[地道表达]##

• Chinese officials accused the United States of violating international trade laws and succumbing to political pressure for protectionism.
  ** [succumb to + noun]**
  [解释] to stop opposing someone or something that is stronger than you, and allow them to take control

• China is firmly opposed to this measure of serious commercial protectionism by the United States
  **[be opposed to sth.] **
  [解释] to disagree with something such as a plan or system

• The sharp and swift reaction, though not necessarily indicative of a serious new clash
  [indicative of]
  [解释] Serving to indicate; 象征的：用来指示的

• Few decisions by President Obama have appeared more uncomfortable and fraught with larger considerations than the blandly worded announcement at 9:15 p.m.
  [fraught]
  [解释]full of anxiety or worry;忧虑的
  [blandly]
  [解释] without any excitement, strong opinions, or special character;乏味的,平淡无奇的

• Mr. Obama is counting on unions to mobilize support in Congress and at the grass-roots level for his campaign to overhaul the health care system
  [overhaul]
  [解释] To make extensive renovations or revisions on; renovate; 革新：对…做全面革新或修订

• White House officials said they were merely invoking tools that the United States explicitly negotiated with China as part of its acceptance into the World Trade Organization.
  [invoke]
  [解释] if you invoke a law, rule etc, you say that you are doing something because the law allows or forces you to; 借助; 求助于；使用或应用

• On its own, Mr. Obama’s decision will affect only a tiny sliver of American imports from China
  [a sliver of]
  [解释] a small pointed or thin piece that has been cut or broken off something;细片; 切下、劈下或折下的细长的一段

• The panel recommended that the president impose tariffs for three years
  [impose]
  [解释] if someone in authority imposes a rule, punishment, tax etc, they force people to accept it; 强制实行;用或好象用权威适用或推广

• The announcement seemed aimed at assuaging demands by organized labor for more protection against imports while also tamping down labor’s expectations of a combative new stance toward China.
  [assuage]
  [解释] to make an unpleasant feeling less painful or severe;使平息，使镇静

[句式连接]##

• Few decisions by President Obama have appeared more uncomfortable and fraught with larger considerations than the blandly worded announcement at 9:15 p.m.
  [分析] Few+n.... than +n 结构 可以用来表达一个很特殊的行为或者事件，区别于某人的一贯作风，或者某事的常态。
  [翻译] 周五晚9时15分，奥巴马总统发表了一项措辞温和的声明，此声明既令人深感不安，又包含了许多如此重要的考量，这在他之前所做的决定中是比较少见的。

[专业知识]

• A.F.L.-C.I.O###

[解释]
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is a national trade union center and the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of fifty-six national and international unions,[3] together representing more than 12 million active and retired workers.[1] The AFL–CIO is one of the highest-spending and most politically active unions.
美国劳工联合会-产业工会联合会（American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations，AFL-CIO）是美国最大的工会组织，现有56个国内国际成员组织，会员人数1150万。该组织成立于1955年12月4日，由当时独立的两个工会组织美国劳工联合会和产业工会联合会联合而成。

• Group of 20 industrialized and large emerging nations###

[解释]
The Group of Twenty (also known as the G-20 or G20) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. The members include 19 individual countries—Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States—along with the European Union (EU). The EU is represented by the European Commission and by the European Central Bank. The G-20 was founded in 1999 with the aim of studying, reviewing, and promoting high-level discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. [3] It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization. [3] Collectively, the G-20 economies account for around 85% of the gross world product (GWP), 80% of world trade (or, if excluding EU intra-trade, 75%), and two-thirds of the world population.[2] The G-20 heads of government or heads of state have periodically conferred at summits since their initial meeting in 2008, and the group also hosts separate meetings of finance ministers and central bank governors.

• International Trade Commission###

[解释]
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC sometimes I.T.C.[2]) is an independent, bipartisan, quasi-judicial, federal agency of the United States that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches. Furthermore, the agency determines[3] the impact of imports on U.S. industries and directs actions against unfair trade practices, such as subsidies, dumping, patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.
美国国际贸易委员会（United States International Trade Commission，缩写USITC）是美国联邦政府下设的一个独立的、非党派性质的、准司法联邦机构。它负责向立法机构和执法机构提供国际贸易方面的专业意见。同时，该机构还负责判断进口对美国工业的冲击，并且对不公平贸易（例如：倾销及专利、商标及版权侵犯）采取措施