IMF Urges Swift Action on US Debt Dispute

 　　As U.S. lawmakers and President Barack Obama haggle¹ over plans to cut Washington's massive debt, the International Monetary² Fund says the United States must take urgent and effective action on the issue.

　　Monday, the newest IMF report on the U.S. economy said it is critical to the U.S. and other economies for Washington to promptly³ raise the legal limit on debt, while gradually cutting spending.

　　Leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are working on competing plans to raise the federal debt limit and trim budget deficits⁴. Congress and the White House failed to reach a bipartisan agreement Sunday, prompting declines on many stock markets Monday.   Gold prices also hit a record high.

　　The leader of the majority party in the House, John Boehner, called on his fellow Republicans to support a short-term extension of the debt ceiling accompanied by a package of spending cuts.  Boehner earlier said he was not sure a bipartisan deal could be reached.

　　Senate Majority Leader Harry⁵ Reid, a Democrat⁶, wants a longer-term deal on the debt ceiling, while also cutting trillions of dollars in spending. President Barack Obama has said he wants an ambitious debt-reduction package.

　　August 2 is the deadline for raising the debt ceiling and allowing the federal government to continue to borrow money.  The Obama administration and congressional leaders had hoped to announce a framework for an agreement before Asian financial markets opened Monday.

1 haggle   

vi.讨价还价，争论不休

参考例句：

• In many countries you have to haggle before you buy anything.在许多国家里买东西之前都得讨价还价。
• If you haggle over the price,they might give you discount.你讲讲价，他们可能会把价钱降低。

2 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

3 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

4 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

5 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

6 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。