VOA标准英语10月-White House says US In for 'Tough' Economic Times
时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2008年（十月）
White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino, 23 Oct 2008
As a rule, White House spokespeople strenuously 2 avoid economic predictions, particularly when the nation's financial outlook is dim.
So it was all the more remarkable 3 that President Bush's press secretary, Dana Perino, all but stated that the United States could be in a recession.
"We are in for a rocky road on the employment front, and expect our GDP [gross domestic product] number next week not to be a good one," she said. "And the next quarter could probably be tough, as well."
Two consecutive 4 quarters of negative economic growth meet the technical definition of a recession.
Earlier in the day, the Labor 5 Department reported another jump in the number of people filing for government unemployment benefits. The news came as a wide variety of U.S. companies - from Internet firms to investment houses to auto 6 manufacturers - announced cuts in their workforces 7. Many of America's best-known corporations have recently announced disappointing earnings 8 that point to a broad economic slowdown.
Former US Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan (File)
On Capitol Hill, former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said the United States is facing a "once-in-a-century tsunami 9" of tight credit and housing woes 10. He predicted the economy will get worse before it gets better.
Perino did not challenge Greenspan's assessment 11, saying current economic conditions make it all the more important that the financial rescue package President Bush signed into law earlier this month be implemented 12 as quickly as possible.
"I do not forecast from here [the podium], but looking at reality and how long it is going to take for people to return this country to job growth, it could be a while," she said. "The president knows that we are in for a rough ride, which is why he has asked us to work everyday to try to make sure that we are doing everything we can to pull us out of this slowdown."
In February, when the first signs of economic weakness were emerging, Congress passed an economic stimulus 13 plan consisting mainly of rebate 14 checks to American taxpayers 15. Asked about the prospects 16 of rapidly enacting 17 a second stimulus package, Perino noted 18 that Congress will not be in full session until after the November elections.
- A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
- The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。
- The company has strenuously defended its decision to reduce the workforce. 公司竭力为其裁员的决定辩护。
- She denied the accusation with some warmth, ie strenuously, forcefully. 她有些激动，竭力否认这一指责。
- She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
- These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
- It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
- The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。
- 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。
- 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。
- The Web has allowed companies to become more distributed and workforces to become more flexible. 网站已允许各公司更加分散，工作队伍也变得更加灵活。
- They are large centres of business in their own with skilled workforces and business-friendly environments. 从自身条件来说，它们都是大型商业中心，拥有大批技能型劳动力和友好的商业运作环境。
- 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%。
- Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
- Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。
- Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
- She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。
- This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
- What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？
- This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句
- 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。
- You can claim a rebate on your tax.你可以要求退回部分税款。
- Customers are to benefit from a rebate on their electricity bills.顾客将从他们的电费退费中得到实惠。
- Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
- She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。
- There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
- They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。
- Generally these statutes apply only to wastes from reactors outside the enacting state. 总之，这些法令只适宜用在对付那些来自外州的核废料。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
- In addition, the complexion of enacting standards for live working is described. 另外，介绍了带电作业标准的制订情况。