VOA常速英语2013--聚焦华盛顿—关注预算最后期限

 

Washington Week: Focus on Budget Deadline 聚焦华盛顿—关注预算最后期限

President Barack Obama’s trip to South Africa to attend a memorial service for former president Nelson Mandela comes as Congress works to wrap up pressing end-of-year business. Obama will be overseas while lawmakers race to meet a budget deadline and ponder a possible tightening¹ of economic sanctions against Iran.

The president and first lady Michelle Obama will lead a delegation² to Johannesburg that is expected to include former president George W. Bush.

总统奥巴马将带领代表团赴约翰内斯堡，前总统乔治·W·布什有望也在其中。

“I am one of the countless³ millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s life.  My very first political action, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy or politics, was a protest against apartheid,” said President Obama.

“我是受纳尔逊·曼德拉一生激发的无数人之一，我的第一个政治行动，第一次参与政策和政治问题，就是反对隔离。”

The White House has scrambled⁴ to rearrange the president’s schedule for a trip during the only full week both houses of Congress are expected to be in session for the remainder of the year.  Lawmakers face a Friday deadline to fund the government or risk another partial federal shutdown early next year.

白宫忙于重新安排总统的访问日程，因为也只有在这一整周中，国会两院有望为本年度再次举行会议。立法者们要在周五最后期限之前为政府筹资，否则明年早些时候就要面临下一场联邦部分停摆。

Obama wants a bipartisan agreement that includes an extension of federal benefits for the unemployed⁵.

奥巴马希望达成一份两党协议，包括为失业者延长联邦补助。

“If Congress refuses to act, it will not just hurt families already struggling.  It will actually harm our economy.  Unemployment insurance is one of the most effective ways to boost our economy,” said Obama.

“如果国会拒绝行动，这不仅会影响那些已经苦苦挣扎的家庭，还会影响我们的经济，失业保险是促进经济发展的一个最有效办法。”

The president should focus less on government solutions and more on energizing⁶ the private sector⁷, according to the Speaker of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, John Boehner.

约翰·博纳是共和党控制的众议院议长，他认为总统不应那么多地关注政府的解决办法，而是更多地重视促进企业发展。

“There is no doubt that under President Obama our country has fallen into what I will call a new normal; slow economic growth, high unemployment, stagnant⁸ wages.  Listen, the president is more focused on increasing reliance on government programs than pro-growth policies that would create more American jobs and better American wages,” said Boehner.

“毫无疑问，在总统奥巴马的领导下，我们国家陷入一种新的常态：经济发展放缓、高失业率、工资不涨。听着，总统更多地关注增加对政府项目的依赖，而不是促进发展、为美国人创造更多就业机会和更多收入的政策。”

The coming week may also reveal whether lawmakers intend to follow through on tougher sanctions against Iran, despite administration warnings such measures could torpedo⁹ international negotiations¹⁰ over the country’s nuclear program.

未来的一周，议员们是否愿意对伊朗采取更强制裁将会揭晓，尽管政府警告这样的措施将破坏就伊朗核项目而进行的国际协商。

 

1 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

2 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

3 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

4 scrambled   

v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

6 energizing   

v.给予…精力，能量( energize的现在分词 )；使通电

参考例句：

• a refreshing and energizing fruit drink 提神并增加体能的果汁饮料
• The time required after energizing a device, before its rated output characteristics begin to apply. 从设备通电到它开始提供额定输出特性之间所需的时间。 来自辞典例句

7 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

8 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

9 torpedo   

n.水雷，地雷；v.用鱼雷破坏

参考例句：

• His ship was blown up by a torpedo.他的船被一枚鱼雷炸毁了。
• Torpedo boats played an important role during World War Two.鱼雷艇在第二次世界大战中发挥了重要作用。

10 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。