VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Promotes US Infrastructure Spending
时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2009年(二月)
U.S. President Barack Obama has made his third trip this week to build public support for his plan to stimulate 1 the nation's economy. Mr. Obama visited a road construction project near Washington to make his case for spending more federal funds to rebuild infrastructure 2.
President Barack Obama and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine visit construction site of Fairfax County Parkway connector in Springfield, 11 Feb. 2009
President Obama stood near a road being built, in an area long known for traffic congestion 3, and said building new infrastructure is a big part of his plan for reviving the economy.
"Look around us. Look at this construction site. Right where we are standing 4, we are surrounded by unmet needs and unfinished business. In our schools, in our roads, in the systems we employ to treat the sick, in the energy we use to power our homes," he said.
Mr. Obama is proposing what he says is the largest increase in infrastructure spending since President Dwight Eisenhower created the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s.
"We will invest more than $100 billion and create nearly 400,000 jobs rebuilding our roads, our railways, our dangerously deficient 5 dams, bridges and levees," he said.
The president said funding infrastructure projects will also help create jobs in other areas of the economy. He specifically mentioned the Caterpillar 6 company, which makes much of the heavy equipment used in road projects. Caterpillar recently announced more than 20,000 layoffs 7.
"And today, the Chairman and CEO of Caterpillar said that if the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan passes, his company would be able to rehire some of those employees," he said.
Mr. Obama is to talk to affected 8 workers at a Caterpillar factory Thursday in Peoria, Illinois.
"What is at stake here are not abstract numbers or abstract concepts," he said. "We are talking about real families that we can help and real jobs that we can save."
Mr. Obama traveled to Indiana and Florida this week to promote his economic recovery plan.
- Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
- Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。
- 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。
- The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
- Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。
- After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
- They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
- The crops are suffering from deficient rain.庄稼因雨量不足而遭受损害。
- I always have been deficient in selfconfidence and decision.我向来缺乏自信和果断。
- A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a caterpillar.蝴蝶是由毛虫脱胎变成的。
- A caterpillar must pass through the cocoon stage to become a butterfly.毛毛虫必须经过茧的阶段才能变成蝴蝶。
- Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
- Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