| It's been a bumper year for Royal Dutch Shell. Its latest results show earnings up a massive 85 percent, hitting a record $13 billion. Its all thanks of course to the high price of oil. 去年对荷兰皇家壳牌集团来说是收获丰盛的一年，最新的数字表明该公司的利润上升了惊人的百分之八十五，达到破纪录的一百三十亿美元。当然，这些都归功于居高不下的油价。 It may have been a turbulent year on the forecourt, but for oil companies the year 2000 has delivered record returns. Shell's profits were up 85 percent on last year. 去年对于汽油消费者来说可能是混乱不安的一年，但对于石油公司来说，他们的收入则是破纪录的一年。壳牌集团去年的利润增长了百分之八十五。 The company has benefited from a better trading environment across many of its operations. Roughly 70 percent of Shell's profits come from its exploration business. Most of the rest from its refining operations. 该公司的许多业务都从有所好转的贸易环境中受益，它去年百分之七十的利润来自石油勘探业务，其余的大部分利润的来源是原油加工业。 All have fared well in the past year. A crucial factor has been the ongoing higher price of oil and gas. Last month the world's largest oil company, Exxon-Mobil also announced record profits of over ￡12 billion. 所有的石油公司在去年都有不错的业绩，一个很关键的因素就是原油和汽油的持续高价。上个月，世界上最大埃索-美孚石油公司也公布了它高达一百二十亿英磅的利润额。 BP is expected to continue the trend. But for the thousands of people who joined fuel protests across the UK, Europe and North America last year, these figures will fuel their concerns that consumers are being exploited. 人们也期待着英国石油公司加速这种利润增长的势头。不过，石油公司的这些获利数字会为去年一直在英国、欧洲和北美抗议油价上涨的消费者的心理火上浇油，消费者觉得自己受到了剥削。 Motorists, farmers and homeowners facing higher heating bills took to the streets as soaring oil prices impacted on the cost of petrol and domestic fuel. 开车的人、农民和不得不承受上涨取暖开支的房屋拥有者走上街头，抗议由原油价格飞涨对国内外汽油费用的影响。 Oil companies claim their margins on the forecourt are wafer thin and that the bulk of their profits are made elsewhere. 石油公司声称它们从汽车加油站获取的利润是非常微薄的，其它业务才是绝大部分利润的来源。 The outlook for the industry in the months ahead looks good too. While the companies expect oil prices to be volatile this year, last month's five percent cut in oil production by OPEC has sent prices back near the $30 a barrel mark. 目前，这个行业的前景很被看好。虽然石油公司预测今年的石油价格会有较大的动荡，但上个月石油输出国组织削减百分之五石油产量的举动又使每桶的石油价格上升到近三十美元。 |
