时间:2019-01-06 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2008年(十二月)


英语课
U.S. automobile 2 companies suffered additional sharp losses in November, underscoring the threats facing the industry amid the U.S. recession. As VOA's Dan Robinson reports, the big three U.S. automakers have submitted details of their plans to restructure, in response to demands from members of Congress.

In its submission 3 to Congress, Ford 4 Motor Company says it will invest $14 billion in fuel-efficient technologies during the next seven years, while asking Congress for a $9 billion line of credit to help stabilize 5 its operations.

The proposal comes ahead of a second appearance by auto 1 executives before Senate and House committees on Thursday and Friday - testimony 6 they hope will persuade Congress to approve emergency legislation for $25 billion in loans.

In those hearings, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler are expected to pledge other steps, such as renegotiating debt, cutting executive salaries, and selling corporate 7 aircraft.
 






Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill about the crisis in the American auto industry, 2 Dec. 2008



House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that lawmakers are examining automaker proposals already in hand from General Motors and Ford, and she repeated Congress's insistence 8 that the car companies demonstrate they can be viable 9.

"The industry must show how it will innovate 10 and prepare to take the companies into the 21st century," she said. "It's about viability 11 of the industry, it's about accountability to the taxpayer 12 and it's about innovation for the future."

In its written submission, Ford said it hopes to be able to transform its operations without having to access a potential $9 billion government bridge loan, if one is approved.

Ford says it is working on improving the fuel efficiency of its cars, reducing the number of its U.S. dealerships and negotiating with the United Auto Workers union on ways to help it compete with foreign carmakers.

If auto executives can persuade Congress that they are taking needed steps, House Speaker Pelosi said congressional leaders could call lawmakers back into session to consider legislation.
 






Chrysler auto dealership 13 in Redwood, California (file)




However, although Pelosi said she would like to see this happen, she did not commit to such a session, and repeated her assertion that the Bush administration has authority to use funds from the $700 billion financial rescue plan to help U.S. automakers.

More bad news for car companies arrived on Tuesday in the form of sharp declines in sales numbers.

Ford said its sales of light vehicles in November dropped 31 percent, while General Motors reported a 41 percent decline for the month. They were not alone as Toyota and Honda reported U.S. sales declines of 34 percent and 32 percent.


 



n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车
  • 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。
n.汽车,机动车
  • He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
  • The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。
n.服从,投降;温顺,谦虚;提出
  • The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
  • No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。
n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过
  • They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上,所以我们只能涉水过河。
  • If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪,必须极度小心。
vt.(使)稳定,使稳固,使稳定平衡;vi.稳定
  • They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
  • His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。
n.证词;见证,证明
  • The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
  • He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。
adj.共同的,全体的;公司的,企业的
  • This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
  • His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。
n.坚持;强调;坚决主张
  • They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
  • His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。
adj.可行的,切实可行的,能活下去的
  • 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。
v.革新,变革,创始
  • We must innovate in order to make progress.我们必须改革以便取得进步。
  • It is necessary to innovate and develop military theories.创新和发展军事理论是必要的。
n.存活(能力)
  • What is required to achieve or maintain such viability? 要达到或维持这种生存能力需要什么?
  • Scientists are experimenting to find ways to ensure the viability of seeds for even longer periods of time. 正如我们所说,科学家正在试验努力寻找让种子的生命力更加延长的方法。
n.纳税人
  • The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
  • The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。
n.商品特许经销处
  • The car dealership has a large inventory of used cars. 这家汽车经销商拥有数量庞大的二手车。
  • A key to this effort is the experience in the dealership. 达到这个成果的关键是销售的体验。
学英语单词
Abyssinian cat
aggrieving
alertor
Anzac Days
arithmetical calculations
astutely
Aventador
Bandon, R.
bequeath
blackcurrants
body-shell
carboxyl group
centron
chainsaw
Chanthaywa
coachyard
combined rice mill
compond target
concept teaching
consolidated quick shear test
controlled-access highway
cum-rag
cup leathe
CW (clockwise)
deferred processing session
depreciation methods
Djoubale
Dolicaine
double banked boat
double stepped labyrinth gland
duodenary
duplication of ureter
durative aspect
Ehime-ken
erection torque motor
exhaust-smoke
fault processor
Ferrier's method
Ficus racemosa
floogies
Frigen
Great Dalby
hurlbut
impact parameter
in-town well
inter-bourse
interosculating
intraglandular lymph nodes
kwans
leak oil pipe
liquid cargo heating
lock-horns
loxoconcha gouae
machinery for floor work
maleamide
march fracture
maturity-onset diabetes of the young (mody)
maunderings
minus value
monster home
move height
natural-looking
nonparalyzed
nuclear instruments
of use
paper patent
pause on
payroll giving
phrynosomatid
plicae glosso-epiglottica
plough layer
porciner
press secretaries
primitive procephalic appendage
psychoacoustically
pyloric orifice
pylzowii
raspies
raw waste
reclaimation survey
Replenisers
Salching
schaumgyps
scoops up
sense transformer
service duty test
share outstanding
signal intelligience
single expansion steam locomotive
sissier
smectites
stipendary
stored fuel
subject to immediate reply
tetraphyllous
the opening bank
transversospinalis
Turka
vice-treasurer
washroom
Wawasee, L.
wooden wing