2006年VOA标准英语-Industry Leaders Say US Losing Competitive

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
20 March 2006
 
watch Competitiveness report
 
  
  
Technology leaders say the United States is losing its competitive edge to developing countries in Asia.  As VOA's Mil Arcega reports, they're turning to Washington lawmakers for help.

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Top business leaders told a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation that America's lead as a technology giant is eroding¹.   The latest figures show the U.S. trade balance in high tech goods fell from a surplus high of $33 billion in 1997 to a deficit² of $27 billion in 2003.  

Norman Augustine  
  
Norman Augustine, former C.E.O. and Chairman of the U.S. aerospace³ firm, Lockheed Martin, said the big winners have been countries such as China and India. "This has been brought about partly because of our own inaction in many instances, but partly because the rest of the world is getting better and its often getting better by copying the things we used to do well."

Among them, scientific research.  Senator John Ensign, a Republican Party senator from Nevada, is co-author of the National Innovation Act. 

 
John Ensign
  
He proposes doubling the nation's investment in scientific research and improving math and science education in classrooms.  "Unfortunately, in the disciplines that foster innovation in the 21st century, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, America is steadily⁴ losing its global edge."

Here's why.  Last year, 500,000 engineers graduated in China, in India the number was 200,000 and in the U.S. -- 70,000.

Senator Ensign predicts, "If this present trend continues, 90 percent of all scientists and engineers in the world will be living in Asia by the year 2010."

Despite the declining numbers in science and engineering degrees, U.S. gross domestic product remains⁵ among the highest in the world.

Deborah Wince-Smith  
  
Deborah Wince-Smith is president of the Council on Competitiveness, a national organization that tracks international business trends.  "Per worker, Americans are five times more productive than workers in China.  We still lead the world in manufacturing output as well as manufacturing value-add, yet the challenges are real, systemic, and if ignored, will undermine our foundation of strength and leadership."
 

Max Baucus   
  
Democratic Party Senator Max Baucus, of Montana says the U.S. remains strong, but the time to make policy changes is now. "We're still ahead in creativity       and innovation, maybe not in other areas, but in creativity and innovation -- and I'm not too convinced how long that's going to last, frankly⁶."

He plans to introduce a bill later this year that will focus on education, energy reform and health care to ensure that Americans can sustain their standard of living despite increasing global competition.
 
 

1 eroding   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的现在分词 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The coast is slowly eroding. 海岸正慢慢地被侵蚀。
• Another new development is eroding the age-old stereotype of the male warrior. 另一个新现象是，久已形成的男人皆武士的形象正逐渐消失。

2 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。

3 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

4 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。