时差N小时 社会保障法

Today's Social Security program has its roots in the Great Depression of the 1930s. With 22 million unemployed¹, many Americans lived in poverty, and many elderly workers lost all their pension funds when their companies went bankrupt.

如今的社会保障计划在20世纪30年代的经济大萧条时期就有其历史根源。在大萧条时期有两千两百万人失业，许多美国人在贫困线上挣扎。各类公司纷纷倒闭，致使许多老年人失去了所有的养老基金。

As part of the government's response, known as the "New Deal," President Franklin Roosevelt created an advisory² panel to make recommendations to Congress for a program to protect workers from losing their pensions or retirement³ savings⁴.

作为政府的应对措施，即“新政”的一部分，富兰克林·总统设立了顾问小组，专门为国会提供建议，以保护工人的养老基金和退休金不受损失。

In January of 1935, Congress began its consideration of the Social Security Act. Not everyone thought it was a good idea. There was a lot of opposition⁵ expressed during the congressional debates and in the opinion pages of the nation's newspapers.

1935年1月，国会开始考虑成立社会保障法。这一法案并没有得到每个人的支持。国会就这一问题进行了激辩，美国各大报纸的舆论页面也出现许多反对声。

Supporters praised it as a form of social responsibility, while others found it "dangerous and unconstitutional," imposing⁶ too much government in the private economic sector⁷. Yet proponents⁸ carried the day, and the House and Senate passed the Social Security Act. Expanded by Congress over the years, Social Security has had a major impact on the lives of older Americans.

支持者赞美这项法案体现了一种社会责任，然而反对者则称这是“危险的、违反宪法的”，称其在私企强加了过多的政府干涉。然而支持者占优势，众议院和参议院通过了这条法案。许多年来，社会保障体系对老年美国人的生活产生了重大影响。

Without it, almost half of all Americans over 65 would be living in poverty. Often considered one of government's greatest achievements, it is also the single most costly⁹ federal program; and the system's continued financial viability¹⁰ is currently a major issue of national concern.

如果没有这项法案，近一半的65岁以上的老人将会生活在贫困中。社会保障常被视为政府最伟大的成就，但它也是联邦各项计划中最昂贵的一项。目前社会保障体系的财务可行性将成为一个国民主要关注的问题。

1 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。

2 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

3 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

4 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

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 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

9 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

10 viability   

n.存活(能力)

参考例句：

• What is required to achieve or maintain such viability? 要达到或维持这种生存能力需要什么？
• Scientists are experimenting to find ways to ensure the viability of seeds for even longer periods of time. 正如我们所说，科学家正在试验努力寻找让种子的生命力更加延长的方法。