2024年中考英语外刊精析1-Saudi Arabia Will Cut Its Oil Production

近些年来，美国大量开采页岩油，抢夺产油国的订单。2020年，新冠疫情肆虐全球，导致全球经济下滑，石油价格一度暴跌，石油期货价格甚至降至负值。欧佩克+集团费了好大劲才把价格提到50美元每桶。如今俄罗斯撑不住了，要增产石油以增加收入，沙特为了保持欧佩克+集团表面上的团结，自愿做出减产决定。但是，石油市场的前景仍然让人感到担忧。 Saudi Arabia Will Cut Its Oil Production, Allowing Russia’s to Grow 1 沙特同意石油减产，让俄罗斯增产 Oil prices rose to levels not seen since February 2. The two major oil producers 3 had been moving in lock step 4 since an April agreement to cut output. 油价升至2月以来最高水平。这两大产油国在4月份的减产协议后一直步调一致 By Stanley Reed, Jan 5, 2021, New York Times A Saudi Aramco 5 facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have agreed to cut production in order to stabilize the oil market. 沙特阿美公司在沙特布盖格的石油设施。沙特同意石油减产，以稳定石油市场。 1. Saudi Arabia Will Cut Its Oil Production, Allowing Russia’s to Grow 沙特同意石油减产，让俄罗斯增产 标题说明：纽约时报的标题通常较长，一般都是对文章的总体概括，所以多数情况下（但不绝对）采用直译法。本文介绍的是欧佩克与俄罗斯和其他主要产油国组成的“欧佩克+”组织（OPEC Plus group）为使油价保持较高水平，一直保持步调一致，维持减产协议。但俄罗斯对全球经济和石油需求的复苏表示乐观，坚持增产。沙特为维持表面上的团结，同意减产。 需要注意的是，新闻报道时效性极强，而且传媒容量有限，篇幅要力求短小，语言要简洁。所以新闻中经常少用长词大词，多用短词小词，而且力避冗余词语。比如本文使用的cut、deal、ease、end、meet、try等，以及本文未用到的check、fire、make、run等词。 cut：v.减少；降低；缩减。 例：We mustn't cut the cost of education. 我们不应该削减教育经费。 production：n.产量。 例：Steel production was targeted for 60,000 tons last year. 去年的钢产量目标定为6万吨。 Russia's = Russia's oil production：俄罗斯的石油产量。 2. rise to levels not seen since February 升至2月以来最高水平（= 上升到2月以来未见过的水平） 3. major oil producers：两大产油国 major：adj.重大的；主要的。 4. move in lock step：步调一致（= 以固定/锁定的脚步移动）。 5. Saudi Aramco：沙特阿拉伯国家石油公司，沙特阿美公司。 一家有多年历史的综合国际石油公司，是世界最大的石油生产公司和世界第六大石油炼制商，业务遍及沙特王国和全世界。该公司主要从事石油勘探、开发、生产、炼制、运输和销售等业务，拥有世界最大的陆上油田和海上油田。 · 第1段 OPEC, Russia and other oil major producers reached an unusual agreement on production quotas on Tuesday, with Saudi Arabia committing to reducing its oil production by one million barrels a day and Russia and Kazakhstan winning relatively modest production increases. 6 周二，欧佩克、俄罗斯和其他产油大国达成了一份非同寻常的石油产量配额协议，沙特阿拉伯承诺每日减产100万桶，俄罗斯和哈萨克斯坦则获得了相对温和的增产。 · 解析 6. OPEC, Russia and other oil major producers reached an unusual agreement on production quotas on Tuesday, with Saudi Arabia committing to reducing its oil production by one million barrels a day and Russia and Kazakhstan winning relatively modest production increases. 周二，欧佩克、俄罗斯和其他产油大国达成了一份非同寻常的石油产量配额协议，沙特阿拉伯承诺每日减产100万桶，俄罗斯和哈萨克斯坦则获得了相对温和的增产。 点拨：本句主句为逗号前部分，后面部分结构为with Saudi Arabia committing to ... and Russia and Kazakhstan winning ...，是两个“with+名词+现在分词”形式的独立主格结构。翻译本句时，需要注意production和oil production是同样的意思，都是“石油产量”，但在组织译文时，宜灵活翻译。 OPEC = Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries：石油输出国组织（音译简称“欧佩克”）。亚、非、拉石油生产国为协调成员国石油政策、反对西方石油垄断资本的剥削和控制而建立的国际组织，1960年9月成立。其宗旨为：协调和统一成员国石油政策，维持国际石油市场价格稳定，确保石油生产国获得稳定收入。最高权力机构为成员国大会，由成员国代表团组成，负责制定总政策，执行机构为理事会，日常工作由秘书处负责处理。另设专门机构经济委员会，以协助维持石油价格的稳定。该组织自成立以来，与西方石油垄断资本坚持斗争，在提高石油价格和实行石油工业国有化方面取得重大进展。 quota：n.配额；限额；定额。 commit to doing sth：承诺做某事。 例：They must commit to spending time with their older neighbors. 他们必须承诺与他们的老邻居共度时光。 barrel：n.（原油）桶。