It is easy to forget how critical things were back in the fourth quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009. Having suffered what economists call a “sudden stop,” many parts of the US economy were imploding or had ceased to function – to extend the medical metaphor, even the most vital organs were threatened.
你很容易就会忘记2008年四季度和2009年一季度的关键事件。在经历了经济学家所谓的“骤停”后，美国经济中的许多部件要么衰竭，要么停止了运转——用医学术语讲，最重要的器官受到了严重威胁。