英语听力：澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2014-04-09

 The local share market took back most of the day's earlier losses and managed to close only slightly lower. If we take a look at the final numbers, the All Ordinaries index finished down seven points, while the ASX 200 lost three points. Elsewhere in the region, Japan's Nikkei is 202 points lower, but HongKong's Hengseng is higher, up 211 points. 

 

Checking commodities' prices now.

 

Gold is buying 1307 U.S. dollars an ounce. And the Aussie dollar is currently buying 92.9 U.S. cents.

 

A living business survey shows employment growth is likely to remain subdued¹ as confidence and conditions remain weak. The net business survey shows confidence slipped last month to its lowest level since September, drugged down by slug activity,higher currency and federal budget concerns. Mining, finance and property are among the most pessimistic sectors². There was a marginal improvement in conditions as well as a pick-up in employment, but economists³ don't believe it's enough to make a difference.

 

And the Australian Chamber⁴ of Commerce and Industry says households shouldn't enjoy lower prices for some key Japanese products as a result of the free trade agreement. It says prices for cars, household and electrical goods are set to fall after tariffs⁵ are removed, but the Chamber's Director of Trade Brien Clark has cautioned that tariffs aren't the only factor, meaning any reduction in prices may be smaller than expected.

 

1 subdued   

adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
• I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。

2 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。