VOA标准英语2013--Deficit, Economy Worry Texans Ahead of State of Union Address

 

Deficit¹, Economy Worry Texans Ahead of State of Union Address

Tomball is a little town northwest of Houston known for shops that sell antiques and handicrafts.

One of the largest and most colorful is Granny's Korner.

Owner Mary Harvey says she will listen to the president's speech, but she would like to see the federal government operate more like a business.

“I don't see how anybody can operate without a budget,” she said.

One of her suppliers, Jeffrey Klein, owner of Klein's Fine Foods, wants more bipartisanship in Washington.

“I'd like to see more consensus² between the parties instead of this butting³ of heads," he said. "I would like to see us move forward as a country and not be so divisive.”

Klein employs six people at his Tomball plant making specialty⁴ food items.

Although this area is doing better than most others around the country, Klein says not everyone prospers⁵.

“I know people all around Tomball who are unemployed⁶ or under-employed," he said. "I think that is one of the things that is missed in statistics - underemployment.”

Furniture maker⁷ Tony Bell says the slowdown has affected⁸ his sales.

“I am suffering just like everybody else," he said. "We are just trying to make it from day to day.”

He says he does not like to discuss politics, but he will listen to the president.

“Whatever he says is all right by me. Politics, I don't get involved in, you know," Bell said. "I am just a person that, you know, I try to live and let live.”

Bell says he is too busy working to pay attention to politics. 

1 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

2 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

3 butting   

用头撞人（犯规动作）

参考例句：

• When they were talking Mary kept butting in. 当他们在谈话时，玛丽老是插嘴。
• A couple of goats are butting each other. 两只山羊在用角互相顶撞。

4 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

5 prospers   

v.成功，兴旺( prosper的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Whatever prospers my business is welcome. 凡使我生意兴隆者皆竭诚欢迎。 来自辞典例句
• Whatever prospers my business is good. 任何使我生意兴隆的都是好的。 来自辞典例句

6 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。

7 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

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。