英语听力精选进阶版 7327

美国中央银行，美联储将于下个月开始启动削减量化宽松政策，作出此举的原始是美国就业市场取得进展有所改善。美联储宣布，从明年1月起将国债的购买规模缩减100亿美元。

The Federal Reserve has been pumping money into the US economy by buying $85bn of bonds each month. From January, it will cut the figure to $75bn. And it has signalled that it will further reduce the scale of its bond buying if the economy continues to improve.

It's a small but highly significant step towards unwinding the extraordinary measures put in place to support the economy through six years of deep crisis.

The decision follows a run of data pointing to sustained if weak recovery and - the key factor - an improving jobs market.

But the Fed hasn't entirely¹ kicked away the monetary² props³. It plans to keep short term lending rates at near 0% until it sees at least another 0.5% drop in the unemployment rate.

Investors⁴ responded by sending share prices higher. There was relief at the end to uncertainty⁵ over when the Fed, as has seemed inevitable⁶ for months, would start tapering⁷ off its monetary life support.

Quiz 听力测验

How much will the US government buy in bonds in January?

$75bn.

How long has the US been suffering from the economic crisis?

Six years.

True or false? The financial markets had a negative impact on the financial markets.

False. Share prices rose.

True or false? The Fed's decision to reduce its stimulus⁸ to the economy was expected.

True. According to the report, it 'seemed inevitable'.

Glossary 词汇表

pumping 大量注入、大量投入（资金）

signalled 已示意，发出信号

unwinding 推出，撤消

kicked away 踢开、踢走

props 支柱

tapering off 逐渐减少

1 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

2 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。

3 props   

小道具； 支柱( prop的名词复数 )； 支持者； 道具； （橄榄球中的）支柱前锋

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The government props up the prices of farm products to support farmers' incomes. 政府保持农产品价格不变以保障农民们的收入。

4 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

5 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

6 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

7 tapering   

adj.尖端细的

参考例句：

• Interest in the scandal seems to be tapering off. 人们对那件丑闻的兴趣似乎越来越小了。
• Nonproductive expenditures keep tapering down. 非生产性开支一直在下降。

8 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。