NPR邊聽邊練61:美參議院避免墜入財(cái)政懸崖
一、泛聽建議：
1、完整聽一遍，掌握大意。
2、繼續(xù)聽，特別注意關(guān)鍵信息。遇到相似的詞，寫下來(lái)。
3、復(fù)述新聞。
Just before 2 am, the US Senate overwhelmingly endorsed a measure to _1_ the government economy in free fall. But despite the post deadline timing, the House _2_ pass the bill. The situation leaving federal fiscal affairs once again in limbo. On the House floor,Congressman Dennis Kucinich said it reminded him of a movie.
凌晨?jī)牲c(diǎn)以前，美國(guó)參議院以壓倒性的支持率通過(guò)避免政府經(jīng)濟(jì)持續(xù)下滑的方案。盡管已經(jīng)過(guò)了最后期限，白宮卻并不急于通過(guò)該議案。目前的形勢(shì)使聯(lián)邦財(cái)政事務(wù)再次陷入僵局。眾議院方面，國(guó)會(huì)議員丹尼斯?庫(kù)西尼奇表示，這使他想起了一部電影。
A New Year's deal for New Year's day, or it's a Groundhog Day, because like the movie, Groundhog Day, this government in two months will arrive at another crisis of debt, of spending and taxes.
在元旦進(jìn)行的新年協(xié)議，或者是土撥鼠日，就像電影《土撥鼠日》一樣，政府在兩個(gè)月后將再次面臨債務(wù)危機(jī)，政府花費(fèi)以及稅務(wù)的壓力。
The Senate _3_ plan would raise taxes on annual family income over $450,000, cancel pay raises for Congress and help prevent milk prices from rising dramatically. The measure would _4_ benefits for the long-term jobless and prevent a 27% cut in fees for doctors who treat medicare patients. NPR's John Ydstie says big issues remain _5_.
參議院通過(guò)的議案顯示，上調(diào)年收入45萬(wàn)美元以上的家庭所承擔(dān)的稅率，取消國(guó)會(huì)加薪的計(jì)劃，避免牛奶價(jià)格大幅上升。這份議案將增加對(duì)長(zhǎng)期失業(yè)的救濟(jì)，而且也能避免醫(yī)生在治療有醫(yī)保的患者時(shí)，所收費(fèi)用減少27%的情況。據(jù)NPR新聞的John Ydstie報(bào)道，重大問題仍舊沒有解決。
One part of the fiscal cliff that is being put off by this deal is the issue of the automatic spending cuts, the $110 billion in spending cuts from defense and from discretionary programs. The Congress would deal with those about two months from now under this deal. But that comes at the same time as the Congress will _6_ a fight over raising the debt ceiling. So it could be another time _7_ the economy. NPR's John
Ydstie.
“財(cái)政懸崖”的一方面，即“自動(dòng)減赤機(jī)制”所包括的1100億美元的國(guó)防項(xiàng)目及其他項(xiàng)目減支計(jì)劃，因這份法案而推遲了。國(guó)會(huì)將從現(xiàn)在開始，依據(jù)這份法案處理相關(guān)事宜。可是國(guó)會(huì)同時(shí)還將面臨提高債務(wù)上限的爭(zhēng)斗。所以，經(jīng)濟(jì)受到威脅的時(shí)間可能會(huì)再次來(lái)臨。NPR新聞，John Ydstie報(bào)道。
詞匯解析：
1、endorsed 批注的;授讓的; 支持，贊同;批注(文件，公文等)
eg.I can endorse their opinion wholeheartedly.
我可以全心全意地支持他們的觀點(diǎn)。
2、 in limbo 擱置;陷入僵局;進(jìn)退兩難;處于不穩(wěn)定(或中間過(guò)渡)狀態(tài)
eg. Progress can be served by hanging in limbo, asking questions, allowing time and space to linger between identities.
即便搖擺不定，問題多多，在不同身份間切換，我們還是在進(jìn)步。
eg. That's why, more than two years after Greece's first bailout, bigger reforms to the European project are still in limbo.
這也解釋了為何從初次推出挽救希臘計(jì)劃以來(lái)，兩年多的時(shí)間內(nèi)大的歐洲改革計(jì)劃都被擱置一旁。
3. remind somebody of something 使回想起;提醒某人某事
eg. The pictures remind me of my school days.
這些照片使我想起了我的學(xué)生時(shí)代。
eg. I must remind you of your prior commitment to the matter.
我必須提醒你先期對(duì)這件事所做出的承諾。
eg. Everyday's sunshine will remind me of that merry period belonging to you and me.
每日的陽(yáng)光都會(huì)讓我想起那段曾經(jīng)屬于你我的歡樂時(shí)光。
4、Groundhog Day：土撥鼠日
在傳統(tǒng)的土撥鼠日這一天，主人公陷入了一個(gè)偷天陷阱(這部片子的另一個(gè)譯名)，每當(dāng)他第二天醒來(lái)，都是相同的一天：土撥鼠日。這永恒的一天中，永遠(yuǎn)都是相同的人與事。必然有一個(gè)人要在路上相遇，必然有一個(gè)人要被汽車撞死。在起初的一段痛不欲生的階段之后，這個(gè)倒霉鬼發(fā)現(xiàn)自己即使四處搗亂被關(guān)進(jìn)監(jiān)獄，即使從十層樓頂跳下去，第二天清晨還是舒舒服服的躺在自己床上，開始又一個(gè)陽(yáng)光燦爛的土撥鼠日。他開始大徹大悟：原來(lái)沒有明天也就意味著一切行為都沒有后果。沒有明天也就意味著對(duì)于未來(lái)的全知全能。
5. put off 敷衍;使分心;延期;脫去(衣、帽等);使反感;使對(duì)…失去興趣
eg. Women who put off having a baby often make the best mothers.
晚育的女性經(jīng)常會(huì)成為最優(yōu)秀的母親。
eg. The Association has put the event off until October.
協(xié)會(huì)已把這次活動(dòng)推遲至10月。
eg. The old priest tried to put them off, saying that the hour was late.
老牧師搪塞他們說(shuō)時(shí)間太晚了。
eg. The high divorce figures don't seem to be putting people off marriage.
離婚的人很多，但這好像并沒有打消人們對(duì)結(jié)婚的熱情。
eg. She asked me to be serious — said it put her off if I laughed...
她要求我嚴(yán)肅一點(diǎn)——說(shuō)如果我笑的話會(huì)使她分心。
1、catch 2、is not rushing to 3、passed 4、extend
5、unresolved 6、be facing 7、threatens
