331. Soon afterward, the Federal government drastically cut down its expenditures for this purpose and later abolished them, causing a sharp drop in the number of nursery schools in operation.

译文　很快，联邦政府就彻底地切断了用于此类目的的开销，后来直接取消了这项开支，这导致了营业中的托儿所数量锐减。

点睛　这句话的主干是：...the Federal government...cut down its expenditures and...abolished them...。后面的causing...是一个结果状语。drastically意为“大大地；激烈地”；for this purpose意为“为了……的目的”；a sharp drop意为“急剧下降，暴跌”。

考点归纳　与cut相关的短语：

cut down(to/on)意为“削减，减少”。如：

My doctor advises me to cut down on sugar. 我的医生建议我减少对糖分的摄取。

cut across意为“抄近路通过；径直穿过；打断”；cut corners意为“抄近路；以简便方法做事”。如：

The designer refused to cut corners. 那个设计者拒绝偷工减料走捷径。

cut it out意为“停止；省省吧；闭嘴”；cut the crap意为“废话少说；别废话”。如：

Can't you just cut the crap? 你就不能少说废话吗？

cut out for意为“适合于；与……相配合”。如：

She is cut out for an artist. 她天生是当艺术家的料。