Obama Applauds Italian Leader’s Economic Reforms

 　　President Barack Obama has praised Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Monti for his efforts to pull his country out of financial distress¹.  After replacing Silvio Berlusconi the past November, Monit has implemented² tough austerity measures designed to cut Italy’s massive deficit³ and restore its economic health.

　　After meeting in the Oval Office, President Obama expressed his support for Monti’s bold action.

　　“I just want to say how much we appreciate the strong start that he has embarked⁴ on, and the very effective measures that he is promoting inside of Italy,” Obama said.

　　Monti is in the United States to promote his economic plan and to attract investors⁵ to Italy, which remains⁶ $2.5 trillion in debt.

　　The president said his visitor has made progress toward restoring confidence in Italy's economy inside and outside the country.

　　“Not only has he boosted confidence within Italy about a reform agenda, but he has also been able to generate confidence throughout Europe and in the marketplace that Italy has a plan that takes seriously its fiscal⁷ responsibilities, but also emphasizes the need for structural⁸ reforms that can promote growth,” Obama added.

　　The prime minister has said all Italians must make sacrifices, and he has given up his own salary as prime minister and economy minister.

　　He thanked Obama for his support, and said his countrymen are getting the message.

　　“The lines towards budgetary consolidation⁹ and structural reforms, however painful they may be in the short term, seem to be widely understood by the Italian public opinion,” said Monti.

　　The president welcomed Italy’s support for U.S.-led sanctions against Iran for its nuclear activities. Obama also thanked the prime minister for supporting Washington’s policy condemning¹⁰ what he called the “outrageous bloodshed” in Syria.

　　In addition, the president expressed gratitude¹¹ to Monti for Italy’s partnership¹² in last year’s NATO campaign to remove Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.  Obama said he intends to work closely with Italy - Libya’s one-time colonial ruler - to help strengthen Libya’s transitional government.

　　The president said relations between the U.S. and Italy have “never been stronger,” and he said Americans have “a deep and special connection with the Italian people.”

1 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

2 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

3 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

4 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

5 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

8 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

9 consolidation   

n.合并,巩固

参考例句：

• The denser population necessitates closer consolidation both for internal and external action. 住得日益稠密的居民，对内和对外都不得不更紧密地团结起来。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• The state ensures the consolidation and growth of the state economy. 国家保障国营经济的巩固和发展。 来自汉英非文学 - 中国宪法

10 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

11 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

12 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。