中级班_voa_2精读.pdfVIP

二、每日报道精读 Future Payments for Retirees Are a Big Issue Today for US States 【译文】将来的退休金，现在成了州政府的大问题 【讲解】一个未来，一个现在，就形成了对比。a big issue，一个大问题。 【原文】State and local governments across the 【译文】美国各州和地方政府正 United States are facing big budget deficits. 面临着巨大的预算赤字问题。许 Many of these shortfalls include promises of 多缺口源于对公务员未来退休 future retirement payments for public 工资的许诺。 employees. 由于退休计划 （基金）已经降到 Several states have had to borrow money for 了规定的给付水平以下，几个州 pension plans that have fallen below required 被迫借债支付养老金。州和地方 funding levels. Pay and benefits for public 政府要削减支出，政府雇员的薪 workers have been a target as state and local 资和福利首当其冲。与此同时， governments try to cut spending. At the same 几个州还出 了措施，削弱公务 time, there are efforts in several states to 员的（集体）谈判权。 reduce the negotiating rights of public employees. 【讲解】shortfall，缺口，差额。include 直译是包括。所谓的promise 就是答应给你 的薪资和福利等等。funding levels，给付水平。也就是说，雇员早前缴纳的养老金， 已经不足以支付他们的退休工资了。to reduce the negotiating rights of public employees，这个问题上周的经济报道谈到过。实际上就是削弱公务员工会的权力。 【原文】In many cases, public employee unions 【译文】在许多地方，公务员工 have agreed to accept lower pay. But they 会已经同意了降薪，但是反对限 oppose efforts to limit collective bargaining. An 制集体谈判权的措施。威斯康辛 effort by Republicans to do that in Wisconsin 州共和党人的一项做法导致了 has led protesters to occupy the state capitol 示威人群占领了州议会大厦。 building. 几乎每一个州都要求预算平衡。 1 Almost every state requires a balanced budget. 然而，州和地方政府可能无法偿 Yet worries that state and local governments 还债务，对此的担心又增加了借 might not be able to repay their debts are now 贷的成本。伊利诺伊州就被迫承 adding to the costs of borrowing. Illinois had to 诺，2019 年到期的政府债券收 offer a high return of nearly six percent on 益率高达近6%。 bonds to be repaid by twenty nineteen.