Greece on 'Knife Edge' to Agree on Bailout

 　　Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos continues emergency talks with Greek party leaders Monday on more spending cuts, with his finance minister warning that the country is "on a knife edge" (brink of disaster).

　　The government and parliament must agree on a new austerity plan if it is to get another crucial bailout from the European Union and International Monetary¹ Fund.

　　A day of talks between Greek officials and EU and IMF debt inspectors² ended Sunday with no breakthroughs.

　　The IMF and EU are demanding Greece make more spending cuts and economic reforms before they agree to another $169-billion rescue package.  This would include more pay cuts for Greek workers.

　　Conservative New Democracy Party leader Antonis Samaras is urging the government to reject the demands, saying the country cannot bear any more austerity measures.

　　Greece is also negotiating with private lenders and bondholders on a plan to swap³ old bonds for new ones at a considerably⁴ lower interest rate, saving Greece $130 billion in debt.   The country faces default when the old bonds come due next month.

1 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

2 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

4 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。