英语听力精选进阶版 13634

Obama criticises China over currency

The US President Barack Obama has criticised China for not allowing its currency, the yuan, to rise in value. The comment was made at the end of the APEC Asia-Pacific regional summit in Hawaii.

The issue has been a sore point between the United States and China for several years.

Reporter

Jon Bithrey

President Barack Obama 

President Obama strongly criticised China.

Report

President Obama's comments criticising China are amongst his strongest to date. In general the US government has preferred to make its feelings known behind closed doors, cautious about upsetting one of its biggest trading partners.

During a news conference, Mr Obama said many economists¹ believed the yuan was undervalued by between 20 and 25%, making exports to China from the US much more expensive and imports much cheaper.

He said China had to operate by the same rules as everyone. Earlier China's foreign ministry² issued a statement saying President Obama was told by his counterpart, Hu Jintao, that the problems in the American economy wouldn't be solved by an appreciation³ of the yuan.

President Obama is certainly under pressure on the domestic front. With the American economy still flagging, calls from politicians are mounting for tougher measures to be taken to force China to change its stance.

And with President Obama entering an election year, he may feel now is the time to raise the rhetoric⁴.

John Bithrey, BBC News

1 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》

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

4 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。