2007年VOA标准英语-US Economy Is Growing, But Some See Serious Cha

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
18 January 2007
 
watch Business 2007 report

The U.S. central bank, the Federal Reserve, says the American economy will grow at a "healthy pace" in 2007, with a lower inflation rate than last year.  Despite the optimistic forecast, the world's largest business federation¹ says there are serious challenges threatening the nation's continued prosperity.  

The U.S. Chamber² of Commerce says, except for the soft housing market, the nation's economy is "fundamentally strong."  But the group, which represents more than three million U.S. businesses, says the race for "human capital" could undermine the nation's continued growth. 

Tom Donohue

In the Chamber's annual "State of American Business" report, federation president Tom Donohue advocates an ambitious agenda of reform. "We have got serious, serious challenges with 77 million people getting ready to retire, and we've got 12 million undocumented workers here now.  Let's quit the baloney [quit wasting time] and get down to a system that is going to support our economy, or [otherwise] companies only have one choice, and that's to take some more of their business and take it somewhere else."

Among the Chamber's initiatives: to lobby lawmakers to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2007. 

Donohue says a ready supply of skilled workers, along with higher educational standards, will allow the U.S. to stay competitive in a global economy. "The educational challenges facing this nation are alarming and need to be dealt with," he said. "Thirty percent or more of our high-school students don't graduate.  At least 40 percent of our students enrolling³ in college have to take remedial courses when they get there.  We're letting our young people down and putting our future at risk."

Next month, the chamber plans to release a state-by-state report card to show how well U.S. schools are preparing students for the workplace. 

The Chamber is also hoping to influence U.S. energy policy by announcing formation of a task force that will look at "common sense" environmental and energy policies to reduce the nation's energy dependence⁴ without sacrificing jobs.

1 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

2 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。

3 enrolling   

v.招收( enrol的现在分词 )；吸收；入学；加入；[亦作enrol]( enroll的现在分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They lashed out at the university enrolling system. 他们猛烈抨击大学的招生制度。 来自辞典例句
• You're enrolling in a country club, Billy. 你是注册加入乡村俱乐部了，比利。 来自辞典例句

4 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。