VOA标准英语2009-Businessmen, Senators Concerned by US Car De

Two of the biggest automakers in the United States plan to close thousands of dealerships nationwide to cut costs. Car dealers³ and members of Congress are worried about the impact on local communities.
　
Auto¹ dealership⁴

Mechanics wearing grey work suits with their names stitched onto their pockets make repairs on a row of cars. The team at the Fitzgerald Auto Mall in Rockville, Maryland is on the front-lines of the battle to save America's car industry.

The dealership is losing its cars and trucks made by the U.S. automaker Chrysler. It is one of 789 Chrysler franchises⁵ nationwide being forced to close by June 9 because of a restructuring plan aimed to cut costs.

The Fitzgerald Auto Mall is staying open because it also sells foreign-made cars. Owner Jack⁶ Fitzgerald says Chrysler customers can still go there for repairs. "I'm telling customers that I'm going to stay open and take care of their cars. That's what I'm telling them," he said.

Not all dealerships are as fortunate. Many showrooms that only carry Chrysler brands will be forced to close. General Motors, once the world's biggest automaker, also plans to close about 2,500 dealerships by the end of next year.

Both companies have declared bankruptcy⁷ after failing to recover from a drastic drop in auto sales.

A U.S. Senate committee held a hearing Wednesday on the planned cuts and the tens of thousands of jobs that could be lost. In the packed chamber⁸, the GM and Chrysler executives sat side by side with dealers.

Senator Olympia Snowe criticized the executives for taking government aid and then leaving customers and dealers without any support. "The American taxpayers⁹ provided billions of dollars, and ultimately, the auto dealers are on the frontlines with the harsh consequences of the failure at the top," she said.

The GM and Chrysler executives defended their decisions. "This has been the most difficult business decision I've ever personally had to take. The decisions had to be made. They were gut-wrenching, but absolutely necessary for Chrysler's survival," said James Press, the president of Chrysler.

But many people at the hearing and in dealerships across the country are unconvinced.

John McEleney, the chairman of the National Automobile¹⁰ Dealers Association, says the reductions will not help cut costs. "Over 90 percent of Chrysler and GM's revenue comes from the dealer², because the dealer buys the cars, the parts, and even the dealership signs from the manufacturer… Dealer cuts won't save any money because dealers don't cost the manufacturers any money," he said.

Chrysler and GM are under pressure from senators to provide greater support for the dealerships that are facing closure with parking lots full of unsold cars.

The manufacturers say they are trying to help dealers, but the justice local business people are seeking may only be found in bankruptcy court. Many are challenging GM and Chrysler's decision to take their cars off the road.

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 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

3 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。

4 dealership   

n.商品特许经销处

参考例句：

• The car dealership has a large inventory of used cars. 这家汽车经销商拥有数量庞大的二手车。
• A key to this effort is the experience in the dealership. 达到这个成果的关键是销售的体验。

5 franchises   

n.（尤指选举议员的）选举权( franchise的名词复数 )；参政权；获特许权的商业机构（或服务）；（公司授予的）特许经销权v.给…以特许权，出售特许权( franchise的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder. 电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ford dealerships operated as independent franchises. 福特汽车公司的代销商都是独立的联营商。 来自辞典例句

6 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。

7 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。

8 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

9 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

10 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。