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拜登与国会未能就债务上限达成一致
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周二，拜登总统和众议院议长凯文·麦卡锡在白宫举行了一次关键会议。
双语精读
Biden and McCarthy Reach No Consensus as a Possible Default Looms
违约迫在眉睫，但拜登和麦卡锡未能达成共识
President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy emerged from a critical meeting at the White House on Tuesday with no consensus on how to end their impasse over the federal debt and spending just weeks before the nation is set to default on its obligations for the first time.
周二，拜登总统和众议院议长凯文·麦卡锡在白宫举行了一次关键会议，二人就如何结束他们在联邦债务和支出问题上的僵局未能达成共识，而几周后，美国可能首次出现债务违约。
With the economy hanging in the balance, the two leaders stuck to their opening positions, with Mr. Biden demanding that Congress raise the debt ceiling unconditionally to avoid a default and Mr. McCarthy insisting such a move be accompanied by serious spending restraints.
在经济前景不甚明朗的情况下，两位领导人都坚持最初的立场，拜登要求国会无条件提高债务上限，以避免违约，而麦卡锡则坚持，此举必须伴随着严格的支出限制。
But the two agreed to have aides meet later in the day and to reconvene themselves on Friday.
但两人同意让助手们在当天晚些时候会面，并在周五重新开会。
The session in the Oval Office, the first such meeting in three months between the Democratic president and Republican speaker, was the opening act in a drama expected to play out over the next few weeks as the nation hurtles toward a deadline around June 1 before running out of authority to pay its debts.
这次在椭圆办公室举行的会议是民主党总统和共和党议长三个月来首次举行这样的会晤，这也是将在未来几周上演的一场戏剧性事件的开幕，因为美国很快将迎来6月1日左右的最后期限，超过这个日期，美国将耗尽其借款还债的权限。
Neither side expected the meeting to produce a breakthrough, and it did not. Instead, it was a chance for both camps to lay down markers for the make-or-break debate.
双方都没有期望这次会议能取得突破，结果也确实没有。相反，这次会议只是让两个阵营为这场不成则败的争论亮明自己的态度。
"I made clear during our meeting that default is not an option," Mr. Biden said after the session in the Oval Office. "I repeated that time and again. America is not a deadbeat nation. We pay our bills and avoiding default is a basic duty of the United States Congress."
"我在会议期间明确表示，没有违约这个选择。"拜登在椭圆办公室的会议结束后说，"我一遍又一遍地重复这一点：美国不是一个赖账的国家。我们会还钱，而避免违约是美国国会的一项基本职责。"
But he added: "I'm prepared to begin a separate discussion about my budget and spending priorities but not under the threat of default."
但他补充说："我准备开始单独讨论预算和支出优先事项的问题，但不是在面临违约的威胁下进行讨论。"
Meeting with reporters as he left the White House, Mr. McCarthy said the two sides remained at loggerheads.
麦卡锡在离开白宫接受记者采访时表示，双方仍然争执不下。
"I didn't see any new movement," he said. He added that he had asked Mr. Biden "numerous times" if there were places in the federal budget where they could find cuts. "They wouldn't give me any," he said.
"我没有看到任何新的动作。"他表示。他补充说，他曾"无数次"询问拜登，联邦政府预算中还有没有可以削减开支的地方。"但他们说没有。"他表示。
词汇预习
economy [高考]
美[ɪˈkɑːnəmi] | 英[ɪˈkɒnəmi]
n. 经济；节约 adj. 经济的；廉价的
critical [高考]
美[ˈkrɪtɪkl] | 英[ˈkrɪtɪkl]
adj. 批评的；挑剔的；决定性的；危险的 adj. 临界的
threat [高考]
美[θret] | 英[θret]
n. 威胁；恐吓；凶兆
option [高考]
美[ˈɑːpʃn] | 英[ˈɒpʃn]
n. 选项；选择；选择权；可选择的事物 v. 购买（或出售）…的选择权
numerous [高考]
美[ˈnuːmərəs] | 英[ˈnjuːmərəs]
adj. 为数众多的；许多
