VOA标准英语2010年-White House Highlights Stimulus Job Cr

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the groundbreaking of a road project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Friday, June 18, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio.

U.S. President Barack Obama visited Columbus, Ohio Friday to mark the groundbreaking on the 10,000th road project funded by the American Recovery Act.  The president's visit is part of the administration's efforts to shine a spotlight¹ on the impact of the approximately $800 billion stimulus² package on job creation.  But some economists³ say the stimulus is creating fewer jobs than the White House claims.

A little more than a year after Congress enacted⁴ the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, President Barack Obama says the U.S. economy is on the path to recovery. "And today I return to Columbus to mark a milestone⁵ on the road to recovery:  The 10,000th project launched under the Recovery Act.  That's worth a big round of applause," he said.

The president's visit to Ohio is part of a six week push to focus attention on the impact of the approximately 800 billion dollar stimulus on job creation.

Vice⁶ President Joe Biden is Mr. Obama's point man on the Recovery Act. "Thus far, we have allocated⁷ over $620 billion of the Act, and as a result, the Recovery Act is responsible for somewhere between 2.3 million and 2.8 million jobs that were either saved or created," he said.

A growing number of economists say the stimulus has indeed kept more Americans away from the unemployment lines. 

But Alan Viard, senior fellow at the conservative leaning American Enterprise Institute, says the White House numbers are inflated⁸. "The fact that unemployment has remained so high does suggest that the stimulus has not had as large an impact as the administration claims," he said.

Without the stimulus, Viard admits unemployment would be higher than the current 9.7 percent, but he says the massive cash infusion⁹ into infrastructure¹⁰ projects has created fewer than a million jobs. "I think it made sense to do the stimulus, but it should have been smaller and better focused than the administration certainly did," he said.

Opposition¹¹ Republicans claim more than three million jobs have been lost since the bill's passage, and they say it contributes to the nation's soaring debt.

While analysts¹² say no one knows for sure how many jobs the stimulus has created, President Obama says he's under no illusions that one program alone can solve the nation's economic problems. "So while the recovery may start with projects like this, it can't end here," he said.

The economy is sure to be among the top issues in the November elections.

The administration is counting on an improving job picture to keep majority control of both houses of Congress.  But Republicans insist only the private sector¹³, and not government, can turn the U.S. economy around.

 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 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。

3 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》

4 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

5 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。

8 inflated   

adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。
• They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 infusion   

n.灌输

参考例句：

• Old families need an infusion of new blood from time to time.古老的家族需要不时地注入新鲜血液。
• Careful observation of the infusion site is necessary.必须仔细观察输液部位。

10 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。

11 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。

12 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。

13 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。