英语听力精选进阶版 13977

Pirates affect Nairobi house prices

Summary

26 March 2010

According to estate agents in Kenya's capital Nairobi, house prices have doubled in the past three years. But this isn't just because of increasing wealth or investors¹; it's possible that there's also another, far more interesting reason.

Reporter:

Rachel Wright

Report

While property prices in the United States have fallen almost 30 per cent in the last three years, the cost of homes in the Kenyan capital Nairobi has almost doubled, according to estate agents in the city.

Some of the reasons for this rise can be attributed to improvements in the city's infrastructure² and people fleeing the violence in the Rift³ valley. But, there could be another, much more fascinating factor.

Pirates operating off neighbouring Somalia's coast are thought to generate tens of millions of dollars a year. And Joseph Kaeyah, from the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research, thinks that some Somali pirates are using the Nairobi property market.

According to Nairobi estate agent Charles Mwangi, the reasons 

pirates may be doing this is obvious. It could be a way of hiding their cash or laundering⁴ it. He's concerned about the impact this is having on ordinary Kenyans, as an increasing number of middle class families cannot afford to buy homes.

Rachel Wright, BBC News

1 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

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

4 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》