2018年考研英语(一)真题第4篇 The Postal Service Needs More than a Band-Aid

可可听力网 2020年07月14日 11:25:00

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      TheU.S. PostalService (USPS) continuestobleedredink.

      美国邮政署(USPS)继续深陷赤字。

      Itreportedanetlossof $5.6 billionforfiscal 2016, the 10thstraightyearitsexpenseshaveexceededrevenue.

      USPS的报告显示,2016年的净亏损高达56亿美元,财政状况已经连续10年入不敷出。

      Meanwhile, ithasmorethan $120 billioninunfundedliabilities, mostlyforemployeehealthandretirementcosts.

      同时,USPS还背负了1200多亿美元的无资金准备负债,大部分负债为员工医保和退休金。

      Therearemanybankruptcies.

      许多机构都破产了。

      Fundamentally, theUSPSisinahistoricsqueezebetweentechnologicalchangethathaspermanentlydecreaseddemandforitsbread-and-butterproduct, first-classmail, andaregulatorystructurethatdeniesmanagementtheflexibilitytoadjustitsoperationstothenewreality.

      但从本质上看,USPS正处于具有历史意义的技术革新与监管结构的双重压迫之下:一方面,技术不断调整升级,致使其拳头产品一级邮件的需求持续走低;另一方面,监管结构拒绝灵活的管理,无法与时俱进。

      Andinterestgroupsrangingfrompostalunionstogreeting-cardmakersexertself-interestedpressureontheUSPS'sultimateoverseer - Congress, insistingthatwhateverelsehappenstothePostalService, aspectsofthestatusquotheydependongetprotected.

      邮政工会、贺卡制造商等各方利益集团都处于自身考虑,向USPS的最高监管机构——国会施加压力,坚称无论邮政总署怎样调整,他们目前赖以生存的条件必须得到保护。

      Thisiswhyrepeatedattemptsatreformlegislationhavefailedinrecentyears, leavingthePostalServiceunabletopayitsbillsexceptbydeferringvitalmodernization.

      这也解释了为什么近年来邮政署屡次试图改革立法,却都以失败而告终,使邮政署到了不延迟至关重要的现代化进程就无法支付账单的地步。

      Nowcomeswordthateveryoneinvolved - Democrats, Republicans, thePostalService, theunionsandthesystem'sheaviestusers - hasfinallyagreedonaplantofixthesystem.

      现在又有消息称,民主党、共和党、邮政署、邮政工会和该系统重度用户等相关各方最终就修复系统的计划达成了一致意见。

      LegislationismovingthroughtheHousethatwouldsaveUSPSanestimated $28.6 billionoverfiveyears, whichcouldhelppayfornewvehicles, amongothersurvivalmeasures.

      众议院正审议一个相关法案,如能通过,估计将帮助USPS在5年内节省286亿美元,有望帮助邮政署购置新车及其他生存所需物品。

      Mostofthemoneywouldcomefromapenny-per-letterpermanentrateincreaseandfromshiftingpostalretireesintoMedicare.

      这些资金大部分来自固定邮费率的增长以及将退休邮政员工的企业医保转为国家医保。

      Thelatterstepwouldlargelyoffsetthefinancialburdenofannuallypre-fundingretireehealthcare, thusaddressingalong-standingcomplaintbytheUSPSanditsunion.

      后者将极大地抵销每年预付医保的财政负担,从而解决了USPS和其工会的长期抱怨。

      IfitclearstheHouse, thismeasurewouldstillhavetogetthroughtheSenate – wheresomeoneisboundtopointoutthatitamountstothebare, bareminimumnecessarytokeepthePostalServiceafloat, notcomprehensivereform.

      如能经众议院通过,该法案将提交参议院审核。那里势必会有人指出它不过是能让邮政服务维持生计的最低必要改变,而不是全面的改革。

      There'snochangetocollectivebargainingattheUSPS, amajoromissionconsideringthatpersonnelaccountsfor 80 percentoftheagency'scosts.

      USPS的集体谈判不会发生变动,而员工开销占总开销的80%,这实属重大纰漏。

      AlsomissingisanydiscussionofeliminatingSaturdayletterdelivery.

      而另一处疏漏在于,该法案并未讨论是否取消星期六的邮件配送服务。

      Thatcommon-sensechangeenjoyswidepublicsupportandwouldsavetheUSPS $2 billionperyear.

      此项变动符合生活常理、广受公众支持,并且每年可为USPS节省20亿美元开支。

      Butpostalspecial-interestgroupsseemtohavekilledit, atleastintheHouse.

      但邮政的特殊利益群体似乎否决了此项提案,至少在众议院讨论时是这样。

      Theemergingconsensusaroundthebillisasignthatlegislatorsaregettingfrightenedaboutapoliticallyembarrassingshort-termcollapseattheUSPS.

      就该项法案达成的共识表明,立法者害怕USPS短期崩塌会导致尴尬的政治局面。

      Itisnot, however, asignthatthey'regettingseriousabouttransformingthepostalsystemforthe 21stcentury.

      他们并非要决心改变邮政系统以适应21世纪的变革。