（= 42加仑 = 158.98升） · 第2段 The effect will be an overall reduction in oil production. The news pushed prices up 7 more than 4 percent, reaching levels not seen since February. Brent crude rose past $53 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate exceeded $50 as traders welcomed the Saudi willingness to give up some barrels in an effort to stabilize the market. 8 其结果是石油产量将总体降低。这一消息让油价上涨了4%以上，达到2月以来的最高水平。由于贸易商对沙特愿意放弃部分产量以稳定市场的行为欣然接受，布伦特原油突破每桶53美元，西德克萨斯轻质原油突破每桶50美元。 · 解析 7. push up：增加；提高；向上推。 8. Brent crude rose past $53 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate exceeded $50 as traders welcomed the Saudi willingness to give up some barrels in an effort to stabilize the market. 由于贸易商对沙特愿意放弃部分产量以稳定市场的行为欣然接受，布伦特原油突破每桶53美元，西德克萨斯轻质原油突破每桶50美元。 Brent crude = Brent oil：布伦特原油。 （crude：n.原油；天然的物质） 布伦特原油是出产于北海的布伦特和尼尼安油田的轻质低硫原油，在期货、场外掉期、远期和即期现货市场上被广泛交易。现全球多数实货原油靠布伦特体系定价。 rise past：超过；突破。 past：adv.超过；过去。 West Texas Intermediate：西德克萨斯轻质原油。即西德克萨斯中间基原油，亦称为西德州轻质油。是北美地区较为通用的一类原油。由于美国在全球的军事以及经济能力，西德州轻质油已经成为全球原油定价的基准。为统一国内原油定价体系，美国以纽约商业交易所上市的西德州轻质油合约为定价基准。原油、美元、粮食是美国影响和控制全球经济以及金融市场的三大主要手段。 trader：n.贸易商。 willingness：n. the quality of being happy to do something if it is needed乐意；意愿；自发自动。 willingness与will辨析：willingness意思为“乐意；心甘情愿；自发自动”。will意思为“意志，决心；心愿；遗嘱；意旨”，当表示“意愿”时，通常有“意向”的意思。 例1：Throughout his career he has demonstrated a willingness to compromise. 在他的整个职业生涯中，他都体现出了妥协的意愿。 例2：He married her against the will of his parents. 他违背他父母的意愿跟她结了婚。 barrels = production：石油产量。（这是量词复数指代产品产量的典型例子，类似的还有kWh（以千瓦时指代发电量或用电量）） in an effort to：旨在；企图；试图要。 例：The company has laid off 150 workers in an effort to save money. 公司为节省开支解雇了150名员工。 · 第3-4段 The difficulty in reaching consensus at the meeting of the OPEC Plus group appeared to show that cooperation between Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and Russia is once again under considerable strain. 9 That tension could be a harbinger 10 of difficulties in restraining production in the coming months. 欧佩克+集团会议难以达成共识一事似乎表明，石油输出国组织实际首领沙特阿拉伯与俄罗斯之间的合作再次处于相当紧张的状态之下。这种紧张局势可能预示着，在未来几个月将很难限制石油的产量。 Finding that they were unable to head off 11 Russia’s demand for a production increase, Saudi Arabia appears to have largely 12 given in to preserve at least a semblance 13 of unity. 沙特发现自己无法阻止俄罗斯增产石油的需求，此后它似乎在很大程度上做出了让步，以保持至少是表面上的团结。 · 解析 9. The difficulty in reaching consensus at the meeting of the OPEC Plus group appeared to show that cooperation between Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and Russia is once again under considerable strain. 欧佩克+集团会议难以达成共识一事似乎表明，石油输出国组织实际首领沙特阿拉伯与俄罗斯之间的合作再次处于相当紧张的状态之下。 点拨：本句主干为加框部分。其中at the meeting of the OPEC Plus group为reaching的地点状语；that后是show的宾语从句。that从句的主干为cooperation is once again under considerable strain，其中between Saudi Arabia and Russia是cooperation的后置定语，而the de facto leader of ...则为Saudi Arabia的同位语。 本句原文较长，但又不容易将其译成两个相对独立的句子。在这种情况下，退而求其次，可以在译文的谓语和宾语之间加个逗号，表示语气停顿。 此外，英语是静态语言，多用静态词（名词、介词、形容词等），汉语是动态语言，多用动态词（动词）。所以，宜将主语译成动态的中文句子形式，而非译成静态的偏正短语（修饰语+中心语结构），如参考译文所示。 consensus：n.共识；一致；一致意见。 OPEC Plus group：欧佩克+集团。 