Сегодня, наша тема - дебаты о потолке долга, которые сейчас ведутся в США.. Let’s dive right in!
В этом эпизоде, we’ll focus on three key vocabulary words: скобка, потолок долга, и по умолчанию. These words are essential for understanding the headline and sub headline we’ll be covering.
Послушайте этот заголовок: “Investors brace for a painful crash into America’s debt-ceiling.” This headline, published in The Economist magazine on May 10, 2023, reflects the anticipation among investors as they prepare for a potentially challenging situation regarding America’s debt-ceiling. This news is significant because it has far-reaching implications for the global economy.
Прослушайте заголовок еще раз: “Investors brace for a painful crash into America’s debt-ceiling.”
В настоящее время, let’s focus on the keywords from this section.
Первый, we have “скобка,” which means to prepare or get ready for something challenging or difficult. If you have ever watched a movie where a plane full of passengers is about to make a rough landing, the pilot will always say “brace for impact”. Так, to brace is to get ready.
Следующий, we encounter “потолок долга,” referring to the maximum amount of debt that a government can legally borrow. You probably know the word ‘ceiling’. If you are unsure about the meaning, and you are inside of a room right now, just look straight up and what do you see? The ceiling of the room. Stand on your chair and jump straight up, you might just hit that ceiling with your head.
Listen to the headline one last time: “Investors brace for a painful crash into America’s debt-ceiling.”
Moving on to the subheadline, listen closely: “A solution will probably be found. But default is no longer unthinkable.” This subheadline suggests that while a solution to the situation is likely, the possibility of default is becoming increasingly conceivable. It emphasizes the potential seriousness of the issue.
Your key word hear is ‘default’. ‘Default’ means to fail to meet a financial obligation or repay a debt. And that is the risk with the United States right now. If they can’t agree to lift their debt-ceiling, they would be forced to default on some of their payments. This is almost unthinkable, so hopefully cool heads will prevail, and the two opposing sides, the Democrats and the Republicans, will reach some sort of agreement.
Having said that, this is a good time to introduce you to an idiom that relates to the topic covered in the headline. The idiom is “walking on thin ice.” It means being in a risky or precarious situation, similar to walking on a thin layer of ice that could crack at any moment. In the context of the headline, investors might feel like they’re walking on thin ice, navigating the uncertainties surrounding America’s debt-ceiling.
Запомнить, you can find all the show notes on the web page englishforeconomists.com. It’s always useful to review what you have listened to. Также, if you found this topic interesting, I recommend listening to our podcast titled “Суверенный долг и дефолт.“.
That wraps up today’s episode of “English for Economists”, we covered three key vocabulary words: скобка, потолок долга, и по умолчанию. We also explored the idiom “walking on thin ice.”
Thank you for joining me, and remember to practice regularly to further enhance your English proficiency. Good work, and until next time!
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