debate [高考]
美[dɪˈbeɪt] | 英[dɪˈbeɪt]
n. 辩论；讨论 vt. 争论；思考 vi. 辩论
session [高考]
美[ˈseʃn] | 英[ˈseʃn]
n. 会议；会期；开庭期；学期；一段时间
budget [高考]
美[ˈbʌdʒɪt] | 英[ˈbʌdʒɪt]
n. 预算 vt. 编预算；为 ... 做预算 vi. 节省开支 adj. 廉价的；不贵的
debt [高考]
美[det] | 英[det]
n. 债务；恩情；负债状态；义务；罪
federal [高考]
美[ˈfedərəl] | 英[ˈfedərəl]
adj. 联邦制的；联邦政府的；同盟的 n. 联邦主义者；同盟盟友
breakthrough [高考]
美[ˈbreɪkθruː] | 英[ˈbreɪkθruː]
n. 突破，突破性进展；关键问题的解决
consensus [高考]
美[kənˈsensəs] | 英[kənˈsensəs]
n. 一致；同意；共识
where [高考]
美[wer] | 英[weə(r)]
adv. 在哪里；在那个地方 conj. 在 ... 地方
time and again [四级]
美[taɪm ənd əˈɡɛn] | 英[taim ænd əˈɡen]
多次； 常常
demanding [四级]
美[dɪˈmændɪŋ] | 英[dɪˈmɑːndɪŋ]
adj. 要求多的；吃力的
default [六级]
美[dɪˈfɔːlt] | 英[dɪˈfɔːlt]
n. 默认(值)，系统设定值；不履行，违约；；缺席，弃权 v. 违约，不履行义务，拖欠；默认，预设；弃权，未到场 adj. 默认的
out of [六级]
美[aʊt ʌv] | 英[aut ɔv]
prep. 离…一段距离；从…里；离开 ...；出于
set to [六级]
美[sɛt tu] | 英[set tu:]
动手干； 认真开始干； 争论； 拳赛； 殴斗
lay down [六级]
美[leɪ daʊn] | 英[leɪ daʊn]
放下（武器）； 放弃； 制定、强制性宣称（法律、规则）； 拟定(地图比例等)
play out [六级]
美[pleɪ aʊt] | 英[plei aut]
n. 发生；演到终场；放出；精疲力尽
impasse [专八]
美[ˈɪmpæs] | 英[ˈæmpɑ:s]
n. 僵局；死路
重点讲解
Biden and McCarthy Reach No Consensus as a Possible Default Looms
违约迫在眉睫，但拜登和麦卡锡未能达成共识
emerge from 从……中出现；经历了……事
【例】She emerged from the scandal with her reputation intact.
她经历了丑闻，名声丝毫未受影响。
She emerged from the divorce a stronger person.
她经历了离婚后，成了一个更坚强的人。
She emerged from the sea, blue with cold.
她从海水中走出来，浑身冻得发青。
impasse n. 僵局；死路
【例】to reach/break/end an impasse 陷入/打破/结束僵局
【近义词】deadlock/dead end 僵局；死胡同
President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy emerged from a critical meeting at the White House on Tuesday with no consensus on how to end their impasse over the federal debt and spending just weeks before the nation is set to default on its obligations for the first time.
周二，拜登总统和众议院议长凯文·麦卡锡在白宫举行了一次关键会议，二人就如何结束他们在联邦债务和支出问题上的僵局未能达成共识，而几周后，美国可能首次出现债务违约。
emerge from 从……中出现；经历了……事
【例】She emerged from the scandal with her reputation intact.
她经历了丑闻，名声丝毫未受影响。
She emerged from the divorce a stronger person.
她经历了离婚后，成了一个更坚强的人。
She emerged from the sea, blue with cold.
她从海水中走出来，浑身冻得发青。
impasse n. 僵局；死路
【例】to reach/break/end an impasse 陷入/打破/结束僵局
【近义词】deadlock/dead end 僵局；死胡同
With the economy hanging in the balance, the two leaders stuck to their opening positions, with Mr. Biden demanding that Congress raise the debt ceiling unconditionally to avoid a default and Mr. McCarthy insisting such a move be accompanied by serious spending restraints.
在经济前景不甚明朗的情况下，两位领导人都坚持最初的立场，拜登要求国会无条件提高债务上限，以避免违约，而麦卡锡则坚持，此举必须伴随着严格的支出限制。
hang in the balance （前途）不明朗；（结果）悬而未决
【例】The future of the company hangs in the balance.
公司的未来模糊不清。
【拓展】off balance 失去平衡；不知所措
【例】I was caught off balance by the unexpected question.
面对突如其来的问题，我一下子不知所措。
stick to 坚持；坚守
【例】stick to practicing the piano/your view/the subject 坚持练钢琴/坚持你的观点/紧扣主题
But the two agreed to have aides meet later in the day and to reconvene themselves on Friday.
但两人同意让助手们在当天晚些时候会面，并在周五重新开会。
convene v. 召开（正式会议）
【例】Top leaders of six nations convened in a friendly atmosphere.
