VOA双语新闻 - 美国经济继续恶化 股市下挫
时间：2019-02-14 作者：英语课 分类：VOA双语新闻 2008年11月
World markets slumped 1 Tuesday amid persistent 2 worries of a deepening global recession. U.S. shares were lower in Tuesday's trading despite new government-led efforts to stem home foreclosures as well as discussion of ways to assist the troubled American automotive sector 3. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell two percent (179 points) to end at 8,692. The S&P 500 was down 2.2 percent (20 points) to finish at 899 and the NASDAQ dropped 2.2 percent (36 points) to 1,581.
世界市场星期二大幅度下滑。人们对全球经济衰退加深的忧虑进一步加重。虽然政府推出了新的方案，遏制失赎房屋数量增长的势头，而且还在研究帮助美国汽车业走出困境的办法，但是美国股市在下午的交易中还是大幅下跌。
Many economists 4 cite a rash of U.S. home foreclosures as the root cause of tight credit that has strangled economic growth in the United States and leading industrialized nations around the world. But despite a federal economic stimulus 5 package and a massive financial rescue package, U.S. home foreclosures continue unabated amid an economic downturn that appears to be worsening.
许多经济学家认为，房主丧失抵押住房赎回权的案子大量增加是造成美国信贷紧缩的根源。信贷问题干扰了美国以及世界其它主要工业化国家的经济增长。但是，在联邦政府采取了经济刺激方案并实施了大规模的金融纾困计划之后，美国丧失赎回权的房屋数量还是有增无减。经济下行势头看来正在恶化。
In addition to homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages, hundreds of thousands of Americans are behind in their mortgage payments and are in danger of foreclosure.
除了那些无力偿还贷款的房主以外，还有成千上万的美国人不能够每月按时交付贷款本息，面临银行收回房屋的危险。
The Federal Housing Administration, or FHA, is streamlining the process under which two mortgage giants can modify delinquent 6 loans to give borrowers more favorable terms in hopes of avoiding default. The agency took control of those mortgage firms, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, earlier this year.
美国联邦住房管理部门决定简化程序，让房利美和房地美这两大房贷融资公司修改违约贷款的条款，给借贷者提供更好的条件，避免房屋被收回。美国联邦住宅信贷署在今年早些时候接管了两房。
"Foreclosures have increased almost 150 percent over the last two years," said FHA Chairman, James Lockhart. "Foreclosures hurt families, their neighbors, whole communities, and the overall housing market."
联邦住宅信贷署署长詹姆斯.洛克哈特说：“被收回的房屋数量两年来已经增加了几乎150%。这个问题给家庭、住宅区、整个社区、甚至整个住房市场都造成了伤害。”
"We need to stop this downward spiral. Today, we are announcing a major program designed to greatly reduce preventable foreclosures with a simplified, streamlined loan modification 7 program to get struggling homeowners into mortgages that they can afford," he added.
“我们需要遏制住这种螺旋下滑的势头。今天，我们宣布要推出一个重大计划，通过简化贷款条款修改程序来防止房主失去自己的住房，让遇到困难的房主能够承担起抵押贷款。”
Tuesday saw more U.S. companies announce disappointing earnings 8 and layoffs 9. On Monday, German-based shipper DHL announced a reduction in U.S. operations and a cut of about 9,500 American jobs. More than a million jobs have been lost in the United States during the last year, pushing the unemployment rate up a full point in the same time period.
星期二，更多的美国公司宣布了令人失望的盈利报告和裁员。星期一，位于德国的敦豪快运宣布裁减在美国的运作规模以及削减9千5百个美国工作。在过去一年的时间里，美国损失了一百多万个就业机会。
Among the sectors 10 shedding jobs is the U.S. automobile 11 industry. Congress has already approved $25 billion in low-interest loans to America's top-three carmakers to help them retool 13 production and make more fuel-efficient vehicles. Aides close to President-elect Barack Obama are among those who say the industry needs another $25 billion in government aid to stave off bankruptcy 14.
美国的汽车工业是工作遭到削减的行业之一。美国国会已经批准向美国三大汽车制造商提供250亿美元的低息贷款，帮助他们更新生产能力，生产更省油的汽车。包括当选总统奥巴马的助手在内的一些人说，美国的汽车生产商还需要250亿的政府援助才能避免倒闭。
Analyst 15 Peter Brown of the trade magazine Automotive News says the situation is dire 16 for General Motors and other U.S. carmakers.
汽车新闻杂志的分析师布朗说，通用汽车公司以及其他的美国汽车生产商所面临的处境极为艰难。
"Right now the choices are pretty stark 17: bailout or failure," he said. "If GM [General Motors] fails, [then] all kinds of suppliers fail. The other two Detroit automakers would soon fail. There would be a large collapse 18 of a very important part of the economy."
他说：“现在他们面临的选择非常分明：要么获得救助，要么倒闭。如果通用汽车公司倒闭，那么各种各样的供应商也会倒闭。另外两家底特律的汽车生产商很快也会倒闭。美国经济中很重要的一部分将会出现大崩溃。”
Carmakers are the largest component 19 of America's dwindling 20 manufacturing base.
汽车制造商是美国日益缩小的制造业中的最大组成部分。
President-elect Obama is reported to have pushed for a quick infusion 21 of government cash for automobile makers 12 when he met with President Bush at the White House on Monday.
当选总统奥巴马据信星期一在白宫与布什总统会晤时敦促政府给汽车制造商迅速注入现金。
For its part, the Bush administration has urged Congress to ratify 22 a free trade pact 23 between the United States and Colombia as a means to boost economic activity for both nations. So far, Congress has refused to consider the accord. The White House denied any attempt by Mr. Bush to link aid for carmakers to passage of the free trade deal.
而布什政府则敦促国会批准美国与哥伦比亚达成的自由贸易协议，作为推动两国经济活动的途径。到目前为止，国会拒绝考虑这个贸易协议。白宫否认布什总统试图把对汽车制造商提供援助与国会对这个自由贸易协定的批准联系在一起。
The near-constant drumbeat of negative economic news continues to punish stock markets. Shares in Tokyo fell by three percent, while Hong Kong saw a plunge 24 of nearly five percent. Major European markets were down between three and six percent.
连续不断的负面经济消息继续打压全球股市。纽约股市星期二暴跌2%。东京股市下跌了3%，香港股市的跌幅接近5%。欧洲各大股市的跌幅在3%到6%之间。
- Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
- The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。
- Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
- She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。
- 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。
- 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》
- 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。
- Most delinquent children have deprived backgrounds.多数少年犯都有未受教育的背景。
- He is delinquent in paying his rent.他拖欠房租。
- The law,in its present form,is unjust;it needs modification.现行的法律是不公正的，它需要修改。
- The design requires considerable modification.这个设计需要作大的修改。
- That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
- Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。
- 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
- Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- 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。
- The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
- The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Each time the product changes,the machines have to be retooled.每次更换产品，就得重新装备机器。
- In the computer industry,engineers have to retool frequently.在电脑业中，工程师必须经常以新知识充实装备自己。
- You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
- His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。
- What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
- The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。
- There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
- We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。
- The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
- He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。
- The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
- The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。
- Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
- Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。
- The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句
- 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。
- The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。
- The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。
- The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
- The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。