油价暴跌！美国油价低至2美元一加仑
Gas prices plunge below $2 per gallon and continue to plummet amid coronavirus
USA TODAY
The national average price of gasoline has plunged below $2 per gallon, and the freefall is not likely to stop there.
gallon
加仑
加仑是一种容（体）积单位，英文全称gallon，简写gal。加仑又分为英制加仑和美制加仑，两者表示的大小不一样。
1加仑(美)=3.785 412升
英制加仑是一种使用于英国、其前殖民地和英联邦国家非正式标准化的单位，英国已于1995年完成了到国际单位制的转换。从官方而言，加仑只应用于美国、利比里亚和缅甸。而其他国家或地区则使用国际单位制，即米制，又称为公制。
freefall
an occasion when something or someone falls quickly under the influence of gravity
（重力作用下的）自由下落，自由落体运动
the process of failing or losing value or strength quickly and continuously
（价值或力量的）骤降，迅速下降
例句：
Only massive changes in government policies will prevent the peso going into free fall (= falling quickly in value by a large amount).
只有大刀阔斧地改革政府现行政策，才能阻止比索急剧贬值。
With the coronavirus pandemic crunching the economy, a precipitous drop in the price of crude oil has sent gas prices plummeting at a time when they're usually rising in the lead-up to the summer travel season.
crunch
If something crunches or if you crunch it, it makes a breaking or crushing noise, for example when you step on it.
(使)发出碎裂声;(使)嘎吱作响
在文中该词意思为：新冠病毒正在碾压经济
例句：
A piece of china crunched under my foot...
我踩碎了一块瓷片。
He crunched the sheets of paper in his hands.
他把那沓纸揉得嚓嚓响。
plunge
to become lower in value or level very suddenly and quickly
（价值或程度）暴跌，骤降
例句：
The fall in demand caused share prices to plunge.
需求下降导致股价大幅下跌。
plunge和plummet都表示：暴跌
plummet
to fall very quickly and suddenly
暴跌，急剧下降
例句：
House prices have plummeted in recent months.
房价近几个月来暴跌。
Several large rocks were sent plummeting down the mountain.
好几块巨石被从山上推下。
lead up to sth.
If a period of time or series of events leads up to an event or activity, it happens until that event or activity begins.
为…作铺垫；是…的先导
lead-up为其名词形式，意为：先导
例句：
The pilot had no recollection of the events leading up to the crash.
飞行员想不起飞机坠毁前发生了什么。
The national average fell below $2 on Tuesday for the first time in four years, according to AAA. The national average of $1.997 was about 11 cents cheaper than a week ago and about 69 cents cheaper than a year ago.
AAA
American Automobile Association
现在，AAA的服务更扩展到为会员提供购车贷款、保险、租车等方面的优惠。另外， AAA还参与评定五星级旅馆和饭店，是美国旅馆和饭店的权威评审机构之一，其每年要对美国、加拿大、墨西哥及加勒比海等地的近5.7万家饭店及旅馆进行评审，其中只有0.26%的可以登上“五星”榜。据 道，AAA评出的五星饭馆及餐馆只有13家。
AAA projected the national average would hit $1.75 or less in April.
project
to calculate an amount or number expected in the future from information already known
预计，推算
例句:
[ + to infinitive ] Government spending is projected to rise by three percent next year.
明年政府的支出预计将增加3%。
Normally, prices like that would spark a travel binge.
spark
to cause the start of something, especially an argument or fighting
引起，导致，触发（尤指争论或打斗）
例句：
This proposal will almost certainly spark another countrywide debate about immigration.
这项提议很可能会再一次在全国范围内引起关于移民的争论。
The recent interest-rate rises have sparked new problems for small businesses.
近期利率的上调给小型企业带来了新问题。
binge
an occasion when an activity is done in an extreme way, especially eating, drinking, or spending money
（尤指在饮食和花钱方面）无节制的狂热行为
a drinking/eating/spending binge
例句：
狂饮／暴食／滥花钱
He went on a five day drinking binge.
他连续5天狂饮。
But most drivers won't be able to take advantage of it since a majority of Americans are under some form of stay-at-home order, limiting their driving to essential needs.
take advantage of
to use the good things in a situation
利用；利用…的机会
例句：
I thought I'd take advantage of the sports facilities while I'm here.
我想趁我在这儿期间，要好好利用一下这里的体育设施。
"Americans are staying at home at a time when they’d probably be filling up more and considering more road trips because of cheap gas," AAA spokesperson Jeanette Casselano said. "They’re not necessarily reaping all the benefits of these savings at pump."
reap
to cut and collect a grain crop
收割，收获；获得
pump
a piece of equipment that is used to cause liquid, air, or gas to move from one place to another
泵，抽水机；油泵；打气筒
在文中指：油泵
例句：
a water/bicycle/fuel pump
水泵／自行车打气筒／油泵
a petrol pump
汽油泵
Roughly 100,000 stations are charging less than $2 per gallon and 29 states are averaging less than $2, according to fuel-savings app GasBuddy, which tracks prices.
A few are even charging less than $1, including stations in Oklahoma and Wisconsin. The nation's lowest price was 95 cents at a station in Wautoma, Wisconsin, according to GasBuddy.
END
