voa标准英语2008-White House Says Auto Bailout Not Imminent

The Bush administration is attempting to dampen expectations for immediate¹ government action to save America's troubled car manufacturers.
　

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino responds to a reporter's question at the White House, 16 Dec 2008

Two of America's main three automakers are believed to be weeks - if not days - away from bankruptcy³. That is an outcome the Bush administration says should be avoided, yet White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says the president will not be rushed into making a hasty decision when it comes to federal intervention⁴.

Perino was asked if a rescue plan for the auto² industry is imminent⁵.

"We did not signal that it would be almost immediate," she said. "I do not know of an imminent announcement coming from us. We are trying to take the time to do it right."
　

Auto executives testify before a Senate Banking6 Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, 04 Dec. 2008

Last week, the Senate rejected a multi-billion dollar package of bridge loans to carmakers. After the vote, the White House signaled its willingness to consider other options it had previously⁷ ruled out, including possibly tapping funds from the $700 billion financial rescue package Congress approved in October.

Perino says the administration is reviewing the auto companies' financial figures while attempting to craft a government response to the situation. She says no one wants to see the U.S. auto industry go bankrupt, but that President Bush will only approve a rescue plan if he is satisfied that the industry will put itself on a path to long term viability⁸.

"One of the options here is allowing the companies to go into a disorderly bankruptcy," she said. "That is one of the options that is least favored by the president. Put it at the bottom of the list, because he does not think, I the current weakened state of our economy, we could sustain such a body blow."
　

Ford9 assemblymen work on a 2009 Ford F150 truck at the Dearborn Truck Assembly in Michigan, 30 Oct. 2008

Millions of American jobs are tied directly or indirectly¹⁰ to the country's domestic automobile¹¹ industry, widely viewed as the backbone¹² of the shrinking U.S. manufacturing base.

For years, American carmakers have focused on larger vehicles, almost ceding¹³ the small car market to foreign brands. Sales of trucks and utility vehicles plummeted¹⁴ when fuel prices skyrocketed earlier this year, and vehicle sales of all kinds have faltered¹⁵ during the economic slowdown.

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 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。

3 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

4 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

5 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

6 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

7 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

8 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。

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 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

11 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

12 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

13 ceding   

v.让给，割让，放弃( cede的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was ceding line but more slowly all the time. 他正在放出钓索，然而越来越慢了。 来自英汉文学 - 老人与海
• Settlement would require ceding some Egyptian territory. 解决办法将要求埃及让出一些领土。 来自辞典例句

14 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”