voa标准英语2008-US Auto Companies Seek Government Aid for Failin

With congressional hearings set Thursday and Friday of this week in advance of a vote on lending money to the beleaguered¹ U.S. auto² industry, General Motors says it needs money almost immediately. VOA's Barry Wood has more on the controversy³ over government aid to America's ailing⁴ auto industry.
　

Chrysler is one of the US auto companies seeking a federal loan

With U.S. car sales at their lowest level in a quarter of a century, General Motors says it needs $4 billion before the end of this month. The largest of the so-called "Big Three" automakers, that also includes Ford⁵ and Chrysler, GM says its sales this year are down 22 percent, compared with an industry decline of 16 percent.

"GM, as many analysts⁶ point out, has very severe cash needs. They need the infusion⁷ as soon as possible," said Dennis Virag, who heads the Automobile⁸ Consulting Group.

Mike DiGiovanni, Director of Global Market Analysis at General Motors, says he is hopeful the industry will get its loans from Congress. He detects a spirit of cooperation between government, industry management and the auto workers union.

"I think it is doable with our partners. One of the positive things that has come out of this is a really good dialogue with the federal government and what our issues are, and some of the challenges we face," he said.

DiGiovanni and Virag spoke⁹ on Bloomberg Television.

Ron Gettlefinger, the head of the United Auto Workers, says his union is prepared to make concessions¹⁰ to cut industry costs.

"There's no question that we face some difficult challenges. Being honest, we've been saying for a long time that we're in a race to the bottom, a race to the bottom that workers in no country can win. Because there is always somebody else or somewhere else to go that pays less," he said.

The viability¹¹ plans submitted by the carmakers are generally being well received and the companies are expected to receive government loans.
　

FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair (file)

But Sheila Bair, who heads the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the agency charged with safeguarding U.S. bank deposits, wonders where to draw the line because the government cannot help all needy¹² industries.

"Everybody is coming to Washington and wanting help. And picking winners and losers is a very difficult part of their [Congress and the Treasury¹³ Department's] job," she said.

But union leader Gettlefinger says the auto industry is different and more vital than most.

"I'm not sure where you draw the line. But let's just look at this. Let's look at the backbone¹⁴ of our economy, as Barack Obama describes it. Let's look at the millions of jobs that will be lost in this country if we lose this industry," he said.

Gettlefinger and the Big Three emphasize that American car companies, unlike banks and insurance companies, are seeking loans, not grants, and that their plight¹⁵ stems from the sudden, unpredicted decline in economic activity.

1 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

3 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

4 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

5 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 infusion   

n.灌输

参考例句：

• Old families need an infusion of new blood from time to time.古老的家族需要不时地注入新鲜血液。
• Careful observation of the infusion site is necessary.必须仔细观察输液部位。

8 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

11 viability   

n.存活(能力)

参考例句：

• What is required to achieve or maintain such viability? 要达到或维持这种生存能力需要什么？
• Scientists are experimenting to find ways to ensure the viability of seeds for even longer periods of time. 正如我们所说，科学家正在试验努力寻找让种子的生命力更加延长的方法。

12 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

13 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

14 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

15 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。