指由欧佩克国家及一些非欧佩克国家组成的集团。欧佩克成员国控制着全球35%的石油供应和82%的已探明储量。再加上组成该集团的10个非欧佩克国家，其中最引人注目的是俄罗斯、墨西哥和哈萨克斯坦，这一比例分别升至55%和90%。这让欧佩克+对世界经济拥有了前所未有的影响力。 de facto：adj. & adv.事实上的/地；实际上的/地。 例：The general took de facto control of the country. 这位将军实际控制着整个国家。 strain：n.紧张；压力；紧张关系。 近义词：tension 10. harbinger [ˈhɑːbɪndʒər]：n.先兆；预兆；先驱。 近义词：omen、sign、precursor 11. head off：阻止；阻拦；转移方向。 12. largely：adv.在很大程度上；主要地；大部分地。 13. semblance [ˈsembləns]：n.表象，假象；外观，外貌；相似之处。 · 第5-7段 “Instead of letting everything fall apart 14, the Saudis 15 let the Russians have what they want,” said Bhushan Bahree, an executive director 16 at IHS Markit 17, a research firm. “沙特人非但没有让一切分崩离析，反而让俄罗斯人得到了他们想要的东西，”市场研究公司埃信华迈（IHS Markit）执行董事布尚·巴里（Bhushan Bahree）表示。 Russia will now be permitted to raise production by 65,000 barrels a day in February and by another 65,000 a day in March, bringing output to over 9.2 million barrels a day. 如今，俄罗斯可获准将2月份每日产量提升65,000桶，3月份再提升65,000桶，达到每日920万桶的产量。 At the same time, to prop up 18 the market, the Saudis volunteered 19 to cut production by one million barrels a day — the equivalent of 20 about 1 percent of world supply — to about 8.1 million barrels a day. That pledge 21 came late and was not reflected in quota numbers published by OPEC after the meeting. The Saudis had been producing more than 11 million barrels a day at the peak of a price war with Russia last spring. 同时，为支撑市场价格，沙特自愿每日减产100万桶——相当于全球石油供应量的1%——降至每日810万桶。这一承诺姗姗来迟，并没有反映在该会议之后欧佩克公布的配额数字中。在去年春季与俄罗斯的价格战最激烈时，沙特曾经达到每日1,100万桶的产量。 · 解析 14. fall apart：崩溃；破碎；土崩瓦解；分崩离析。 15. Saudis：n.（Saudi的复数）沙特阿拉伯人的；沙特阿拉伯国的。 16. executive director：执行董事。 指参与经营的董事。法定意义上的执行董事，是指规模较小的有限公司在不设立董事会的情况下设立的负责公司经营管理的职务。上市公司意义上的执行董事并没有明确的法规依据。 17. IHS Markit：埃信华迈。 是汽车行业领先的信息提供商，为客户提供全球汽车行业见解、专业知识和先进的规划方案。 18. prop up：支撑；支持。 19. volunteer：vi. & vt.自愿；自动提供。n.志愿者。 例：Many people volunteer to work on the farms. 许多人志愿到农场劳动。 20. the equivalent of：相当于；等于。 equivalent：n.对等的人或物。 21. pledge：n.承诺；许诺；保证。 · 第8-10段 “This was a homegrown idea,” Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi oil minister, said during a news conference 22 after the meeting. The prince said Saudi Arabia was making a gesture of “good will.” 23 “这是沙特本国的想法，”沙特石油部长阿卜杜勒阿齐兹·本·萨勒曼（Abdulaziz bin Salman）王子在会议之后的新闻发布会期间表示。萨勒曼王子表示，沙特正在做出“善意”的姿态。 The group met by video beginning Monday to consider an increase in February of around 500,000 barrels a day, following a similar boost this month. 24 该集团于周一召开视频会议，开始考虑在2月份每日增产约50万桶，本月也有类似的增长。 The Russians wanted more output. They have argued 25 that unless OPEC Plus keeps pace with the recovery of demand, the group will lose market share to shale oil 26 producers in the United States. The Russians also appear to be more sanguine 27 about the world economy and the recovery of demand for oil. 俄罗斯希望加大产量。他们认为，除非欧佩克+跟上需求复苏的步伐，否则该集团的市场份额会被美国的页岩油生产商抢走。俄罗斯似乎还对全球经济和石油需求的复苏更加乐观。 · 解析 22. news conference：新闻发布会。 23. make a gesture of ...：做出……的姿态。 good will：善意；信誉。 24. The group met by video beginning Monday to consider an increase in February of around 500,000 barrels a day, following a similar boost this month. 