voa标准英语2008-Obama Promises to Move Quickly on Economy

President-elect Barack Obama says he will move swiftly to improve the U.S. economy and promote long-term growth upon taking office next month. Congressional leaders are working with the White House to craft a government package to rescue the failing U.S. auto¹ industry.
　

President-elect Barack Obama in Chicago, 07 Dec 2008

Throughout the campaign season, then-candidate Barack Obama promised to overhaul² U.S. economic policy and combat the effects of what was commonly described as an "economic downturn".

Since winning the November election, the president-elect has seen the economy go from bad to worse. The United States has officially entered a recession, with massive job losses, continued home foreclosures, and extreme market volatility³.

Unprecedented⁴ federal spending has neither eliminated a severe credit crunch⁵ nor stemmed the tide of major corporations in need of government intervention⁶ to stay afloat.

Mr. Obama acknowledged the increasingly dire⁷ nature of the situation in an interview on NBC's Meet The Press program.

"This is a big problem, and it is going to get worse," said Barack Obama. "My number-one priority coming in is making sure that we have got an economic recovery plan that is equal to the task."

In recent days, the president-elect has outlined an ambitious plan to put Americans back to work by rebuilding the country's infrastructure⁸ and making the United States more energy efficient. The estimated price tag, in the hundreds of billions of dollars, would come on top of a $700-billion financial rescue package Congress approved in October.

"The key for us is making sure that we jumpstart the economy in a way that does not just deal with the short term, does not just create jobs immediately, but also puts us on a glide¹⁰ path for long term sustainable economic growth," said Mr. Obama.

Of immediate⁹ concern is the fate of U.S. automakers, which are asking for billions of dollars in emergency government loans to stave off bankruptcy¹¹.

Mr. Obama noted¹² the importance of automobile¹³ manufacturing to the U.S. economy, but said in return for federal assistance the industry must embrace reform, become more competitive, and show it can be profitable.

Congressional leaders have been negotiating with the White House over the size of a rescue loan and the source of the funding.

Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Michigan Democratic Senator Carl Levin expressed optimism that an agreement will be forthcoming.

"I am very confident that there will be a deal and that it will happen within 24 hours," said Senator Levin. "There is a common understanding that this is a global problem that has created the loss of sales by auto industries around the world. This is not just a unique American problem, and every other government that produces automobiles¹⁵ that I know of is providing loans to their auto industries."

But Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby opposes federal intervention, saying he does not believe restructuring plans put forth¹⁴ by carmakers are adequate to assure long term viability¹⁶.

"I think this is a bridge loan to nowhere," said Senator Shelby. "This is a down payment on many billions to come. We would like to save them, but they have got to save themselves, and I do not believe they are willing to save themselves. They could be restructured the right way, and they do not want to do that."

Appearing on CNN, General Motors' top executive (Rick Wagoner) admitted that his corporation's business model - which emphasized trucks and other large vehicles over smaller, more fuel-efficient ones - was lacking.

Autoworkers union officials say they will consider wage and benefits concessions¹⁷ as part of a comprehensive plan to save the industry.

　

1 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。

2 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

3 volatility   

n.挥发性，挥发度，轻快，（性格）反复无常

参考例句：

• That was one reason why volatility was so low last year.这也是去年波动性如此低的原因之一。
• Yet because volatility remained low for so long,disaster myopia prevailed.然而，由于相当长的时间里波动性小，灾难短视就获胜了。

4 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

5 crunch   

n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声

参考例句：

• If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
• People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。

6 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

7 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

10 glide   

n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝

参考例句：

• We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
• So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

11 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

12 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。

13 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。

14 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

15 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 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。

17 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。