VOA标准英语2013-- 美国债务危机引发世界市场的担忧

 

US Debt Crisis Worries World Markets 美国债务危机引发世界市场的担忧

WASHINGTON — Less than a week before the U.S. government could run out of money to pay its bills, the world's financial markets are already showing concern. If officials cannot agree to let Washington borrow more money before the deadline, the global economy will likely feel the pain.

就在美国政府将不能还清其债务的不到前一周，世界金融市场就已经对此表示了担忧。美国之声记者肯特·克莱因报道称，如果政府不同意华盛顿在截至还款日期前借到钱的话，那么全球经济将饱受其难。

After days of losses, stocks have been gaining on word that President Barack Obama and top Republican lawmakers are discussing ways to keep the U.S. government from defaulting on its obligations.

The president says a default would endanger America's standing¹ in the world economy.

“It would disrupt markets. It would undermine the world’s confidence in America as the bedrock of the global economy, and it might permanently² increase our borrowing costs," said President Obama.

Obama's Treasury³ secretary, Jack⁴ Lew, told senators the uncertainty⁵ around raising the debt limit is already stressing financial markets, meaning the U.S. government will have to pay higher interest rates to borrow money.

“At our auction⁶ of four-week Treasury bills on Tuesday, the interest rate nearly tripled, relative to the prior week’s auction, and it reached the highest level since October 2008," said Lew.

Economist⁷ Thomas Hungerford, at the Economic Policy Institute says that means trouble for the world economy.

He says higher interest rates on Treasury notes could make loans more expensive for American businesses and consumers, driving up the cost of major purchases and pushing sales down.  

“If consumers stop buying, they are going to stop buying foreign goods, so imports into the U.S. will be affected⁸, which is going to affect foreign manufacturers and foreign providers of services," said Hungerford.

America's biggest creditors¹⁰ are nervous about a possible default on U.S. debt.  China and Japan are holding $2.5 trillion in Treasury bonds between them.  

China's vice⁹ finance minister has called on U.S. officials to end their standoff and pay their bills.  

"We ask that the United States earnestly takes steps to resolve in a timely way before October 17 the political issues around the debt ceiling and prevent a U.S. debt default," said Zhu Guangyao.

Traders who buy U.S. bonds for foreign governments have recently backed away from buying short-term Treasury bills.

However, leaders of major bond firms are confident the crisis will be resolved.

Bill Gross, CEO of PIMCO, said, “Is there a possibility of a debt default?  Really, no. I think it is basically theatrics posed by politicians and the press."

But Larry Fink, who leads BlackRock, another major investment firm, said the possibility of a default should never have occurred.

“Every country in the world looks up to this country, and the fact that we even have a narrative¹¹ about the questioning of a default is entirely¹² unacceptable, and importantly, it will have a psychological change in how people look to the United States," said Fink.

The world's markets are watching the comings and goings in Washington, hoping for a quick resolution. 

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

3 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。

4 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

5 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

6 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

7 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

8 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

9 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

10 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

12 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。