该集团召开视频会议，并于周一开始讨论在2月份每日增产约50万桶，本月也有类似的增长。 点拨：本句分析如下： 1）主干为加框部分。其中by video为met的方式状语，following ...为met的时间状语。 2）beginning Monday to consider an increase为met的伴随状语。注意，这一会议是大型会议，不止一天。据报道，会议于周日（1月4日）召开，周一才开始讨论石油增产，所以Monday为beginning的时间状语（省略on，英语经常将年份、月份、日期等直接当时间状语，前面不加介词），而不是met的时间状语。 3）to consider为met的目的状语，in February为consider的时间状语，of around 500,000 barrels a day为increase的后置定语； 本句句末following ... 通常可译成主句的时间状语，表达成“该集团在本月类似的增产之后召开视频会议，……”，但将其译成单独的小句置于句末，会更符合中文多流水短句的行文特点。 meet：vt.开会；会面；会晤。 meet by video：召开视频会议。 consider：vt.研究；思考。 （这里宜根据语境译成“讨论”） boost：n.增加；增长。 25. argue：vt.主张；认为。 例：He argued that the news report must be wrong. 他认为新闻报道肯定弄错了。 26. shale oil：页岩油。 指以页岩为主的页岩层系中所含的石油资源。其中包括泥页岩孔隙和裂缝中的石油，也包括泥页岩层系中的致密碳酸岩或碎屑岩邻层和夹层中的石油资源。通常有效的开发方式为水平井和分段压裂技术，目前只有美国能够大量开采。 27. sanguine [ˈsæŋɡwɪn]：adj. 乐观的；满怀希望的；面色红润的。 例：He tends to take a sanguine view of the problems involved. 他对所涉及的问题持乐观的态度。 · 第11-12段 The Saudis urged 28 caution, with the pandemic 29 still far from under control. They have been wary of easing the production cuts agreed to by the group in April that helped bring prices back from their spring lows. 30 由于疫情还远未得到控制，沙特敦促各方保持谨慎。他们对放松该集团4月份达成的减产协议持谨慎态度，该协议曾帮助油价从春季的最低点回升。 Before that deal and facing falling demand for oil amid the first wave of the pandemic 31, Saudi Arabia and other producers tried to force Russia to agree to a big cut in production. When Russia objected, the Saudis increased production and cut prices, triggering a panic among traders in April that eventually caused the price of West Texas Intermediate to go negative. 32 在达成协议之前，面对第一波疫情导致的石油需求下降问题，沙特和其他产油国曾试图迫使俄罗斯同意大幅减产。当俄罗斯表示反对时，沙特提高了产量、降低了油价，从而在四月份引发了贸易商的恐慌，最终导致西德克萨斯轻质原油价格跌至负值。 · 解析 28. urge：vt.力劝，催促；驱策，推进。 29. pandemic：n.（全国或全球性）流行病，瘟疫。（这里指新冠肺炎疫情） 30. They have been wary of easing the production cuts agreed to by the group in April that helped bring prices back from their spring lows. 他们对放松该集团4月份达成的减产协议持谨慎态度，该协议曾帮助油价从春季的最低点回升。 点拨：本句主干为加框部分，后面agreed to是cuts的后置定语，cuts是to的宾语；by the group in April是cuts的施动者；句末that引导的是cuts的定语从句。 句中the production cuts只译成“减产”不如增译成“减产协议”自然。而且，cuts后既有长后置定语，又有that引导的较长的定语从句，不宜将两者都译成前置定语。由于that从句相对较长，可以将其译成相对独立的小句子，作为主句的补充。 wary [ˈweəri]：adj.谨慎的；小心的；机警的。 ease：vt.放松；减轻；缓解。 cut：n.减少；降低；缩减。 例：A sharp knife makes a clean cut. 快刀剪得整齐。 low：n.（最）低点；低价。 例：Prices dropped to a low of about $1.12 in December. 价格在12月跌到了1.12美元的低点。 31. Before that deal and facing falling demand for oil amid the first wave of the pandemic, ... 译一：在那份协议前，面对第一波疫情中下降的需求，…… 译二：在达成协议之前，面对第一波疫情导致的石油需求下降问题，…… 点拨：英文是静态语言，中文是动态语言。本部分为本句的时间状语和伴随状语，原文采用的是静态表达，译成中文时不宜按照原文的表达方式译成译一所示的静态译文，而是要转化成译二所示的动态译文。 deal：n.协议；约定；协定。 例：They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal. 他们一直在商谈一个双边贸易协定。 32. When Russia objected, the Saudis increased production and cut prices, triggering a panic among traders in April that eventually caused the price of West Texas Intermediate to go negative. 当俄罗斯表示反对时，沙特提高了产量、降低了油价，从而在四月份引发了贸易商的恐慌，最终导致西德克萨斯轻质原油价格跌至负值。 