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Trade Talks Could Heat Up in 2015

With boosting trade a top priority for the Obama administration, 2015 may be the year that an agreement is finally reached on the Trans Pacific Partnership. But the trade deal, which is intended to boost trade between 12 Pacific countries, faces opposition.

Proposed trade deals have sparked demonstrations by labor and environmental groups, who complain few details are public, and what little is known shows the benefits of proposed trade accords helping companies, not people.

“The U.S. stands to lose jobs, see our consumer safety weakened, we stand to see the economy hurt, and public health as well. And that’s not just here, it’s globally, " said Arthur Stamoulis, who heads the Citizens Trade Campaign.

President Barack Obama says trade deals can boost the economy and add jobs. He says the tough negotiations on the Trans Pacific Partnership may soon pay off.

“We are optimistic about being able to get a deal done and we are re-invigorating the negotiations with the Europeans on the Transatlantic trade deal,” he said.

Trade deals are opposed by many Democrats, but Republicans generally support free trade and will have majorities in both houses of Congress in January.

Chief Editor Matthew Schewel of Inside U.S. Trade says the political climate favors trade deals - for a while.

“A lot of the countries and the United States are looking at the next year as a critical window because the following year, 2016, is when the U.S. presidential election campaigns kicks in,” he said.

TPP negotiators are still haggling over tough issues, like market access for farm products and autos.

But trade expert Jeff Schott says the TPP talks are nearly finished because trade ministers recently stepped in to solve disputes that stumped working-level diplomats.

"It [TPP] is the number one priority for trade negotiators and one can very easily be completed in the first half of 2015," he said.

A separate issue called Trade Promotion Authority is under discussion with the U.S. Congress. Under so-called "Fast Track" procedures, Congress votes either “yes” or “no” on a trade deal, but can't make any changes that would require re-negotiating the treaty.

Supporters say TPA makes it easier for the U.S. to make deals with other nations - and it may move forward soon because of Republican control of Congress.

Another proposed trade deal is between the United States and the European Union, but talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or T-TIP, are at an early stage.

Opponents of T-TIP and TPP say these agreements would weaken regulations intended to protect health, safety, and labor rights. Supporters of the proposed deals say harmonizing rules makes it easier to sell products around the world.

詞匯解析

delegation

難度：2星擴展詞匯，屬常用10000詞

英漢解釋

n.代表團；委派；授權，委托

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

Our cultural delegation met with a hearty welcome.

我們的文化代表團受到熱烈歡迎。

The company is discussing about the delegation of staff to Europe.

公司正在商討委派人員去歐洲的事宜。

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progress

難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞

英漢解釋

n.進步；發展；前進

v.進步；發展；緩速前進；促進

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

They made slow progress towards the mountaintop.

他們向山頂緩慢地前進。

用作動詞 (v.)

We are meeting again tomorrow to try and progress the matter.

我們打算明天再見面，試著推動這件事情的發展。

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fearful

難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞

英漢解釋

adj.擔心的；可怕的；<口>非常的

參考例句

用作形容詞 (adj.)

They were fearful that the river would flood.

他們擔心河流會發洪水。

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solar

難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞

英漢解釋

adj.太陽的；太陽能的

參考例句

用作形容詞 (adj.)

The sun is the center of our solar system.

太陽是太陽系的中心

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utilize

難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞

英漢解釋

vt.利用或使用

參考例句

用作及物動詞 (vt.)

What criteria do you utilize in selecting employees?

在篩選雇員時你使用什么標準？

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conflict

難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞

英漢解釋

n.沖突；戰斗；矛盾；斗爭

vi.沖突；抵觸；爭執

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

Both sides suffered heavy casualties in the border armed conflict.

在這次邊界武裝沖突中雙方都遭到了重大傷亡。

He's got involved in a political conflict he can't extricate himself from.

他陷在一場政治斗爭中不能脫身。

用作不及物動詞 (vi.)

A careless move may well trigger an all new debate and conflict.

一不小心，還可能引發全新的爭執和沖突。

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workshop

難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞

英漢解釋

n.工場；車間；研討會；講習班

參考例句

用作名詞 (n.)

The workshop has shut down and the workers are unemployed.

工廠關閉后工人失業了。

She is studying in a theatre workshop.

她正在戲劇講習班學習。

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