NPR边听边练66:美国财政谈判将更为复杂

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　　一、泛听建议：

　　1、完整听一遍，掌握大意。

　　2、继续听，特别注意关键信息。遇到相似的词，写下来。

　　3、复述新闻。

　　Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell today ruled out raising tax revenues as part of dealing¹ with the budget deficits². He said the legislation that _1_ higher income tax rates on wealthier Americans _2_ . He says the tax issue is finished. McConnell was interviewed this morning on ABC's "This Week." On Fox News Sunday Congressman³ Chris Van Hollen _3_ . The Maryland Democrat⁴ said Congress must consider _4_ revenue as well as cutting spending to reduce deficits.

　　今天，参议院共和党领袖米奇?麦康奈尔排除了用增加税收来解决预算赤字的可能。他表示，法案已经决定了提高富有美国人的税率。麦康奈尔说，税收问题已经解决。今天早上，麦康奈尔接受了ABC电视台《本周》节目的采访。周日，国会议员克里斯?范?霍伦在福克斯新闻频道发表了不同的观点。这位马里兰州民主党人士称，为了减少赤字，国会必须同时采取增加税收和削减开支的方式。

　　"If Mitch McConnel is gonna draw that line in the sand, it's gonna be a recipe for more gridlock."

　　“如果米奇?麦康奈尔要划清界限的话，那会引起更大的僵局。”

　　And on CBS's "Face the Nation" House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said Congress should examine the tax code to _5_ to raise more revenue.

　　众议院民主党领袖南希?佩洛西参加CBS电视台的《Face the Nation》节目时表示，国会应检查税法，以填补漏洞，增加税收。

　　Negotiations⁵ between Congress and the White House on budget matters may _6_ by the fact that Treasury⁶ Secretary Timothy Geithner _7_ office by the end of the month. Steve Beckner of Market News International has more.

　　由于财政部长蒂莫西?盖特纳月底将离职，国会和白宫就预算问题的谈判将变得更复杂。国际市场新闻社的记者史蒂夫?贝克纳将带来详细报道。

　　Although an eleventh-hour deal raising taxes on upper-income Americans _8_ the so-called "fiscal⁷ cliff," there are thorny⁸ problems yet to be resolved on government spending and the debt ceiling. But Geithner, who played a central role in battling the financial crisis and who has been President Obama's point man on fiscal policy for four years, won't be there to handle negations with Congress this time. He has said he will leave Treasury _9_ . That will force the president to nominate a replacement⁹ for Senate confirmation¹⁰ at a very awkward time in the budgetary process. For NPR News, I'm Steve Beckner.

　　虽然经过11个小时的谈判，在增加高收入美国人的税收问题上达成一致，暂时避免了所谓的“财政悬崖”，但是政府减支和债务上限的难题仍亟待解决。可是，应对金融危机的关键人物，四年来帮助奥巴马总统制定财政政策的核心人物——盖特纳，这次将不再参与与国会的谈判。盖特纳表示，他将在几周后离任。在预算进程这样艰难的形势下，盖特纳的离任迫使总统要提名接任者，并得到参议院的确认。NPR新闻，我是史蒂夫?贝克纳。

　　Royal Dutch Shell says its grounded drill rig is ready to _10_ the rocks where it's been stranded¹¹ since New Year's Eve. Officials say they are waiting for the right weather and time conditions. The barge¹² is carrying 150,000 gallons of diesel¹³ fuel.

　　荷兰皇家壳牌石油公司表示已准备好将搁置的钻井机从岩石中拖出来，该钻井机自新年前夕便困在了岩石中。官员表示，他们正在等待合适的天气条件和时间条件。驳船将运送150，000加仑的柴油燃料。

　　This is NPR News from Washington.

　　这里是华盛顿NPR新闻。

　　词汇解析：

　　1、rule out排除；不予考虑；阻止…发生；使…成为不可能

　　eg. The Prime Minister is believed to have ruled out cuts in child benefit or pensions...

　　据信首相已经排除了削减儿童救济金或养老金的可能。

　　eg. Local detectives have ruled out foul¹⁴ play.

　　当地的侦探已经排除了他杀的可能性。

　　eg. A serious car accident in 1986 ruled out a permanent future for him in farming.

　　1986年一场严重的车祸让他永远不可能再务农了。

　　2. draw a line in the sand划清界线

　　eg. Gordon brown, the british prime minister, accused iran of "serial¹⁵ deception¹⁶ over many years" and concluded that outsiders have "no choice today but to draw a line in the sand."

　　英国首相布朗指控伊朗多年来都在耍花招，并且总结说旁观者“除了划清界限外别无选择”。

　　But at some point, before too much code gets written, it is important to draw a line in the sand and create a requirements baseline.

　　但在某些点上，在编写大量代码之前，必须划清界线，建立需求的基线。

　　1、allowed 2、is done 3、disagreed 4、raising more 5、close loopholes

　　6、be further complicated 7、will be leaving 8、has temporarily averted

　　9、in a matter of weeks 10、be towed off

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