美国有线新闻 CNN 2014-02-12

 First up, US unemployment and job numbers. Government usually releases this info on the first Friday of every month. It's important because it can indicate how the economy doing. The latest numbers are mixed bag, on one hand, the unemployment rate take down one tenth of percent on its point, to 6.6 point in Jan. It's lowest since 5 years. But it only measures people who actively¹ looking for jobs. Many Americans have given up. The economics added 113,000 jobs in Jan. Economist² called that weak, they were expecting for 178,000. 

 

The US national debit³ is 13.3 trillion dollars and counting, it's the highest level in any country in the world. The debt limit or ceiling was created during World War One, it was intended to limit how much government spent. But congress has always raised it when it hit. How we hit again. That' what congress expect to do again. 

 

It's back in town, the debt limit circus. But the juggling⁴ is the convention kind you might find big top, this juggling uses special accounting⁵ rules and billions dollars. Treasury⁶ Secretary Jacob Lew has some experience in juggling in fact, he is a pretty good juggler⁷ after all. He had to do this last fall, but like the movie Groundhog Day, we were back to the same place. Effectively the treasury can't borrow more money to run the country, because we reach the legal debt limit. That's right, to run the country we have to borrow some money to do everything we promised. Lew now has to use accounting trick to keep US solvent⁸, but it can't do it very long, its already warned but if the deal isn't done by the end of the month, American risks a default on some of its obligations. The smart money that congress comes up to deal next few weeks, that we avoid a market meltdown, a global panic, sparking interest rates. House keeper John already saying it even getting close to the default isn't option this time, in after last fall government shut down republican and democratic seem don't have much stomach for a standoff, so the juggling has begun for now and investors⁹ can watch Jack¹⁰ Lew pull off more daring moves by time to keep US fiscal¹¹ free fall until congress get budget deal, but it needs a deal soon. 

 

The Obama administration is taking another step to support same sex marriage, its spending how the government recognizes it.  What this means? Same sex couples will get the same federal benefit as hetero sex couples do, wherever US government has jurisdiction¹², so this will apply in court cases, prison visitations when it comes to spouse¹³ benefit when a police officer or fire fighter killed on the job. It does not legalize same sex marriage in all 50 states, currently 17 states allow that.  But it means same sex couples who get married in the states where easily go will get government benefit even if they leaving in the states where its not. US attorney general says it will change countless¹⁴ lives in same sex couples for the better. Some critics say the government is going too far, the national organization of marriage says it undermines the authority of states to make their own decisions about how marriage handled under law. 

 

1 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

2 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

3 debit   

n.借方，借项，记人借方的款项

参考例句：

• To whom shall I debit this sum?此款应记入谁的账户的借方？
• We undercharge Mr.Smith and have to send him a debit note for the extra amount.我们少收了史密斯先生的钱，只得给他寄去一张借条所要欠款。

4 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

5 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

6 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

7 juggler   

n. 变戏法者, 行骗者

参考例句：

• Dick was a juggler, who threw mists before your eyes. 迪克是个骗子，他在你面前故弄玄虚。
• The juggler juggled three bottles. 这个玩杂耍的人可同时抛接3个瓶子。

8 solvent   

n.溶剂；adj.有偿付能力的

参考例句：

• Gasoline is a solvent liquid which removes grease spots.汽油是一种能去掉油污的有溶解力的液体。
• A bankrupt company is not solvent.一个破产的公司是没有偿还债务的能力的。

9 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

10 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

11 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

12 jurisdiction   

n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权

参考例句：

• It doesn't lie within my jurisdiction to set you free.我无权将你释放。
• Changzhou is under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province.常州隶属江苏省。

13 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

14 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。