VOA标准英语2009年-Children in Somalia Facing Acute Malnutrition C

U.S. President Barack Obama says Friday's report showing unemployment in the United States has reached the highest level in 25 years, underscores the importance of the economic stimulus¹ package he has signed in an effort to jump start the stalled economy.
　
People wait to talk to unemployment benefits staff at an Employment Development Department office in San Jose, California, 23 Jan. 2009

President Obama says the world's largest economy has now lost 4.4 million jobs since the recession began 14 months ago.

The unemployment rate rose sharply to 8.1 percent in February, the highest in a quarter century.

Mr. Obama called the job losses "astounding²." But he says the American people are up to the challenge of a rapidly deteriorating³ economy.

"But I also know that this country has never responded to a crisis by sitting on the sidelines and hoping for the best," he said. "I know that throughout our history, we have met every great challenge with bold action and big ideas. That is what has fueled a shared and lasting⁴ prosperity. And I know that at this defining moment for America we have a responsibility to ourselves and to our children to do it once again."
　
President Barack Obama speaks during police graduation exercises in Columbus, Ohio, 6 March 2009

President Obama made his remarks in the Midwestern state of Ohio, a state hit hard by the recession. He spoke⁵ at a graduation ceremony for 25 police recruits, who owe their jobs to the massive spending bill the president signed into law last month.

Mr. Obama says the $787 billion stimulus package will save or create 3.5 million American jobs over the next two years.

"So for those who still doubt the wisdom of our recovery plan, I ask them to talk to the teachers who are still able to teach our children because we passed this plan," he said. "I ask them to talk to the nurses who are still able to care for our sick and the firefighters and first responders who are still able to keep our communities safe."

President Obama, in office less than two months, warns the economy's downward slide cannot be corrected quickly.

But he has also returned to his campaign message of hope for the future.

"If we are willing to look out for one another and listen to one another, if we are willing to pull together and do our part, if we can show even a fraction of the courage and selflessness that these cadets have already demonstrated, then I have no doubt that we will emerge from this crisis stronger than before and keep this nation's dream alive for future generations," he said.

President Obama has proposed a $3.5 trillion spending plan for the 2010 fiscal⁶ year.

The White House predicts the United States will enter the fiscal year with a budget deficit⁷ of $1.75 trillion, the largest since World War II.

Republican members of Congress, like Kevin Brady from Texas, say more government spending is not the answer to the ailing⁸ economy.

"Unfortunately, the administration's solution to the problem posed by this excessive debt burden is to propose an avalanche⁹ of more deficit spending and higher federal debt," he said.

Economic analysts¹⁰ expect the jobless rate will continue to rise, possibly as high as 10 percent of the American labor¹¹ force.

The Obama administration is hoping to stabilize¹² the fractured financial system and the collapsing¹³ housing market, which are at the heart of the recession.

1 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

2 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

4 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 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。

7 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

8 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

9 avalanche   

n.雪崩，大量涌来

参考例句：

• They were killed by an avalanche in the Swiss Alps.他们在瑞士阿尔卑斯山的一次雪崩中罹难。
• Higher still the snow was ready to avalanche.在更高处积雪随时都会崩塌。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

12 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

13 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。