时间:2019-01-13 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2009年(一月)


英语课
Despite the global financial meltdown, the garment export industry in Bangladesh has yet to see a downturn. The industry is remaining competitive because of falling cotton and yarn 1 prices, as well as low labor 2 costs. But many industry leaders say the storm clouds will soon dampen one of the country's few success stories.
 






Bangladeshi workers in textile factory on outskirts 3 of Dhaka (2005 file photo)



Manufacturing ready-made garments, an industry largely extinct in the developed world, is the economic engine of Bangladesh, providing about 80 percent of its hard currency. In the past three decades the made-in-Bangladesh tag has become ubiquitous in closets from London to Los Angeles.

Focusing on the lower and middle end - with some famous designer names also in the rack - has meant Bangladesh has withstood changing global fashions.

But now the worry is more about credit lines than hemlines.

At the factories of the Babylon Group, where nearly 10,000 workers churn out everything from T-shirts to formal wear, there is growing concern, however, about the ramifications 4 of worried Western consumers foregoing non-essential purchases in 2009.

But company director Abidur Rahman is optimistic his racks of outbound garments can stay full even if his main competitors in China, Vietnam and the African continent see a thinning of the ranks.

"We don't expect, all of a sudden, the business, will go away from Bangladesh because of the long experience and very good skill. We are professional if you compare [us] with others," he said.

Some Bangladeshi manufacturers are reporting an increase in orders as factories shut down elsewhere, such as China, unable to compete with Bangladesh's combination of cheap labor and reliability 5.

The motivation to stay competitive is evident among those operating the rows and rows of sewing machines on Babylon's factory floor in Dhaka.

Zahanara Begum, who has been at this for 15 years, makes about $50 a month. She says 2008 was good but she is apprehensive 6 about the new year.

Begum predicts confidently that if she and her colleagues can maintain their quality of work and productivity they can stay competitive in the tougher global economic environment.

At the head office of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, there is apprehension 7 the industry could be undercut by a domestic, not foreign, factor.

Association vice 8 president Shahidul Islam implores 9 the government to cut interest rates as, at present, banks are charging borrowers around 15 percent for commercial loans.

"This recession the industry cannot face. They should take their decision on this. Otherwise industry cannot face these things. And if industry cannot face this decision [of having an interest rate cut] our whole Bangladeshi economy will be in a problem," he said.

At stake are the livelihoods 10 of 2.5 million workers and more than $10 billion of annual income for their bosses.



n.纱,纱线,纺线;奇闻漫谈,旅行轶事
  • I stopped to have a yarn with him.我停下来跟他聊天。
  • The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
  • We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
  • He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后,他已经疲惫不堪了。
n.郊外,郊区
  • Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
  • They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。
n.结果,后果( ramification的名词复数 )
  • These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
  • What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢? 来自《简明英汉词典》
n.可靠性,确实性
  • We mustn't presume too much upon the reliability of such sources.我们不应过分指望这类消息来源的可靠性。
  • I can assure you of the reliability of the information.我向你保证这消息可靠。
adj.担心的,恐惧的,善于领会的
  • She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
  • He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑
  • There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑,于是她越来越担心。
  • She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的
  • 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。
恳求或乞求(某人)( implore的第三人称单数 )
  • Every movie we see, every story we are told implores us to wait for it. 我们看的每一部电影,听的每一个故事都恳求着我们驻足等待。
  • Every movie we see, every story we're told implores is to wait for it. 我们看的每场电影,听过的每个故事都告诉我们要耐心等待。
生计,谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )
  • First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者,他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
  • With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小,他们的传统生计受到了威胁。
学英语单词
a man with plenty of guts
absorption mechanism
acoustic detection
active star networks
adaptive response
adenosine-5'-triphosphate
algophilists
American gallon
andromorphs
anye
be purposed
bedrift
bimolecular layer
black label
caninoes
cellulosic plastics
compfil
crater pit
current cycle
Deep Sea Drilling Project
deep water wave
Delphinidin-monoglueoside
dermacentor variabiliss
dihydroxy benzhydrol
doughnut chart autoformat
ECITO
endorse a check
energy spectrum analysis
first etching
form data
full valuable consideration
gargouillade en dehors
heatwave
Hoenderloo
honeycomb-weave
interpretative trace program
Jaredites
kaua'i
kirson
lateral fovea
Laurie I.
licorice sticks
Loxogramme
Lozzo di Cadore
lushe
merit consideration
minimum-latency coding
multi-level precedence and preemption
multigyms
Neidpath Castle
network of observation
nitrazepams
non-luminous flame
normal operating speed
Offertorium
Options Backdating
outgoing broadcast channel
overhead lockers
pack cloth
palmyra (tadmur)
Pedro Muňoz
Peles
phonon-assisted tunneling
piping bags
plough steel
poppings
post crane
power off contact
pre-cited
projector station
protected cell company
Pseudomugilidae
Q-value of antenna
quaternary ocean
raghead
rarefyine osteitis
repainted
rotatory condenser
rubber tape
Rubenists
Rzgów
sactibiotic
sand conditioning machine
Setaria yunnanensis
short log
skill at
sodium sulfocyanide
special purpose range
spiroceratids
stogdill
support microprocessor
swallow hard
taris
Tendou
thermal transfer fax
thronged
transformer
tyre shoulder
ungroaning
unwordily
value before notching
wild-track