VOA标准英语2013--美国债务违约将会对全球的影响

 

US Debt Default Would Have Global Impact, Experts Say 美国债务违约将会对全球的影响

LONDON — With the U.S. government shutdown in its second week and the  possibility of an American debt default next week, the global economy  is beginning to feel the effects.

伦敦——伴随着美国政府关闭的第二周美国可能在下星期债务违约,全球经济正开 始感受到影响。

The action, or lack of action, on the U.S. government’s funding crisis  is in Washington, but concern about it spans the globe.  One financial  market indicator¹ known as the "fear index" jumped 15% on Monday alone.

But while the headlines look ominous², London-based Wall Street Journal  reporter Charles Forelle noted³ that global markets have so far not had  the strong negative reaction some had expected.

“If there’s an apocalypse on the horizon, the financial markets don’ t see it coming,” he said.

Global markets have been drifting lower, but have not fallen  dramatically.  Still, Forelle warned the enthusiasm over investing will  change dramatically if the shutdown continues, and especially if the  U.S. government defaults on its debt.

“The other longer, bigger scale issue is the destruction of confidence  in the U.S. government and in U.S. treasuries⁴ [securities].  And that’ s a much more difficult thing both to measure and to fix,” Forelle  said.

Such concerns are keenly felt in places like this, the hub of  operations at the London investment firm Charles Stanley and Company.   Its chief investment commentator⁵, Garry White, said the room will look  very different next week if there is a default.

“Phones would be ringing off the hook," White predicted.  "There would  be panic selling as investors⁶ tried to minimize their losses.  And it  would be mass panic in the investment community.”

Experts say if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling and allow the  government to continue routine payments, there would be a cascade⁷ of  defaults worldwide, and financial institutions would not know how to  set some of their key interest rates.  They say the financial collapse⁸  of five years ago that hurt people around the world would be repeated,  and could possibly be worse.

White said that prospect⁹ could just be enough to motivate the  politicians in Washington to settle their differences.

“One would hope that the consequences are so serious that they will  sort it out before the deadline arrives. And we think it’s in the  interest of people on both sides to resolve this issue before there is  some sort of financial Armageddon,” he said.

No one in Washington wants that.  But concern is growing about whether  the officials involved will do what is necessary to avoid it. 

1 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

2 ominous   

adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的

参考例句：

• Those black clouds look ominous for our picnic.那些乌云对我们的野餐来说是个不祥之兆。
• There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 treasuries   

n.（政府的）财政部( treasury的名词复数 )；国库，金库

参考例句：

• Yields on Treasuries, Bunds and gilts can remain at historically low levels. 美国国债、德国国债和英国国债的收益率仍然可以维持在历史低位。 来自互联网
• Treasuries and gold rose in response but the dollar fell sharply. 接着，国债和黄金的价格上涨，而美元价格则猛跌。 来自互联网

5 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

6 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

7 cascade   

n.小瀑布，喷流；层叠；vi.成瀑布落下

参考例句：

• She watched the magnificent waterfall cascade down the mountainside.她看着壮观的瀑布从山坡上倾泻而下。
• Her hair fell over her shoulders in a cascade of curls.她的卷发像瀑布一样垂在肩上。

8 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

9 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。