1、标题：voa慢速英语讲解附字幕:美国天然气勘探新观对应音频：1023a.mp3听力内容：In the US, the New Look of Gas ExplorationThis is the VOA Special English Economics Report.Many people think the search for cleaner energy leads only to renewable resources like sun, wind and water. But it also leads to a fossil fuel. Natural gas is consid
2、ered the cleanest of the fossil fuels, the fuels created by plant and animal remains over millions of years.Burning it releases fewer pollutants than oil or coal. The gas is mainly methane. It produces half the carbon dioxide of other fossil fuels. So it may help cut the production of carbon gases l
3、inked to climate change.Russia is first in what are called proved reserves of natural gas. The United States is sixth. Over the years, big oil and gas companies recovered much of the easily reached supplies of gas in America. They drilled straight down into formations where gas collects. As these su
4、pplies were used up, big drillers looked for similar formations in other countries.But now the industry is taking a new look. Companies are developing gas supplies trapped in shale rock two to three thousand meters underground. They drill down to the shale, then go sideways and inject high-pressure
5、water, sand or other material into the rock.This causes the rock to break, or fracture, releasing the gas. Huge fields of gas shale are believed to lie under the Appalachian Mountains, Michigan and the south-central states.Gas shale exploration is being done mainly by small to medium sized companies
6、.Eric Potter is a program director in the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin.ERIC POTTER: The types of opportunities that are left for natural gas exploration in the U.S. have changed. So its a different class of resource - not as easy to develop, and not even recognized
7、 as something worth pursuing, say, twenty years ago.He says more than half the gas in the United States is now coming from these new reserves.But hydraulic fracturing can also produce debate and anger over the risk of groundwater pollution. This method of drilling is not federally supervised under t
8、he Safe Drinking Water Act. Some in Congress want to end that exemption from the law.Natural gas provides Americans with about one-fourth of their energy. And, unlike oil, most of it is produced in America. Gas producers invested heavily in reaching new supplies when prices were high. But prices are
9、 down sharply now because the recession cut demand for energy. So energy expert Eric Potter says it is too early to know how the new gas shale reserves will affect the market.And thats the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. Im Steve Ember.这里是VOA特别英语经济报道。许多人认为寻找更清洁能源仅限于开采太
10、阳，风和水等能源。但是，还有一种，矿物燃料。天然气被认为最清洁的矿物燃料。矿物燃料由植物或动物遗体经过数百万年转化而来。燃烧天然气释放的污染物少于石油或煤炭。天然气的主要成分是甲烷，它释放出的二氧化碳气体是其他矿物燃料的一半。所以，天然气也可以帮助减少与气候变化有关的二氧化碳排放量。俄罗斯是首个拥有天然气“探明储备”的国家，美国是第六个。几年来，大型石油和天然气公司已经开采了美国比较容易获得的天然气储备。他们直接在地上钻井，到达天然气储备区。这些储备被开采完之后，大型开采公司又到其他国家寻找类似的储备。但是，该行业出现了一番新的景象。天然气公司开始开采处于地下2000至3000米的页岩中的天然
11、气储备。他们钻孔一直钻到页岩，然后从旁边向岩石中注入高压的水，沙子和其他材料。这样会导致岩石断裂或破碎，然后释放出气体。据称，在阿巴拉契亚山脉，密歇根和中南部各州地下蕴藏着大范围的天然气页岩。页岩天然气的勘测工作主要由小型或中等规模的公司进行。Eric Potter是得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校州经济地质局的项目主任。Eric Potter：“美国天然气勘测的可能方式已经发生改变。所以这是不同级别的资源——不是那么容易开采，甚至，20年前还被认为是不值得开采的资源。”他说，现在美国超过一半的天然气来自这种新的储备。但是水力破碎也会造成人们对地下水污染风险的争辩和愤怒。这种开采
12、方法并未受到安全饮用水法的监测。一些国会成员希望终止这种勘测方法的法律豁免权。天然气为美国人提供了大约四分之一的能源。与石油不同，大部分天然气由美国国内生产。价格升高时，天然气生产商就会加大投资，开发新的储备。但是现在，由于经济衰退使能源需求减少，天然气价格锐减。所以能源专家Eric Potter表示，要断定页岩天然气储备将怎样影响市场还为时过早。1.renewable a.可更新的;可恢复的例句：Electricity companies pay a premium for renewable energy.电力公司为可再生能源支付额外的费用。The village obtains all
13、its energy from renewable sources.这个村子完全利用可再生能源。2.release vt.释放,解放,放松,豁免,免除,发表例句：After my examination I had a feeling of release.考完试后我有如释重负之感。The commission released its findings.委员会公布了调查结果。3.inject vt.注射,注入,注满例句：The doctor has injected him under the skin.医生已给他皮下注射了一针。We hope to inject interest into
14、 our party.我们希望我们的聚会更有趣味。4.medium adj. 中等的, 适中的例句：He has a medium body.他有一副中等的身材。5.federally ad.在全联邦范围内,在联邦政府一级例句：This development is federally funded. 这一发展项目是由联邦政府资助的。6.sharply ad.锐利地,严厉地,厉害地；猛烈地例句：He sharply pointed out the shortcomings in the work.他一针见血地指出这项工作的缺点。7.affect vt.影响,妨害,感动,感染,感动;假装,冒充;
15、常去…例句：The threat of closure affected the workers morale.工厂行将倒闭一事影响着工人的士气。1.Many people think the search for cleaner energy leads only to renewable resources like sun, wind and water.lead to导致,引起;通往例句：The revelation of his past lead to his resignation.对他过去的揭露导致了他的辞职。Such an offence will lead t
16、o a summary fine.这类过错要当场予以罚款。2.As these supplies were used up, big drillers looked for similar formations in other countries.up在这里是用尽，用完的意思。比如:I ate up all the food in the fridge.我吃光了冰箱里所有的食物。3.Some in Congress want to end that exemption from the law.be exempt from被免除例句：Nonprofit - make organization is exempt from tax.非赢利组织是免税的。Food is exempt from sale tax.食品可免销售税。
