NPR邊聽邊練54:法國(guó)被稱為歐洲心臟的一顆定時(shí)炸彈
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。
French politicians and business leaders _1_ angrily to British weekly magazine The Economist for its cover story this week. It describes the French economy as the biggest danger to Europe's currency. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports The Economist called France a _2_ time bomb in the heart of Europe.
法國(guó)政治家和商界領(lǐng)袖對(duì)英國(guó)周刊《經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》本周的封面報(bào)道感到十分憤怒，因?yàn)樗鼘⒎▏?guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)形容為歐洲貨幣最大的威脅。據(jù)NPR記者埃莉諾?比爾茲利報(bào)道，《經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》把法國(guó)稱為歐洲心臟的一顆定時(shí)炸彈。
Showing a bundle of baguette loaves with the dynamite fuse burning down, The Economist warned that France was a bigger danger to the euro currency than debt-stricken countries Italy, Spain and Portugal. The respected right-leaning British weekly said high taxes on businesses were eroding the country's competitiveness, and that both French leaders and voters _3_ behind on much needed economic reforms. Far-left French Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg said the Economist was known for exaggerations and French bashing. And even capitalist-minded business groups said the magazine's claims were completely exaggerated. Socialist President Francois Hollande has now may reducing the French deficit and making French companies _4_ his top priority, to the point where left-leaning voters and unions have called him a traitor. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.
法國(guó)就像一捆系著導(dǎo)火索的面包一樣，隨時(shí)都可能爆炸。《經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》警告，與意大利、西班牙和葡萄牙這些陷入債務(wù)危機(jī)的國(guó)家相比，法國(guó)對(duì)歐元的威脅更大?！督?jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》十分受人敬重，且思想右傾。該雜志認(rèn)為，對(duì)企業(yè)征收高額的稅費(fèi)在不斷削弱法國(guó)的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力，法國(guó)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人和選民的處境堪憂，急需經(jīng)濟(jì)改革。法國(guó)極左派人士工業(yè)部長(zhǎng)阿爾諾?蒙特布爾表示，《經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》以夸大事實(shí)和抨擊法國(guó)而聞名。甚至一些資本主義集團(tuán)也認(rèn)為該雜志的觀點(diǎn)完全夸大了事實(shí)。社會(huì)黨總統(tǒng)弗朗索瓦?奧朗德已把減少法國(guó)的赤字和增強(qiáng)企業(yè)的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力作為首要任務(wù)。因此，左傾選民和工會(huì)稱奧朗德為叛國(guó)賊。NPR記者埃莉諾?比爾茲利法國(guó)報(bào)道。
President Obama urged Congress to pass legislation to make sure _5_ Americans don't see tax increases at the New Year. Mr. Obama used his weekly media address to talk about the "fiscal cliff." This raises taxes on everybody and imposes spending cuts. In the Republicans' weekly response, New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte says the "fiscal cliff" cannot be averted unless lawmakers seriously address entitlement programs, such as Social Security.
奧巴馬總統(tǒng)催促國(guó)會(huì)通過立法，確保在新年之際更多美國(guó)富人的稅收會(huì)增加。奧巴馬在總統(tǒng)每周廣播演講中談到“財(cái)政懸崖”。若美國(guó)跌入“財(cái)政懸崖”，所有人的稅收將會(huì)增加，削減開支計(jì)劃也會(huì)強(qiáng)制執(zhí)行。在共和黨人每周演講中，新罕布什爾參議員凱利?阿約特表示，只有國(guó)會(huì)認(rèn)真改革像社會(huì)保險(xiǎn)這樣的福利計(jì)劃，美國(guó)才能避免“財(cái)政懸崖”。
詞匯解析：
1、currency n. 貨幣;通貨
Tourism is the country's top earner of foreign currency.
旅游業(yè)是該國(guó)外匯收入最高的行業(yè)。
2、dynamite fuse:導(dǎo)火線
3、erode. 腐蝕，侵蝕
Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.
金融市場(chǎng)的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)降低了利潤(rùn)。
4、bashing n. 猛擊，抨擊;用廢矸石充填采空區(qū)v. 怒毆(bash的ing形式)
I bashed him on the head and dumped him in the water.
我猛揍他的頭，然后把他扔到了水里。
5、traitor n. 叛徒;賣國(guó)賊;背信棄義的人
Some say he's a traitor to the peace movement.
一些人說(shuō)他是和平運(yùn)動(dòng)的背叛者。
1、have reacted 2、ticking 3、were dangerously 4、more competitive 5、less affluent
