VOA标准英语2009年-Second Term for US Fed Chairman

U.S. President Barack Obama has announced he plans to appoint the chairman of the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve, to a second term. The president says Fed chief Ben Bernanke has helped to prevent a deeper recession or a depression.
　
President Barack Obama looks on as Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks in Oak Bluffs¹, Mass., 25 Aug. 2009

President Barack Obama says he is reappointing Ben Bernanke, who has led the U.S. economy through one of the worst financial crises the country has ever faced.

"Ben approached a financial system on the verge² of collapse³ with calm and wisdom; with bold action and outside-the-box thinking that has helped put the brakes on our economic free fall," Mr. Obama said.

Mr. Obama made the announcement at a school on the island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, where he and his family are spending the week on vacation.

Bernanke has been praised for taking aggressive action to prevent an economic catastrophe⁴ after last year's widespread problems in the financial industry. The president said almost none of the decisions the Federal Reserve chairman has made has been easy.

"They have faced plenty of critics, some of whom argued that we should stay the course or do nothing at all," Mr. Obama said. "But taken together, this bold, persistent⁵ experimentation⁶ has brought our economy back from the brink⁷. They are steps that are working."

Bernanke says the Federal Reserve and other economic policy makers⁸ have been challenged by unprecedented⁹ events in the past few years, but his objective has not changed.

"To restore a more stable financial and economic environment, in which opportunity can again flourish and in which Americans' hard work and creativity can receive their proper rewards," Bernanke said.

Bernanke's strategy to boost the economy includes unconventional lending programs, to unlock credit and stabilize¹⁰ the financial markets.

The 55-year-old Bernanke was appointed Fed chairman by Republican President George W. Bush, and took office in February, 2006.

Bernanke's reappointment will require Senate approval, and Democrats¹¹ and Republicans on Capitol Hill have praised his performance.

Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd, who leads the Senate Banking¹² Committee, generally supports giving Bernanke another four years, although the two have had disagreements and Dodd is promising¹³ a thorough reappointment hearing.

1 bluffs   

恐吓( bluff的名词复数 )； 悬崖； 峭壁

参考例句：

• Two steep limestone bluffs rise up each side of the narrow inlet. 两座陡峭的石灰石断崖耸立在狭窄的入口两侧。
• He bluffs his way in, pretending initially to be a dishwasher and then later a chef. 他虚张声势的方式，假装最初是一个洗碗机，然后厨师。

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 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

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。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

4 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

5 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

6 experimentation   

n.实验，试验，实验法

参考例句：

• Many people object to experimentation on animals.许多人反对用动物做实验。
• Study and analysis are likely to be far cheaper than experimentation.研究和分析的费用可能要比实验少得多。

7 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

8 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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。

10 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

11 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》

12 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

13 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。