON—

Nigeria is suffering from a gasoline shortage as falling oil prices have affected¹ the country’s ability to import and distribute refined fuels. Coming just weeks before elections scheduled for March 28, the shortage could have a big impact on the campaign trail.

In Abuja, the lines of cars waiting for gas are growing longer. Acute fuel shortages are gripping towns and cities across the country. Workers reliant on their cars are losing money fast - like taxi driver Bartholomew Ode Akpa.

“I work at the airport as a car hire and now I'm supposed to be at the airport and there is no fuel for me to go and look for something to do,” he said.

Nigeria is one of the world's top producers of crude oil, and exports around 2 million barrels per day. But it doesn’t have the refinery² capacity to meet fuel demand, so it relies on imports. That makes the country vulnerable to a turbulent market, says Virginia Comolli of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

“Although Nigeria has tried over the past few years to diversify³ its economy, 80 percent of government revenues are still dependent on the oil industry,” said Comolli.

The falling oil price has hit Nigeria's currency, the naira - and traders say government fuel subsidies⁴ are not being paid.

The CEO of the Seplat Petroleum⁵ Development Company, Austin Avuru, is calling on the government to boost domestic refining capacity.

“Then you find out that the boom and bust⁶ elements of changes in crude oil prices will have much more negligible impact on our GDP growth than we are having today, and I think that's how our country should be moving in terms of how they manage their natural resources,” said Avuru.

Nigerian Minister of Aviation Osita Benjamin Chidoka told VOA President Goodluck Jonathan was trying to reduce Nigeria's dependence⁷ on crude oil production.

“One of our major foreign currency earners is oil. But it is also an opportunity for Nigeria. It creates an opportunity for us that luckily our President has committed to improving agriculture over the past few years. Diversifying⁸ the economy, removing the subsidies that are kind of willing a dependency culture,” said Chidoka.

The timing⁹ is difficult for President Goodluck Jonathan as he campaigns, trying to secure another four years in office. The elections have already been postponed¹⁰ once due to insecurity caused by the Boko Haram insurgency¹¹.

It’s not only Nigeria that is suffering, says Virginia Comolli.

“Other regional countries, countries that export their goods into Nigeria, will suffer from a reduction in demand from the Nigerian market,” said Comolli.

Analysts¹² warn that continued low oil prices have the potential to cause unrest, because the government will be forced to cut back on public spending.

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 refinery   

n.精炼厂，提炼厂

参考例句：

• They built a sugar refinery.他们建起了一座榨糖厂。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

3 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

4 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

7 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。

8 diversifying   

v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的现在分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• Some publishers are now diversifying into software. 有些出版社目前正兼营软件。 来自辞典例句
• Silverlit is diversifying into new markets, such as Russia and Eastern Europe. Silverlit正在使他们的市场变得多样化，开发新的市场如俄罗斯和东欧国家。 来自互联网

9 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

10 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

11 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

12 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。