US 'locked and loaded' after Saudi attacks as oil prices surge
President Donald Trump said Sunday the US is "locked and loaded" to respond to attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure that Washington blamed on Iran, which have sent oil prices soaring.
周日，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普宣称，美国已“蓄势待发”，准备应对沙特石油设施遇袭事件。此次突袭导致油价飙升，而美方将矛头指向伊朗。
It is the first time the president has hinted at a potential American military response to the drone attacks, which slashed Saudi oil production by half and led both the kingdom and the United States to announce they may tap their strategic reserves.
这是美国总统首次暗示，美方将可能采取军事行动反击本次无人机空袭事件。袭击已导致沙特石油产量减半，而沙美两国均表示可能会动用各自的战略石油储备。
"There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!" Trump tweeted.
特朗普在推特发文称：“我们有理由确信幕后黑手，并已蓄势待发，只待核实结果；不过还在等沙特消息，看他们认为是谁发动了这次袭击，再敲定行动方案！”
The Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, claimed Saturday's strikes on two plants owned by state energy giant Aramco.
由伊朗支持的也门胡塞反政府武装表示，将对周六这次针对阿美石油公司（沙特国有能源巨头）两座石油设施的袭击负责。在也门，由沙特领导的多国联军正陷于一场持续五年的战事。
But US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed the finger squarely at Tehran. "The United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression," the top US diplomat said.
而美国国务卿迈克·蓬佩奥却将矛头直接指向伊朗政府。这位美国最高外交官表示：“美国将协同战略伙伴和盟友，确保能源市场供给充足，并确保伊朗对这次袭击负责。”
That drew an angry response from Tehran, where foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said: "Such fruitless and blind accusations and remarks are incomprehensible and meaningless."
这番话引来了伊朗政府的严厉驳斥，伊朗外交部发言人阿巴斯·穆萨维表示：“美方徒劳而盲目的指控和论调匪夷所思，毫无意义。”
Saudi's energy infrastructure has been hit by the Huthis many times before, but this strike was of a different order, abruptly halting 5.7 million barrels per day (bpd) or about six percent of the world's oil supply.
此前，沙特的石油设施曾多次遭到胡塞武装攻击，然而这次突袭不可同日而语，在一夜之间就使沙特石油日产量骤减 570 万桶，约占全球石油供应量的 6%。
重点词汇
lock and load
准备战斗
相关词汇：lock（v. 枪支闭锁）
文化拓展：枪械闭锁（lock）是枪械发射的流程之一。具体来说，闭锁是枪机与枪管在发射时的连接方式，闭锁的目的是为了承受子弹发射时对弹底的压力，防止枪机过早后坐。
相关词汇：load（v. 子弹上膛）
surge/sɝːdʒ/
v. 激增，急剧上升
近义词：increase
soar/sɔːr/
v. 猛升，骤增
近义词：surge
hint/hɪnt/
v. 暗示
搭配短语：hint at
搭配短语：hint at the possibility of moving abroad
drone/droʊn/
n. 无人机
文化拓展：无人机一般是指利用无线电遥控设备和自备的程序控制装置操纵的不载人飞机。它的应用范围可以分为军用与民用。在军用方面，无人机一般分为分为侦察机和靶机；不过，除了执行监视和侦察等任务，不少无人机也具备非常强悍的作战能力。
slash/slæʃ/
v. 大幅度削减（数量、价格等）；（用刀、剑等）劈或砍
搭配短语：slash and burn（刀耕火种）
文化拓展：刀耕火种是一种原始的耕作方式，指先用大刀阔斧砍伐草木，并就地焚烧，以灰烬作肥料，最后在烧后的地面上挖坑下种。
近义词：cut
搭配短语：slash by
例句：The prices have been slashed by 50%!
tap/tæp/
v. 利用；开发（能源、资金来源等）；轻轻敲击/拍打
英文释义：to make use of a source of energy, knowledge, etc.
culprit/ˈkʌl.prɪt/
n. 罪犯；造成破坏（问题）的人
英文释义：a person responsible for causing a problem
as to
关于，至于
近义词：about, concerning
term/tɝːm/
n. 条件
coalition/koʊ.əˈlɪʃ.ən/
n.（常为某种政治目的而组成的）联盟，同盟
英文释义：a group of people who join together to achieve a political purpose
文化拓展：也门内战是也门自 2015 年开始至今的内战，由当年的政变引发。2015 年，在胡塞武装的攻击下，总统哈迪被迫逃离首都沙那。沙特阿拉伯等海湾国家支持哈迪总统，领导区域国家联盟，组成了“阿盟联军”（即，文中的 a Saudi-led coalition）对抗也门的反政府叛军。
bog down
陷入困境
相关词汇：bog（v. 使...陷入泥沼）
词性拓展：bog（n. 沼泽）
搭配短语：be/get bogged down in sth.
英文释义：If a plan or process is bogged down, it is delayed and no progress is made.
pointed the finger at
公开指责；谴责
近义词：blame on, accuse of
例句：Don't point the finger at me.
相关词汇：finger-pointing
squarely/ˈskwer.li/
adv. 直截了当地，不回避地
英文释义：directly and firmly
搭配短语：speak squarely on the topic of sth.
搭配短语：face difficulties squarely
搭配短语：meet challenges squarely
be held accountable for
对...负责
例句：Finally, someone is held accountable for the killings!
fruitless/ˈfruːt.ləs/
adj. 无成效的，徒劳的
近义词：useless
of a different order
与众不同
相关词汇：order（n. 级别；规模）
搭配短语：poetry of a high order
搭配短语：skills of the highest order
halt/hɑːlt/
v. 中止，停止
搭配短语：halt work
搭配短语：halt oil production
barrel/ˈber.əl/
n. 桶
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