VOA标准英语2008年-US Budget Deficit Expected to Hit Record

The Bush administration says the ballooning U.S. federal budget deficit¹ will rise even higher next year, shattering the record set four years ago. From the White House, VOA's Michael Bowman reports.

In a report to Congress, the Bush administration says federal expenditures² will exceed revenues by $389 billion this year, and by a record-high $482 billion in fiscal³ year 2009. The figures do not take into account the full costs of U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Office of Management and Budget Director Jim Nussle says a slowing economy combined with the costs of an economic stimulus⁴ package, are the main culprits for the current spike⁵ in the deficit.

"Earlier this year, the president and Congress, on a bipartisan basis, correctly agreed that action was needed for our economy, and made a deliberate and conscious decision to temporarily increase the deficit in order to get money into the people's hands, and spur consumption," he said.

Despite the staggeringly high deficit numbers, the administration points out that, as a percentage of gross domestic product, the federal deficit will be smaller next year than it was in 2004, when the deficit topped $400 billion.

Nevertheless, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says President Bush is determined⁶ to enforce greater fiscal discipline while pursuing a pro-growth economic strategy.

"President Bush has tried to hold the line across the board when it comes to this Congress trying to raise taxes on the American people or raise spending unnecessarily," she said. "He has not been afraid to veto bills."

Perino added that defense⁷ and security costs since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States have placed enormous financial burdens on the country, but that those expenditures are vital and appropriate.

When President Bush entered office, the United States enjoyed a fiscal surplus of $128 billion. The president's critics note that Mr. Bush is the first president in U.S. history to cut taxes during a time of war.

House Budget Committee Chairman Democratic Representative John Spratt is quoted as deriding⁸ President Bush's "dismal⁹ legacy¹⁰" in fiscal matters, converting record surpluses into record deficits¹¹.

The administration projects the United States will avert¹² a recession, recording¹³ sluggish¹⁴ growth of 1.6 percent this year. The administration says it expects the deficit will fall sharply after 2009, keeping the country on-target for Mr. Bush's goal of a balanced budget by 2012.

1 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

2 expenditures   

n.花费( expenditure的名词复数 )；使用；（尤指金钱的）支出额；（精力、时间、材料等的）耗费

参考例句：

• We have overspent.We'll have to let up our expenditures next month. 我们已经超支了，下个月一定得节约开支。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pension includes an allowance of fifty pounds for traffic expenditures. 年金中包括50镑交通费补贴。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

4 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

5 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 deriding   

v.取笑，嘲笑( deride的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The girls are deriding that boy's foolishness. 姑娘们在嘲笑那个男孩的愚笨。 来自互联网

9 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

10 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

11 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

12 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

13 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

14 sluggish   

adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的

参考例句：

• This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
• Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。