点拨：本句主句为句子中间（加框）部分。前面是when引导的时间状语从句，后面非谓语动词是主句的伴随状语，其中that引导的是panic的定语从句。但是that从句不仅比较长，不宜译成前置定语，而且表达的是panic的结果，所以可以译成相对独立的小句，表达出panic的结果。 object：vt.& vi.反对；拒绝；对……提出反对理由/意见。 go negative：转为/变成负值。 go：v. 变为；变成。 · 第13-15段 The dynamic 33, though 34, had changed with 35 the April deal that ended 36 the price war. Saudi Arabia and Russia had been moving in lock step, with identical production quotas. 但是，由于4月份达成了结束价格战的协议，情况发生了变化。沙特和俄罗斯一直步调一致，拥有相同的产量配额。 “Do not put all that we have achieved at risk 37 for the sake of an instant but illusory 38 benefit,” Prince Abdulaziz, who also chairs 39 the OPEC Plus meetings, said at the beginning of the conference. “不要为了短暂而虚幻的利益而将我们所取得的成就置于危险之中，”兼任欧佩克+会议主席的阿卜杜勒阿齐兹王子在新闻发布会开始时表示。 Unable to come to an agreement on Monday, the big producers, led by the Saudis, figured that they had better reach some compromise on Tuesday or risk spooking traders still wary of the price war. 40 由于未能在周一达成协议，以沙特为首的主要产油国认为，他们最好在周二达成一些妥协，否则可能会吓到仍在警惕价格战的贸易商。 · 解析 33. dynamic：n.动态；相互作用。 例：The interchange of ideas aids an understanding of family dynamics. 思想交流有利于对家庭动态的了解。 34. though：adv. & conj. 但是；尽管。 点拨：though当副词时，用法与however相同，可位于句中任何位置，但前后都用逗号，与句子其他部分隔开。当though位于句首或句末时，只用一个逗号与句子其他部分隔开。断定though为副词的依据，是删除though后句子仍然成立。 例：When she was a sophomore, though, she took a course in biology. 然而，当她读大二时，他修了一门生物课。 35. with：prep. 因为；由于。 36. end：vt.结束；终结；终止。 例：The allegations could end his career. 这些指控可能会终结他的职业生涯。 37. put ... at risk：将……置于危险之中。 38. illusory [ɪˈluːsəri]：adj.错觉的；幻影的；虚假的；产生幻觉的。 39. chair：vt.主持；担任……的主席。 例：He was about to chair a meeting in Venice of E.U. foreign ministers. 他将担任尤其欧盟外交部长会议的主席。 40. Unable to come to an agreement on Monday, the big producers, led by the Saudis, figured that they had better reach some compromise on Tuesday or risk spooking traders still wary of the price war. 译一：由于未能在周一达成协议，以沙特为首的主要产油国认为，他们最好在周二达成一些妥协，否则就会冒着让仍对价格战持谨慎态度的贸易商受到惊吓的危险。 译二：由于未能在周一达成协议，以沙特为首的主要产油国认为，他们最好在周二达成一些妥协，否则可能会吓到仍在警惕价格战的贸易商。 点拨：本句主干为加框部分。句首unable to ...是形容词短语充当主句的原因状语；中间led by the Saudis是主语的同位语，that后面是主句的宾语从句，这一从句有两个谓语动词reach和risk。 本句翻译难点在于risk spooking ...，以上译一为原文的直译，不符合中文行文习惯，译二是修改后的译文。 figure：vt.认为；以为；认定；估计。 例：They figured it was better to stay where they were. 他们认为还是呆在原地为妙。 compromise：n.妥协；折衷；让步。 risk：vt.冒……的危险；冒险（做某事）。 例：Those who fail to register risk severe penalties. 那些未登记者冒着受重罚的危险。 spook：vt. 惊吓；（尤指动物）突然受惊。 · 第16-17段 The Saudis and other OPEC countries remain worried about the outlook for their oil. OPEC Plus released 41 a statement after the meeting, noting the “shocking impact of the Covid-19 42 pandemic on the world economy and markets.” 沙特与其他欧佩克国家仍然对他们的石油市场前景表示担忧。欧佩克+在会后发布声明，指出“新冠肺炎疫情给全球经济和市场造成令人震惊的影响。” “Rising infections, the return of stricter lockdown measures and growing uncertainties have resulted in a more fragile economic recovery that is expected to carry over into 2021,” the statement said. 43 “疫情感染人数的上升，更严格封锁措施的回归，以及日益增长的不确定性，导致经济复苏更加脆弱，这一情况预计将延续至2021年，”该声明表示。 · 解析 41. release：vt.发表；发布；公布。 42. Covid-19 = Coronavirus Disease 2019：2019年冠状病毒病（即新型冠状病毒肺炎）。 