2012 英语一 Text 2｜说话不算数的核电公司：承诺应有代价
主旨
能源公司 Entergy 宣布违背长期承诺，不再遵守佛蒙特州严格的核监管规定，引发众怒 → 它反而在联邦法院挑战州规定的合宪性，拼命想让核电站继续运转 → 冲突可追溯到 2002 年：公司收购核电站时承诺，2012 年后继续运营须获州监管机构许可；2006 年州进一步要求延期须经州议会批准，公司也同意了 → 此后事故频发、公司发表误导性声明，州参议院投票否决延期 → 公司如今声称协议无效、只有联邦有核监管权；此案将检验州权力的边界，但若公司守信，这场争论本无必要 → 运营核电站是公众的托付，联邦监管机构审批其另一核电站延期时，应记住这家公司的承诺值几个钱。
原文：2012 Text 2 · 话题：法律 / 企业诚信 · 答案：26 C｜27 D｜28 A｜29 D｜30 A
一、核心词
| 词 | 本文义 | 原文搭配 | 拆解 / 记忆 |
|---|---|---|---|
| supplier n. | 供应商 | a major energy supplier in New England | supply |
| provoke v. | 激起 | provoked justified outrage in Vermont | pro- 向前 + voke 叫 → 叫出来 |
| justified adj. | 正当的，有理由的 | provoked justified outrage in Vermont | justify |
| outrage n. | 愤慨 | provoked justified outrage in Vermont | out + rage 怒 |
| renege v. | 违背（诺言） | reneging on a longstanding commitment | |
| longstanding adj. | 长期的 | reneging on a longstanding commitment | long + standing |
| commitment n. | 承诺 | reneging on a longstanding commitment | commit |
| nuclear adj. | 核的 | to abide by the state’s strict nuclear regulations | nucle 核 |
| constitutionality n. | 合宪性 | challenge the constitutionality of Vermont’s rules | constitution 宪法 |
| desperate adj. | 拼命的 | as part of a desperate effort to keep its Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant running | de- + sper 希望 |
| stunning adj. | 令人震惊的 | It’s a stunning move. | stun 使震惊 |
| reactor n. | 反应堆 | an aging reactor in Vernon | react 反应 |
| extension n. | 延期 | any extension of the plant’s license be subject to the Vermont legislature’s approval | extend 延长 |
| legislature n. | 立法机构 | any extension of the plant’s license be subject to the Vermont legislature’s approval | legis 法 + lat 带 |
| foresee v. | 预见 | didn’t foresee what would happen next | fore- + see |
| partial adj. | 部分的 | the partial collapse of a cooling tower | part |
| leakage n. | 泄漏 | an underground pipe system leakage | leak 漏 |
| misleading adj. | 误导性的 | the company made misleading statements about the pipe | mis- + lead |
| enraged adj. | 被激怒的 | Enraged by Entergy’s behavior | en- + rage |
| invalid adj. | 无效的 | the 2002 agreement is invalid | in- 不 + valid 有效 |
| obscure adj. | 模糊的，不明确的 | The legal issues in the case are obscure | |
| scholar n. | 学者 | legal scholars | |
| precedent-setting adj. | 开先例的 | a precedent-setting test of how far those powers extend | precede 在前 → precedent 先例 |
| valid adj. | 合理的 | there are valid concerns about the patchwork regulations | |
| patchwork adj. | 拼凑的 | there are valid concerns about the patchwork regulations | patch 补丁 + work |
| reputation n. | 名声 | its reputation in Vermont is already so damaged | |
| pledge v. | 保证 | Pledging to run Pilgrim safely | |
| application n. | 申请 | reviews the company’s application | apply |
二、搭配与写作迁移
| 原文表达 | 含义 | 写作迁移 |
|---|---|---|
| A deal is a deal. | 协议就是协议（说话要算数） | |
| provoke outrage | 引发愤慨 | provoke public anger / debate |
| renege on a commitment | 违背承诺 | 阅读表达；作文用 break a promise |
| abide by | 遵守 | abide by the rules |
| challenge the constitutionality of | 挑战……的合宪性 | |
| as part of a desperate effort to | 作为拼命……的一部分 | |
| keep sth running | 让……继续运转 | |
| as a condition of | 作为……的条件 | |
| seek permission from | 向……请求许可 | |
| go a step further | 更进一步 | Some schools go a step further and … |
| be subject to | 须经，取决于 | be subject to approval |
| go along | 配合，同意 | go along with the plan |
| live by one’s commitments | 信守承诺 | live by one’s principles |
| raise serious questions about | 引发严重质疑 | raise serious questions about food safety |
| vote against | 投票反对 | |
| have regulatory power over | 对……有监管权 | |
| keep one’s word | 信守诺言 | ↔ break one’s word |
| be beside the point | 无关紧要 | |
| have nothing left to lose | 已无可失去 | |
| go to war with | 与……开战 | |
| There should be consequences. | 应当承担后果 | |
| a public trust | 公众的托付 | |
| apply for permission | 申请许可 | |
| keep in mind | 记住 | Keep in mind that … |
三、熟词僻义
- deal n. 协议（≠交易 / 处理）：A deal is a deal
- move n. 举动（≠移动）：It’s a stunning move.
- surface v. 浮现，显露（≠表面 n.）：The conflict has been surfacing since 2002
- go along 配合，顺从（≠一起走）：Then, too, the company went along.
