Paraphrasing　(7th paragraph)

Text

Restoring consumer confidence is a top priority for Greenspan and Congress, given that consumer spending accounts for about two thirds of the nation’s total output. To that end, the Fed has been flooding the markets with cash. Congress, meanwhile, is awash in plans to spend money, drawing down the $153 billion Social Security surplus. There's even talk of further tax cuts. Congress, having already passed a $40 billion emergency aid package, is now weighing tax cuts for businesses and low-income households.

The main idea of the paragraph

Washington is taking different measures, including an emergency aid package, to restore consumer confidence.

华盛顿正在采取不同措施来恢复消费者的信心，其中包括一个紧急援助的一揽子方案。

句子分析

Congress, having already passed a $40 billion emergency aid package, is now weighing tax cuts for businesses and low-income households.

在此句中

having already passed a $40 billion emergency aid package 是个现在分词短语，作状语，说明谓语动词 “is weighing”发生的时间；现在分词采用的是完成形式，说明“pass”这个动作发生在“weigh”这个动作之前。

词语解释

1、Consumer Confidence (Index) 消费者信心（指数）

The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) is defined as the degree of optimism on the state of the economy that consumers are expressing through their activities of savings and spending. It is issued monthly by The Conference Board, an independent economic research organization, and is based on 5,000 households. Such measurement is indicative of consumption component level of the gross domestic product. The Federal Reserve looks at the CCI when determining interest rate changes, and it also affects stock market prices.

2、to that end …

for an aim or purpose, or for the result you hope to achieve 为了（取得）那个目的 e.g.

1）He wants to cut costs, and to that end is looking for ways of cutting the company's operations. 他想削减成本，为此目的，他在寻找减少公司运营的方法。　

2）The teacher's business is to induce learning and the techniques that are used have to work to that end. 教师的任务就是引导学生学习，他／她所采用的各种技巧都必须是为了实现这个目的。

3、draw down

to deplete by consuming or spending 耗尽 e.g.

They had almost drawn down their food reserves when the new supplies arrived. 他们在新的供给到来时已几乎耗尽了存粮。