43. “Rising infections, the return of stricter lockdown measures and growing uncertainties have resulted in a more fragile economic recovery that is expected to carry over into 2021,” the statement said. 译一：“疫情感染人数的上升，更严格封锁措施的回归，以及日益增长的不确定性，导致预计将延续至2021年的经济复苏更加脆弱”该声明表示。 译二：“疫情感染人数的上升，更严格封锁措施的回归，以及日益增长的不确定性，导致经济复苏更加脆弱，这一情况预计将延续至2021年，”该声明表示。 点拨：本句引号内部分的主句为that之前部分，that引导的是主句宾语... recovery的定语从句。但是，that从句相对较长，不宜译成前置定语，鉴于that从句表达的内容与主句所述内容具有前后承接关系，所以，可将其译成相对独立的小句置于主语之后。 lockdown：n.封锁；禁闭。 growing：adj.日益增长的；越来越……的。 carry over：继续存在；使继续下去。 例：The concepts above carry over to data manipulation as well. 前面的概念同样适用于数据操作。 1. 好词复习 请从原文中找出并熟悉以下词汇，并特别注意加粗字体的词，其中标红的是熟词僻义（即解释标红的部分），请加以巩固学习： cut (v.)、production、grow、major、move in lock step、commit to doing sth、push up、crude、willingness、in an effort to、consensus、de facto、strain、harginger、head off、largely、semblance、fall apart、prop up、volunteer、the equivalent of、pledge、news conference、make a gesture of ...、good will、meet、consider、boost、argue、shale oil、sanguine、urge、pandemic、wary、ease、cut (n.)、low、deal、object、go、dynamic、with、end、put ... at risk、illusory、chair、figure、compromise、risk、spook、release、Covid-2019、lockdown、growing、carry over 1. 变换用词 削减/减少/放弃：cut、reduce、give up 增加/提高：grow、rise、increase、raise、boost (n.) （石油）产量：production、output、barrels 沙特：Saudi Arabia、Saudis 紧张关系：strain、tension 协议：agreement、deal 认为：argue、figure 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$ Saudi Arabia Will Cut Its Oil Production, Allowing Russia’s to Grow Oil prices rose to levels not seen since February. The two major oil producers had been moving in lock step since an April agreement to cut output. By Stanley Reed, Jan 5, 2021, New York Times A Saudi Aramco facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have agreed to cut production in order to stabilize the oil market. OPEC, Russia and other oil major producers reached an unusual agreement on production quotas on Tuesday, with Saudi Arabia committing to reducing its oil production by one million barrels a day and Russia and Kazakhstan winning relatively modest production increases. The effect will be an overall reduction in oil production. The news pushed prices up more than 4 percent, reaching levels not seen since February. Brent crude rose past $53 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate exceeded $50 as traders welcomed the Saudi willingness to give up some barrels in an effort to stabilize the market. The difficulty in reaching consensus at the meeting of the OPEC Plus group appeared to show that cooperation between Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and Russia is once again under considerable strain. That tension could be a harbinger of difficulties in restraining production in the coming months. Finding that they were unable to head off Russia’s demand for a production increase, Saudi Arabia appears to have largely given in to preserve at least a semblance of unity. “Instead of letting everything fall