These things are time bombs, Freeman says.

弗里德曼表示，这些东西就是定时炸弹。

A time bomb ticks or makes a clicking sound, building tension. People can be time bombs too.

定时炸弹发出嘀嗒或嗒嗒的声响，会营造一种紧张的氛围。人也可能是定时炸弹。

Right now, they are ticking time bombs that will cause a global crisis as soon as the next one fails not if, when.

现在，它们就是定时炸弹，其中一个破产倒闭，就会引发全球性危机。而且问题还不是会不会倒，而是什么时候倒的问题。