六国的高级领导人在友好的气氛中开会。
The session in the Oval Office, the first such meeting in three months between the Democratic president and Republican speaker, was the opening act in a drama expected to play out over the next few weeks as the nation hurtles toward a deadline around June 1 before running out of authority to pay its debts.
这次在椭圆办公室举行的会议是民主党总统和共和党议长三个月来首次举行这样的会晤，这也是将在未来几周上演的一场戏剧性事件的开幕，因为美国很快将迎来6月1日左右的最后期限，超过这个日期，美国将耗尽其借款还债的权限。
hurtle v. 飞驰；猛冲
【例】He was hurtling along the road in a car.
他开着车，沿着公路飞驰而过。
【近义词】race v. 快速移动
【辨析】hurdle n.（跨栏比赛的）栏架；难关；障碍
Neither side expected the meeting to produce a breakthrough, and it did not. Instead, it was a chance for both camps to lay down markers for the make-or-break debate.
双方都没有期望这次会议能取得突破，结果也确实没有。相反，这次会议只是让两个阵营为这场不成则败的争论亮明自己的态度。
lay down markers/the marker 亮明态度
（英文释义：to do something that shows people what you are capable of, or what you intend to do in the future）
【例】Having considered carefully his every word, I can now lay down my marker. I simply do not believe he says what he means.
我把他说的每个字都仔细想了一番，现在我可以亮明我的态度了：我觉得他说的根本不是真心话。
make or break 决定成败
（英文释义：to be the thing that makes sb/sth either a success or a failure）
【例】This movie will make or break him as a director.
这部电影将要决定他当导演是行还是不行。
a make-or-break moment for the company 决定公司生死的时刻
"I made clear during**** our meeting that**** default is**** not an**** option****," Mr****.**** Biden said**** after the session in**** the Oval**** Office****.**** "I repeated that**** time**** and again.**** America is**** not a deadbeat**** nation****.**** We**** pay our bills and avoiding**** default is**** a basic duty**** of**** the United**** States**** Congress****."
"我在会议期间明确表示，没有违约这个选择。"拜登在椭圆办公室的会议结束后说，"我一遍又一遍地重复这一点：美国不是一个赖账的国家。我们会还钱，而避免违约是美国国会的一项基本职责。"
But he**** added:**** "I'm prepared to**** begin a separate**** discussion**** about my**** budget**** and spending**** priorities**** but not under the threat**** of**** default."
但他补充说："我准备开始单独讨论预算和支出优先事项的问题，但不是在面临违约的威胁下进行讨论。"
Meeting with reporters as he left the White House, Mr. McCarthy said the two sides remained at loggerheads.
麦卡锡在离开白宫接受记者采访时表示，双方仍然争执不下。
be at loggerheads 不和；相争
【例】They have been at loggerheads with the neighbors for years.
他们多年来一直同邻居们不和。
【近义词】be at odds with 有分歧；相争
cut n. （数量等的）削减，减少
【例】price/job/pay cuts 减价/裁员/降薪
a cut in public spending 削减公共支出
"I didn't see any new movement," he said. He added that he had asked Mr. Biden "numerous times" if there were places in the federal budget where they could find cuts. "They wouldn't give me any," he said.
"我没有看到任何新的动作。"他表示。他补充说，他曾"无数次"询问拜登，联邦政府预算中还有没有可以削减开支的地方。"但他们说没有。"他表示。
be at loggerheads 不和；相争
【例】They have been at loggerheads with the neighbors for years.
他们多年来一直同邻居们不和。
【近义词】be at odds with 有分歧；相争
cut n. （数量等的）削减，减少
【例】price/job/pay cuts 减价/裁员/降薪
a cut in public spending 削减公共支出
课后练习
What can be learned about the meeting on Tuesday?
A. Biden devised new plans for federal budget.
B. McCarthy warned about the risk of default.
C. No meaningful result was achieved in the meeting.
D. Biden and McCarthy blamed each other for the default.
It can be inferred from the text that ____.
A. the debt crisis was ignored by the Congress
B. there would be more discussions on the debt issue
C. the government’s efforts to limit debts failed repeatedly
D. the deadline for debt payments might be extended
Which of the following is true about the attitude of the two sides?
A. Both sides were eager to negotiate with each other.
B. Both sides were cautious about expressing opinions.
C. Both sides were disappointed by the result of the meeting.
D. Both sides were determined to maintain their own stances.
According to the text, Biden held that ____.
A. the reputation of America was undermined
B. the Congress misjudged the risk of default
C. budget plans were excluded from the debt issue
D. spending cuts might be considered in the future