VOA标准英语10月-Small US Businesses Feel Pinch of Tightened Credi

As the U.S. Federal Reserve System announced measures to ease the credit crisis Tuesday, small business owners around the United States say the tight credit market is hurting them. Mike O'Sullivan reports from Los Angeles, the financial crisis is affecting nearly all businesses, including car dealers¹, fast-food restaurants, and retail² stores.
　

Alfred Minas

Alfred Minas, an Armenian immigrant, runs a Los Angeles shoe repair shop, and he says business is terrible. "Seems like people are panicking. People with money, they're holding back. People with no money, still they don't have money. Business is just going down day by day," he said.

Economist³ Eduardo Martinez of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation says some businesses are feeling the squeeze at both ends, with banks reluctant to lend and few customers willing to spend any money. "Especially car dealers, people who are dealing⁴ in furniture, they've been hit pretty hard by the downturn in consumer spending, not having that many customers go to their showrooms, but now, they're having a hard time getting the funds to be able to order products to fill their showrooms."

He says the downturn is hurting franchise⁵ businesses like McDonald's, which have been investing in new equipment to offer high end coffees. Banks are reluctant to lend to franchise owners for the upgrade.

Martinez says the uncertainty⁶ in European credit markets is also hurting local business because major British, German, French and Dutch firms have Los Angeles operations in entertainment, banking⁷, finance, and manufacturing.

Some business owners hope to ride out the storm. Brothers Peter and Charlie Woo, immigrants from Hong Kong, founded Megatoys 20 years ago. The company manufactures toys in Asia, imports them to the United States and exports them to Latin America. Chief executive Charlie Woo says the company foresaw a downturn and took preventive action by securing its line of credit.

"And also, we've got a very widespread customer base. We sell to large retailers⁸ such as Wal-Mart and K-Mart, and we also sell to the small mom-and-pops [family-owned stores] as well as export to Central and South America. In general, everybody's quite pessimistic, but we've got a pretty big customer base."

He adds that a weak U.S. dollar hurts the import businesses.
　

Farhad Besharati

Iranian immigrant Farhad Besharati offers tours to Europe through his business called Atlantic Tour and Travel. He says the credit crisis means empty seats on airlines. "When people cannot apply for a loan or credit, definitely it affects all businesses. Because before, they used to get home equity⁹ [loan] or credit card or something and then they could travel and they paid slowly, but now it's impossible."

Economist Eduardo Martinez says most businesses need to borrow to stay in business. And with banks reluctant to lend, even businesses with low overhead expenses are faced with customers reluctant to part with their money

1 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。

2 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 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。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。

6 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

7 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。

8 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

9 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。