U.S. last-ditch fiscal cliff talks continue in Senate

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. lawmakers in the upper house of Congress on Sunday were attempting to strike a last- minute deal to solve the so-called "fiscal¹ cliff," but the two sides have not inked a deal as the nation neared the verge² of cliff.
Top Senate Democrat³ Harry⁴ Reid on Sunday afternoon said on the Senate floor that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the top GOP senator, made an offer last night but Democrats⁵ were unable to make a counter-offer at this stage.
There was no single issue blocking a bipartisan agreement but that the "sticking point" seemed to be a willingness and courage to close the deal, McConnell said on the Senate floor, two days before a slew⁶ of tax hikes and government spending cuts to kick in.
Unless U.S. Congress acts by the end of the year, a combination of tax increases and sweeping⁷ spending cuts totaling about 600 billion dollars will kick in, the effects of which could thrust the economy back into recession.
Obama on Friday entrusted⁸ Reid and McConnell with the task of finding a possible solution to the high-stakes "fiscal cliff." If they could not find a viable⁹ plan, Obama would ask for a vote on his own proposal that extends the current tax rates for all but the rich with annual income above 250,000 U.S. dollars and extends the nation's unemployment benefits for 2 million people.
"There are still significant differences between the two sides, " Reid said on the Senate floor on Sunday evening, adding that there was no vote on a proposal to avert¹⁰ the "fiscal cliff" Sunday.
Reid noted¹¹ that the negotiations¹² between Democrats and Republicans were continuing and that "there is still time left to reach an agreement."
Some GOP lawmakers said that U.S. Vice¹³ President Joe Biden was also involved in the talks and that Democrats were demanding that the two sides should turn off two years of automatic spending cuts in the deal, not just those in the amount of about 110 billion dollars in 2013.
About 1.2 trillion dollars of automatic spending cuts in defense¹⁴ and non-defense domestic programs was scheduled to take place over the next decade starting in 2013 as agreed by Democrats and Republicans in 2011.
Reid said he will update his colleagues on the latest development of the negotiations on Monday morning.

1 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

2 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

3 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。

4 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。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 slew   

v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多

参考例句：

• He slewed the car against the side of the building.他的车滑到了大楼的一侧，抵住了。
• They dealt with a slew of other issues.他们处理了大量的其他问题。

7 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

8 entrusted   

v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He entrusted the task to his nephew. 他把这任务托付给了他的侄儿。
• She was entrusted with the direction of the project. 她受委托负责这项计划。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

10 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

13 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

14 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。