中國網站品牌欄目（頻道）
英語學習論壇的“聽力練習區”正式與大家見面啦。歡迎大家來這里練習聽力，交流經驗，共同進步。
本練習區的音頻文件選自英語點津的“聽中國日報”、“VOA常速”、“流行金曲”及“名人演講”等欄目，題材豐富，難度各異，適合不同階段的英語學習者。
英語點津會定期發布音頻材料，大家可以在跟帖中貼出自己聽寫出的音頻文字稿。每個音頻材料的標準文字稿會在帖子發布兩天后公布。
China raised gasoline and diesel prices by 320 yuan ($47) per ton, or 4 to 5 percent, starting Wednesday.
The increase is the first price hike in five months and pushes domestic prices to new highs.
This equals a price hike of 0.24 yuan per liter of gasoline and 0.27 yuan per liter of diesel, said the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) late Tuesday.
The move is in line with increases in global crude prices. The moving average of international crude has changed more than 4 percent over a period of 22 working days, according to the NDRC.
This round of price hikes is mild, as domestic oil supply is not tight at present, said Dong Xiucheng, professor at China University of Petroleum.
Lin Boqiang, professor with Xiamen University, said the price hike would have little impact on the consumer price index, pushing it up by only 0.1 percent.
China adopted a new oil pricing system last year, under which domestic oil prices are adjusted when the moving average of a basket of international crude (Brent, Dubai and Cinta) changes more than 4 percent over a period of 22 working days.
The country's last price hike on refined oil products was on Nov 10, when gasoline and diesel prices were raised by 480 yuan per ton, or 7 percent.
Under the oil pricing system adopted in 2009, domestic oil prices are linked with global crude prices. However, it also started debate on whether the fuel price or the pricing system was reasonable.
Each price hike is synchronized with the rise in international crude prices, but each price cut is always delayed, said an industry insider who did not want to be named.
Many industry insiders believe that global oil prices will fluctuate between $60 and $80 this year. At such a level domestic fuel prices will not rise much, they said.
（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）
Todd Balazovic is a reporter for the Metro Section of China Daily. Born in Mineapolis Minnesota in the US, he graduated from Central Michigan University and has worked for the China daily for one year.
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