apart, the Saudis let the Russians have what they want,” said Bhushan Bahree, an executive director at IHS Markit, a research firm. Russia will now be permitted to raise production by 65,000 barrels a day in February and by another 65,000 a day in March, bringing output to over 9.2 million barrels a day. At the same time, to prop up the market, the Saudis volunteered to cut production by one million barrels a day — the equivalent of about 1 percent of world supply — to about 8.1 million barrels a day. That pledge came late and was not reflected in quota numbers published by OPEC after the meeting. The Saudis had been producing more than 11 million barrels a day at the peak of a price war with Russia last spring. “This was a homegrown idea,” Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi oil minister, said during a news conference after the meeting. The prince said Saudi Arabia was making a gesture of “good will.” The group met by video beginning Monday to consider an increase in February of around 500,000 barrels a day, following a similar boost this month. The Russians wanted more output. They have argued that unless OPEC Plus keeps pace with the recovery of demand, the group will lose market share to shale oil producers in the United States. The Russians also appear to be more sanguine about the world economy and the recovery of demand for oil. The Saudis urged caution, with the pandemic still far from under control. They have been wary of easing the production cuts agreed to by the group in April that helped bring prices back from their spring lows. Before that deal and facing falling demand for oil amid the first wave of the pandemic, Saudi Arabia and other producers tried to force Russia to agree to a big cut in production. When Russia objected, the Saudis increased production and cut prices, triggering a panic among traders in April that eventually caused the price of West Texas Intermediate to go negative. The dynamic, though, had changed with the April deal that ended the price war. Saudi Arabia and Russia had been moving in lock step, with identical production quotas. “Do not put all that we have achieved at risk for the sake of an instant but illusory benefit,” Prince Abdulaziz, who also chairs the OPEC Plus meetings, said at the beginning of the conference. Unable to come to an agreement on Monday, the big producers, led by the Saudis, figured that they had better reach some compromise on Tuesday or risk spooking traders still wary of the price war. The Saudis and other OPEC countries remain worried about the outlook for their oil. OPEC Plus released a statement after the meeting, noting the “shocking impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world economy and markets.” “Rising infections, the return of stricter lockdown measures and growing uncertainties have resulted in a more fragile economic recovery that is expected to carry over into 2021,” the statement said. 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$