(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.
A policy dispute is taking shape in Washington over a government agency that helps exporters. On one side is the American business community. On the other side are conservative Republican Party lawmakers. Unless Congress takes action, the Export-Import Bank of the United States could be forced to stop accepting new customers at the end of June.
W.S. Darley and Company is a 108-year-old family business. It makes fire trucks in the United States, and sells them all over the world.
The Export-Import Bank provides loans or other assistance to buyers of U.S. products. Peter Darley is Darley's Chief Executive Officer.
"They (the customers) can spread their payments out over a period of time, makes it more affordable."
Business leaders and officials say small companies making products from pickles to ice cream have received help from the Export-Import Bank. The bank's supporters recently met in Washington. They say U.S. exports would slow without help from the government agency. And that, they say, would hurt economic growth.
The Export-Import Bank also provides help to big companies. The aircraft maker Boeing receives help from the bank. Boeing says it would have to move some of its manufacturing jobs overseas without the help it receives.
But Delta Airlines has a different opinion about the government agency. Delta says the bank has helped foreign customers buy airplanes from Boeing at a lower cost than it can. The airline company says that hurts its profits and U.S. aviation jobs.
Delta's concerns are one reason for planned hearings next month in the U.S. Senate. This week, the House of Representatives' Financial Services Committee held hearings. Texas Congressman Jeb Hensarling is a Republican and chairman of the committee. Before the hearing, he said big companies get the majority of the bank's assistance.
"The smarter and fairer way to promote American exports is by fundamental tax reform, strong trade agreements, a regulatory freeze with the exception of health and safety, and greater American energy independence with projects like the keystone pipeline."
But supporters argue that the Export-Import Bank provides important help when competing with government-supported foreign companies. The head of the bank, Fred Hochberg, says his agency helps both large and small U.S. businesses.
"Companies come to us and say we either have to meet the competition, because foreign governments are supporting our competitors, or we are selling in a market where conventional financing is simply not available."
Fred Hochberg says he is hopeful the Export-Import Bank will survive. He notes that 60 nations, including China and India, have similar agencies to support their exports.
And that's the VOA Learning English Economics Report. I'm Mario Ritter.
词汇解释
1.pickle n. 泡菜；盐卤；腌制食品 vt. 泡；腌制
Select your favourite fruit or veg and pickle them while they are still fresh.
挑选你最喜欢的水果或蔬菜，趁新鲜腌制起来。
2.aviation n. 航空；飞行术；飞机制造业
It's believed the affair was potentially harmful to British aviation.
据信该事件可能对英国航空业造成不利影响。
3.freeze vi. 冻结；冷冻；僵硬 vt. 使…冻住；使…结冰 n. 冻结；凝固
A wage freeze was imposed on all staff earlier this month.
本月早些时候，所有员工的工资都被冻结了。
4.conventional adj. 符合习俗的，传统的；常见的；惯例的
We must reduce the danger of war by controlling nuclear, chemical, and conventional arms.
我们必须通过控制核武器、化学武器和常规武器来降低战争的危险。
内容解析
1.A policy dispute is taking shape in Washington over a government agency that helps exporters.
take shape 形成；成形；体现；具体化
The new building is beginning to take shape.
新大楼已初具规模。
Our thoughts will take shape in action.
我们的想法将逐步付诸于行动。
2. Unless Congress takes action, the Export-Import Bank of the United States could be forced to stop accepting new customers at the end of June.
be forced to do 被迫做；被强迫做某事
He may be forced to carry out his threat to resign.
他也许会被迫把自己的辞职威胁付诸行动。
The banks would be forced to absorb large losses.
银行将被迫承受巨大的损失。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。
在华盛顿，有关一个帮助出口商的政府机构的政策纷争正在成形，争论的一方是美国商界，另一方是保守的共和党议员们。除非国会采取行动，否则美国进出口银行将在6月底被迫停止接纳新客户。
美国达利公司是一家有着108年历史的家族企业，该公司在美国生产消防车，并将之出售到世界各地。
进出口银行为美国商品的买家提供贷款等帮助，彼得·达利是代理公司的首席执行官。
“客户可以分期付款，这样就能买得起产品。”
商界领袖和官员们称，制造从泡菜到冰淇淋的小公司都从进出口银行获得帮助，该银行的支持者最近与会华盛顿，他们称如果没有这家政府机构的帮助，美国的出口将放缓，他们称这将有损经济发展。
进出口银行还为大公司提供帮助，飞机制造商波音公司就从该银行获得帮助，波音称如果没有这些帮助，就不得不将部分制造业岗位转移到海外。
但达美航空公司对这家政府机构有着不同看法，达美称该行帮助外国客户低于本公司的价格从波音公司购买飞机，这家航空公司称这就损害了公司利润和美国航空业的就业。
达美的担忧是计划下月举行美国参议院听证会的原因之一，本周，众议院金融服务委员会举行了听证会。德州议员杰布·亨萨林和共和党成员兼该委员会主席。在举行听证会之前，他说大公司获得该行的大部分援助。
“推动美国出口更明智、更公平的方法是进行根本的税收改革和强有力的贸易协议，冻结除健康和安全之外的法规，以及keystone管道等可以让美国能源获得更大独立性的项目。”
但支持者声称，在与政府支持的外国公司进行竞争时，进出口银行提供了重要帮助，该行行长弗雷德·霍赫伯格称本行帮助了美国大大小小的企业。
“这些公司来找我们，称他们要么必须面对竞争，因为外国政府在支持我们的竞争者，要么声称他们是在得不到常规贷款的市场做生意。”
弗雷德·霍赫伯格称他对进出口银行能够存活下来充满希望，他指出，包括中国和印度在内的60个国家都有支持其出口的类似机构。
这就是美国之音慢速英语经济报道，我是马里奥·利特。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
