CNN news 2011-12-23 加文本

短语讲解：

1. He pointed out last week that India's inability to attract foreign investment could actually lead to a balance of payments crisis.

point out指出
例句：He pointed out that there was little chance of success.
他指出很少有成功的机会。
lead to导致, 引起
例句：An ordinary cold can soon lead to a fever.
一场普通的感冒很快便会引起高烧。

2. India's deficits are soaring and funding is drying up.

dry up枯竭; 用光, 耗尽
例句：Our sources of information have dried up.
我们的信息来源枯竭了。

3. Singh's government recently announced a plan to open up India's retail sector to foreign investors, a continuation of the reforms that jump started the economy 20 years ago.

open up变宽; 展现; 揭示
例句：The State Council are examining possibilities which are opening up in local affairs.
国务院正在考查开放地方事务的可行性。

4. The proposal would have made it easier for big Western chains like Walmart to set up shop in India.

set up建立，建造, 创立, 竖立
例句：Plenty of foreign firms have set up factories here.
很多外国公司已在这里开办工厂。

5. But it was not to be. India's opposition turned this into a story of the big guy fighting the little guy, Walmart versus the mom and pop.

turn into (使)变成
例句：Joan is turning into quite a skilled musician.
琼正在变成一个技艺精湛的音乐家。

6. For two years now, India's government has done nothing, hanging on to power, presenting no plans to open up the economy, raise living standards, build infrastructure or attract new investment.

hang on紧紧抓住
例句：The girl hung on to her mother's hand as they crossed the street.
过马路的时候, 小女孩紧抓住她妈妈的手。

7. But, at home, they pander to populist protectionist sentiment, dole out subsidies and do basically nothing. That paralysis is hurting the economy.

pander to迎合；奉迎；投其所好
例句：His films never pandered to public taste.
他的电影从不迎合公众的口味。
dole out发放(食物、救济金等)
例句：He doled out the money to all the workers.
他把钱分发给所有的工人。

8. That's what it did 20 years ago when it was on the brink of default and a balance of payments crisis.

on the brink of濒临，处于…边缘
例句：The company is on the brink of bankruptcy.
该公司已濒临于破产的边缘。