VOA慢速英语 2008 1107a

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Barack Obama defeated John McCain Tuesday in the longest and most costly¹ presidential campaign in American history. The Center for Responsive Politics estimates that the two candidates spent more than one billion dollars. Mister Obama alone is estimated to have raised about seven hundred million dollars from donors².
　
President-elect Barack Obama after giving his acceptance speech

The election results were widely seen as a strong statement by voters on the economy. A public opinion study reported by the Wall Street Journal found that about sixty percent of voters considered the economy the top issue.

President-elect Obama faces the deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression of the nineteen thirties. The Dow Jones Industrial Average of leading stocks has lost nearly thirty percent of its value this year.

In September, the government seized the nation's two largest home financing companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It also took control of the huge insurance company, A.I.G. And, the government is now a shareholder³ in nine of the country's largest banks. That will expand to smaller banks, too. The amount spent on these rescue plans has been close to one trillion dollars. That amount could increase.

Another problem facing the new administration is the record budget deficit⁴. Some experts estimate the deficit for next year's budget could be close to one trillion dollars. Some observers predict that the deficit will restrict spending on economic programs the new president may want.

Barack Obama has promised a tax cut for middle income Americans. He is seeking fifty billion dollars in aid for states and job creation programs. Mister Obama has proposed a health care reform plan that costs fifty to sixty-five billion dollars. He says this will be paid for by ending tax cuts for people earning over two hundred fifty thousand dollars a year. Mister Obama is also seeking to spend one hundred fifty billion dollars on new energy technologies over the next ten years.

In addition, the president-elect has been discussing a program worth one hundred billion dollars. It includes spending on public works projects and aid to American states, cities and citizens.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. Transcripts⁵ and archives are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Bob Doughty⁶.

 

1 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

2 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 shareholder   

n.股东，股票持有人

参考例句：

• The account department have prepare a financial statement for the shareholder.财务部为股东准备了一份财务报表。
• A shareholder may transfer his shares in accordance with the law.股东持有的股份可以依法转让。

4 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

5 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句

6 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。