- live by 信守（≠靠……生活）：never really intended to live by those commitments
- string n. 一连串（≠绳子）：A string of accidents
- trust n. 托付（≠信任 v.）：Permission to run a nuclear plant is a public trust.
- station n. 电站（≠车站）：Pilgrim Nuclear station
四、题目与选项词
| 词 / 搭配 | 义 | 出处 | 拆解 / 记忆 |
|---|---|---|---|
| condemn v. | 谴责 | Q26 [A] | |
| reaffirm v. | 重申 | Q26 [B] | re- + affirm |
| dishonor v. | 不履行（承诺） | Q26 [C] | dis- + honor 兑现 |
| secure v. | 获得，确保 | Q26 [D] | |
| enter into | 签订 | Q27 题干 | |
| seek favor from | 寻求……的支持 | Q27 [B] | |
| managerial adj. | 管理的 | Q28 [A] | manager |
| innovativeness n. | 创新能力 | Q28 [B] | |
| fulfill v. | 履行 | Q29 [A] | |
| defy v. | 违抗 | Q30 [B] | |
| withdraw v. | 撤回 | Q30 [C] | with 向后 + draw 拉 |
五、同义替换：原文 → 正确项
| 题 | 原文 | 正确项 |
|---|---|---|
| 26 C | reneging on a longstanding commitment / the company has done precisely what it had long promised it would not | dishonoring |
| 27 D | As a condition of receiving state approval for the sale | get permission to purchase a power plant |
| 28 A | raised serious questions about both Vermont Yankee’s safety and Entergy’s management / the company made misleading statements about the pipe | managerial practices |
| 29 D | a precedent-setting test of how far those powers extend | the limits of states’ power over nuclear issues |
| 30 A | it should keep in mind what promises from Entergy are worth | Entergy’s business elsewhere might be affected |
六、长难句
① 同位语 + when 时间从句 + 省略 that 的宾语从句（Q26 出处）
The company, a major energy supplier in New England, provoked justified outrage in Vermont last week when it announced it was reneging on a longstanding commitment to abide by the state’s strict nuclear regulations.
- 主干：The company provoked justified outrage in Vermont
- a major energy supplier …：同位语
- when it announced (that) it was reneging on …：时间状语从句，内含宾语从句
- to abide by …：不定式修饰 commitment
- 译：这家新英格兰地区的大型能源供应商上周宣布，将违背遵守佛蒙特州严格核监管规定的长期承诺，在当地激起了理所当然的愤慨。
② what 宾语从句 + 冒号解释 + keep sth doing（Q26 背景）
Instead, the company has done precisely what it had long promised it would not: challenge the constitutionality of Vermont’s rules in the federal court, as part of a desperate effort to keep its Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant running.
- 主干：the company has done precisely what it had long promised it would not (do)
- 冒号后：challenge …，解释 what 所指的事
- as part of a desperate effort to …：说明目的
- keep sth running：让某物持续运转
- 译：相反，这家公司恰恰做了它长期承诺不会做的事：在联邦法院挑战佛蒙特州规定的合宪性，拼命想让其佛蒙特扬基核电站继续运转。
③ 冒号解释 + whereas 对比 + how far 宾语从句（Q29 出处）
The legal issues in the case are obscure: whereas the Supreme Court has ruled that states do have some regulatory authority over nuclear power, legal scholars say that Vermont case will offer a precedent-setting test of how far those powers extend.
- 主干：The legal issues in the case are obscure
- 冒号后：whereas 引导对比，前半句”州确有部分核监管权”，后半句”此案将检验这些权力的边界”
- do have：助动词 do 表强调
- how far those powers extend：宾语从句作 of 的宾语
- 译：此案的法律问题并不明朗：尽管最高法院已裁定各州确实拥有对核电的部分监管权，但法律学者表示，佛蒙特州一案将为这些权力能延伸多远提供一次开先例的检验。
七、句型
- A deal is a deal—except, apparently, when …（反讽开篇） 原句：A deal is a deal—except, apparently, when Entergy is involved. 套用：A promise is a promise—except, apparently, when money is involved.
- It’s a stunning move.（短句评价） 原句：It’s a stunning move. 套用：Cancelling the event at the last minute was a stunning move.
- Either A never really intended to …, or it simply didn’t foresee …（二选一推测） 原句：Either Entergy never really intended to live by those commitments, or it simply didn’t foresee what would happen next. 套用：Either the company never intended to keep its promise, or it simply didn’t foresee the costs.
- Certainly, there are valid concerns about … But had A kept its word, that debate would be beside the point.（让步 + 虚拟倒装） 原句：Certainly, there are valid concerns about the patchwork regulations that could result if every state sets its own rules. But had Entergy kept its word, that debate would be beside the point. 套用：Certainly, there are valid concerns about the new rule. But had the school kept its word, the debate would be beside the point.
- A seems to have concluded that … is already so damaged that it has nothing left to lose.（so … that 分析心态） 原句：The company seems to have concluded that its reputation in Vermont is already so damaged that it has nothing left to lose by going to war with the state. 套用：Some people seem to have concluded that their image is already so damaged that they have nothing left to lose.
- But there should be consequences.（主张追责） 原句：But there should be consequences. 套用：Breaking the rules may be easy. But there should be consequences.