VOA慢速英语 2008 1121a

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Congress faced a big question this week, but the answer will have to wait.
　
Auto¹ executives at hearings this week in Congress

The heads of the Big Three American automakers came to Washington to ask for money -- on their private jets, critics noted². The chiefs of General Motors, Ford³ and Chrysler asked for twenty-five billion dollars in new loans. Congress already approved twenty-five billion in September to help the industry develop fuel-efficient vehicles.

Democratic leaders in Congress proposed to offer the additional loans with money from the financial rescue program approved last month. But Treasury⁴ Secretary Henry Paulson objected. He says the seven hundred billion dollars is just for investing to strengthen the financial system.

On Thursday, a group of Senate Democrats⁵ and Republicans announced agreement on a compromise. It would let the companies temporarily use the fuel-efficiency loans to pay for daily operations. G.M. and Chrysler both say they could be out of money by early next year.

But Senate Majority Leader Harry⁶ Reid says there are currently not enough votes in Congress to pass any bailout plan for automakers. He says they failed to make their case that this appeal will be the last.
　
Ford factory

The companies now have until December second to explain how they would use the loans as part of long-term plans to save their businesses. Congress is prepared to consider the plans the week of December eighth.

Peter Morici, a professor of international business at the University of Maryland, is among economists⁷ who oppose a bailout. He appeared at this week's hearings. He says the Big Three should be permitted to fail. If they seek bankruptcy⁸ protection, he says, they will be able to cut costs, reorganize and become competitive again.

But General Motors chief executive Rick Wagoner warned that the economy could lose three million jobs in the first year if the Big Three fail. They employ a total of about two hundred forty thousand people. But that does not include dealers⁹ or suppliers or the auto parts industry. Auto sales, though sharply reduced now, usually represent about four percent of the economy.

The industry chiefs blamed the credit crisis for keeping people from getting car loans. But lawmakers said poor business decisions have hurt the Big Three. Autodata Corporation says fifty-three percent of new cars and light trucks sold in the United States in the first ten months of this year were imported.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.

 

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

7 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。