VOA标准英语2013--World Watches US Crisis with Bewilderment, Concern

 

World Watches US Crisis with Bewilderment, Concern 

WASHINGTON — As the U.S. government budget crisis enters a second week, there are concerns that the rivalry¹ between Democrats³ and Republicans in Congress may force the United States to default on its obligations. This would cause serious problems for both the national and global economies. As the shutdown continues, the world is observing developments in the U.S. capital with bewilderment and concern.

The top Republican leader in the U.S. House of Representatives has signaled that he may allow the United States to default for the first time in history if President Barack Obama refuses a compromise on federal spending.  The United States must increase its debt ceiling by October 17 to be able to pay for government debt already accrued⁴.

The president, a Democrat², has said that he is open to negotiation⁵ with the Republicans on any issue, but not amid such threats.

"We're not going to negotiate under the threat of further harm to our economy and middle class families. We're not going to negotiate under the threat of a prolonged shutdown until Republicans get 100 percent of what they want.  We're not going to negotiate under the threat of economic catastrophe⁶ that economists⁷ and CEOs increasingly warn would result if Congress chose to default on America's obligations,” said Obama.

Analysts⁸ are warning that a prolonged shutdown could have harmful effects on the U.S. economy, but that the U.S. defaulting on its debt would be even worse.

Klaus Larres, a professor of international relations at the University of North Carolina, claims the consequences would be disastrous⁹ for the world as it continues to recover from the 2008 financial crisis.

"I think the Great Recession would be back with a vengeance¹⁰, and we would be back in severe economic and financial difficulties.  So I can only warn that the debt ceiling problem should not be mixed up with the shutdown of the government," said Larres.

Larres also said that a default on the U.S. debt would have immediate¹¹ consequences that would reverberate¹² around the world.  For example, it could undermine the U.S. dollar's position as the global reserve currency and even the U.S. role as the world's strongest economy.

"It has never happened before that such a big country as the United States, a leading superpower of the day, is defaulting on its debts for technical reasons - because the United States is still a very rich and wealthy country; the money is there," said Larres.

The U.S. economy is not the only one that would be affected¹³ by a default. China is concerned about more than $1 trillion it has invested in the United States and is urging the United States to raise its debt ceiling. 

Larres believes much of the world, especially countries with authoritarian¹⁴ governments, such as China, is having difficulty understanding this U.S. crisis.

"’What is the debt ceiling, why does the government need to raise the debt ceiling?’ These are all questions people are wondering about because apart from the United States and Denmark, a debt ceiling doesn’t need to be raised by any other country in the world, so obviously, no one really understands that," explained Larres.

According to Larres, so far the effects of the U.S. government shutdown continue to be mild, and with a timely solution the situation could be quickly rectified¹⁵.  However, he says, a prolonged impasse¹⁶ and a deeper crisis could have a negative effect that could undermine the position of the United States as the world's political and economic leader. 

1 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 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》

4 accrued   

adj.权责已发生的v.增加( accrue的过去式和过去分词 )；（通过自然增长）产生；获得；（使钱款、债务）积累

参考例句：

• The company had accrued debts of over 1000 yuan. 该公司已积欠了1000多万元的债务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I have accrued a set of commemoration stamps. 我已收集一套纪念邮票。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

6 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

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 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。

9 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

10 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

11 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

12 reverberate   

v.使回响，使反响

参考例句：

• The decision will reverberate and will jar the country.这项决定将引起反响并震撼这个国家。
• Echoes of cries of pain reverberate in my hear.痛苦呼喊的一遍遍的在我的心中回响。

13 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

14 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

15 rectified   

[医]矫正的，调整的

参考例句：

• I am hopeful this misunderstanding will be rectified very quickly. 我相信这个误会将很快得到纠正。
• That mistake could have been rectified within 28 days. 那个错误原本可以在28天内得以纠正。

16 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。