英语听力精选进阶版 7114

Background: 中国银行已经开始面向欧洲市场发放购房贷款。作为全球第三大银行，中国银行提供的贷款要比英国当地资金紧缺的银行更具吸引力，很多业主将会看到中行的利率和信贷紧缩前的利率相差无几。

The Bank of China's entry into the British market will come as a surprise to some and a relief to many.

It hasn't been crippled by the credit crunch¹ and it's rich with Chinese savings² when many big European banks are still struggling with massive government bailout loans.

The Chinese also bring with them more than a whiff of old-fashioned banking³; the kind of rules that prevailed before the credit crunch, when bankers actually talked first to their customers.

The Bank will use its own capital, another return to past practice. Economists⁴ will laud⁵ what's happening as evidence that the market does work: the Chinese earn money from selling cheap goods to Europeans, then save what they earn in banks which then cycle the money back to Europeans as loans for them to buy property.

Others have spotted⁶ the same opportunities as the Bank of China. Israeli and Swedish banks, also less affected⁷ by the credit crunch than the mainstream⁸ European banks, are offering loans in the potentially lucrative⁹ British home loans market substantially cheaper than the local alternative.

GLOSSARY¹⁰ 词汇表

relief 慰藉

crippled 受创了

credit crunch 信贷紧缩

savings 存款

struggling 挣扎

massive 巨大的

bailout loans 紧急援助贷款

whiff 一点点

old-fashioned 传统的，老套的

prevailed 盛行，普遍

capital 资本

past practice 过去的做法

laud 赞美

goods 商品

cycle 流转

property 房产

mainstream 主流

lucrative 利润丰厚的

spotted 发现了

substantially 大大地

Questions and Answers

1. Were the cables laid above ground?

No, they were laid under the sea.

2. How many new cables are going to become operational soon?

Four, including the Seacom cable.

3. Will the cable mean cheaper internet access for everyone?

No, some internet providers will not be lowering their prices.

4. Why is it feared the new cable will not benefit everyone living in villages?

Because they do not all have a reliable electricity supply.

1 crunch   

n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声

参考例句：

• If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
• People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。

2 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

3 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

4 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》

5 laud   

n.颂歌；v.赞美

参考例句：

• Kathy was very pleased to have graduated cum laud in her class.凯西在班上以优等成绩毕业，她为此而非常高兴。
• We laud him a warmhearted man.我们称赞他是个热心人。

6 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

9 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

10 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。