VOA常速英语2015--奥巴马希望通过改善互联网来促进经济

 

Obama Promotes Better Broadband Access to Boost Economy 奥巴马希望通过改善互联网来促进经济

WASHINGTON—

Ahead of his annual State of the Union address on January 20, President Barack Obama is promoting ideas on how to boost the U.S. economy and improve the standard of living for more Americans. This week, his speeches have focused on the importance of digital technology for consumers and businesses, and on ways to protect confidential¹ information in cyberspace².

Speaking to an audience in Cedar³ Falls, Iowa, Wednesday, President Obama said the U.S. economy is growing stronger, and he wants more Americans to feel that resurgence⁴ in their daily lives.

周三，奥巴马总统在爱荷华州瀑布市发表讲话，他对听众说美国经济正在走强，他希望更多的美国人能在日常生活上感受到这种复苏。

"And in the 21st century, in this age of innovation and technology so much of the prosperity that we are striving for, so many of the jobs that we want to create depend on our digital economy, depend on our ability to connect and to shop, and to do business and discover, and learn online in cyberspace," said Obama. 

“在21世纪，在这个创新和科技的时代，我们所追求的繁荣，我们希望创造的就业，都在很大程度在依赖于数码经济，依赖于我们联网购物、做生意和在互联网上探索、学习的能力。”

In order to succeed, the president said Americans in many communities needed faster and cheaper access to broadband.

总统说要想成功，很多社区的美国人都需要更快和更廉价的宽带。

"It's about giving the entrepreneur, the small businessperson on Main Street, a chance to compete with folks out in Silicon⁵ Valley or across the globe. It's about helping⁶ a student access the online courses and employment opportunities that can help her pursue her dreams," he said.

“也就是给大街上的企业家、小经营主与硅谷甚至全世界的人进行竞争的机会，就是帮助学生获得网络课程和就业机会，从而帮助他或她追求梦想。”

On Monday, the president unveiled plans to strengthen laws against identity theft by requiring businesses to inform consumers within 30 days if their information has been hacked⁷. The plan also would criminalize companies selling consumers' data overseas.

周一，总统宣布了加强反身份盗用法律的计划，要求企业在消费者信息被盗用的30天内通知消费者。该计划还会将那些出售消费者数据到海外的公司定罪。

"This is a matter of public safety and of public health. And most of this infrastructure⁸ is owned and operated by the private sector⁹. So neither government nor the private sector can defend the nation alone. It's going to have to be a shared mission, government and industry working hand-in-hand as partners,” said Obama.

“这是一个涉及公共安全和公共健康的问题，大多数互联网基础设施是由企业拥有和运营的，所以无论是政府还是企业都无法独立捍卫这个国家，这将是个共同任务，政府和企业要携手做合作伙伴来努力解决。”

Privacy advocates have criticized the idea of data-sharing between companies and the government, following the discovery of U.S. government surveillance and bulk-data collection. But some analysts¹⁰ note that many companies share customers' personal data without their knowledge or consent.

隐私倡导者批评了公司和政府共享数据这一理念，因为此前美国政府被曝光监控和大规模收集数据。但一些分析人士认为，有很多公司在客户不知情或不同意的情况下就分享了客户个人数据。

"There are no real privacy laws regarding online browsing¹¹, regarding an awful lot of other information like health information, like financial - that data is often passed on to advertisers to insurance companies in an unlimited¹² way. You and I don't actually know what data exist. We don't know what information about us these companies and the data brokers¹³ have," said Klaus Larres of the University of North Carolina.

“目前没有在线浏览方面的隐私法，对于很多像健康信息、财务等大量其他信息，这些数据通常会无限地传给广告商或保险公司。我们都并不知道都有什么数据存在着，我们不知道这些公司和数据中介都拥有我们的哪些信息。”克劳斯·拉列斯就职于北卡罗来纳大学。

Larres noted¹⁴ that Obama's plans may encounter opposition¹⁵ from some lawmakers.

拉列斯指出，奥巴马的计划可能会遭到一些议员的反对。

"Considering the majority [Republican] balance in the new Congress, I think the likelihood that the bill is not going to pass is fairly high," said Larres.

“考虑到共和党在新国会的多数席位，我想该法案不能通过的可能性很高。”

President Obama expressed confidence Tuesday after meeting with a group of lawmakers that a compromise will be reached as it is in everyone's interest to protect U.S. economy from cyberattacks.

奥巴马总统周二在会见了一群议员后表示自信，他相信会达成妥协，因为保护美国经济免受网络攻击关系到每个人的利益。

1 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

2 cyberspace   

n.虚拟信息空间，网络空间，计算机化世界

参考例句：

• She travels in cyberspace by sending messages to friends around the world.她利用电子空间给世界各地的朋友们发送信件。
• The teens spend more time in cyberspace than in the real world of friends and family.青少年花费在电脑上的时间比他们和真正的朋友及家人在一起的时间要多。

3 cedar   

n.雪松，香柏(木)

参考例句：

• The cedar was about five feet high and very shapely.那棵雪松约有五尺高,风姿优美。
• She struck the snow from the branches of an old cedar with gray lichen.她把长有灰色地衣的老雪松树枝上的雪打了下来。

4 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

5 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 hacked   

生气

参考例句：

• I hacked the dead branches off. 我把枯树枝砍掉了。
• I'm really hacked off. 我真是很恼火。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

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 browsing   

v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息

参考例句：

• He sits browsing over[through] a book. 他坐着翻阅书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Cattle is browsing in the field. 牛正在田里吃草。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

13 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分

14 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。

15 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。