英伦广角 2009-03-08 通用汽车倾向快速破产重组

This is where money is made and lost. But with uncertainty¹ about the stability of America's largest banks and mounting worries about the state of General Motors, today was all about loss. For the first time, General Motors has admitted their substantial doubt over whether their company will be able to survive.
On that announcement, shares in the US car giant, plunged² almost 18%, dragging the market down with it, US stocks closed yesterday at their lowest levels for more than 12 years with the Dow Jones down more than 4%.

Investors³ fear that GM's demise⁴ will send shock waves through the US economy.

"The first and most immediate⁵ effect of, of a GM bankruptcy⁶ would be, uh, massive layoffs⁷, would be layoffs at General Motors and would also be layoffs throughout the whole chain, the whole supply chain of the auto⁸ industry. There have been a number of different estimates as to what that would be, but I think it's safe to say in an already weak job environment that would, you know, a bankruptcy of GM could create hundreds of thousands of new job losses over the next several months."

The sheer size of General Motors and the amount of money it says it needs to survive is mind-boggling; GM's posted losses of 82 billion dollars in the last three years. They've already borrowed 13 billion dollars from the US government to tide them over as they try to restructure the company, but now they say they need another 17 billion.

GM Europe which owns brands such as Saab and Vauxhall, is attempting to break free from its struggling parent company. They are asking the British government for 440 million pounds, the Spanish government for 600 million and an even greater sum from Germany.
But car sales across the globe are still nose-diving, if they are to secure the cash they so desperately⁹ need to survive, General Motors will need to convince Barack Obama and governments around the world that their business is still viable¹⁰.

Richard Suchet, Sky News
 

1 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。

2 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

3 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

4 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

5 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。

6 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。

7 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

8 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。

9 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

10 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。