VOA标准英语2009年-Russians, Too, May Get 'Cash for Clunkers'

By Anya Ardayeva
Moscow
25 September 2009

 
Russians look at the newest cars at the Moscow auto¹ show
The Russian government is planning to introduce its own "cash for clunkers" package, following the success of rebate² programs in the U.S. and parts of western Europe. The hope is that a "rubles for wrecks³" plan next year will revive the domestic auto industry and spur Russian new-car sales, now running at less than half last year's levels. 

At Russia's biggest annual auto show, in Moscow, car-makers are doing what they can to attract new customers. According to the Association of European Businesses, new-car sales in Russia dropped 58 percent during July, compared to the same month in 2008. And that follows a 56-percent year-on-year slump⁴ in June.

 
Russian program would take older cars like this off the road. 
Now the Russian Trade and Industry Ministry⁵ has a plan to give 50,000 rubles - slightly more than $1,500 - to any driver who trades in a 10-year-old car and buys a new Russian-made vehicle with a "clean" engine that produces less carbon dioxide in its exhaust.

An auto industry expert based in Moscow expects the Kremlin's plan to be a big success. Christoph Schenk of the KPMG accounting⁶ firm says this is due to the average age of cars on the road in Russia. "Here in Russia they are pretty old. I mean, we have on the Russian streets maybe 30 million cars, and out of these 30 million cars roughly 15 million cars are more than 10 years old," he said.

The program is due to launch early next year, but some analysts⁷ question whether it will help or harm the Russian car industry. Rebates⁸ would be limited to cars made in Russia, but that includes vehicles that roll off Russian assembly lines operated by Ford⁹, Renault, General Motors, Volkswagen and Nissan.

Russia is introducing protective measures to safeguard home-grown car-makers such as Avtovaz and Gaz. Import duties for new foreign vehicles have been increased to 30 percent, a subsidized car-loan program is in place and the state has spent millions of dollars on bail-outs for domestic companies.

Cristoph Schenk says these tactics will have a short-term impact, but he expects a shakeup in the Russian car industry. "Speaking about mid-term and long-term perspectives, I believe that even a strong country like Russia cannot change reality, and we will probably see kind of a severe meltdown of the current structure of the Russian automotive industry. There will be some new structure coming, but the main players will be foreign car producers," he said.

For some Russian drivers, there is nothing like a good old Russian-made Lada. 22-year-old Oleg bought his 10-year-old Lada only a few weeks ago. Along with many other Russian drivers, he has to set aside money almost daily for car emergencies. But his Lada still runs, and repairs are much cheaper than for a foreign car. "I have never driven a foreign car - maybe only once, an Opel. I didn't like it that much. I think the parts for it are very expensive, [and it's] hard to find some of them. It's OK to have a new foreign car, but an old one is hard to keep up [maintain]. Russian cars are good. You can buy parts anywhere," he said.

If Russia does launch its own "cash for clunkers" program, Oleg says he will trade in his Lada and almost certainly use the money to buy a new Russian car. 

But if he had all the money in the world, Oleg says he would go for a big SUV - a foreign one, preferably with a chauffeur¹⁰.

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 rebate   

v./n.折扣，回扣，退款；vt.给...回扣，给...打折扣

参考例句：

• You can claim a rebate on your tax.你可以要求退回部分税款。
• Customers are to benefit from a rebate on their electricity bills.顾客将从他们的电费退费中得到实惠。

3 wrecks   

n.沉船( wreck的名词复数 )；（事故中）遭严重毁坏的汽车（或飞机等）；（身体或精神上）受到严重损伤的人；状况非常糟糕的车辆（或建筑物等）v.毁坏[毁灭]某物( wreck的第三人称单数 )；使（船舶）失事，使遇难，使下沉

参考例句：

• The shores are strewn with wrecks. 海岸上满布失事船只的残骸。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• My next care was to get together the wrecks of my fortune. 第二件我所关心的事就是集聚破产后的余财。 来自辞典例句

4 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

7 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。

8 rebates   

n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 )；回扣；返还（退还的部份货价）；折扣

参考例句：

• The VAT system offers advantages, such as rebates on exports. 增值税有其优点，如对出口商品实行回扣。 来自辞典例句
• In more recent years rate rebates have been introduced for households. 近年地方税的减免已适用于家庭。 来自辞典例句

9 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。

10 chauffeur   

n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车

参考例句：

• The chauffeur handed the old lady from the car.这个司机搀扶这个老太太下汽车。
• She went out herself and spoke to the chauffeur.她亲自走出去跟汽车司机说话。