英语听力精选进阶版 13989

Deal near for Greek economy

Summary

30 April 2010

Senior officials from Greece, the International Monetary¹ Fund and the European Commission are trying to put the finishing touches to a deal to rescue the Greek economy.

Reporter:

Gavin Hewitt

Report

As the talks over a giant bail-out deal for Greece reached a critical stage the government in Athens is coming under intense pressure to implement² new spending cuts. The IMF and the EU are discussing loaning Greece at least 40 billion pounds this year. But they want to see further measures to reduce the deficit³.

Greek trade union officials expressed outrage⁴ at the conditions after a meeting with the Greek prime minister. They claim Greece is being asked to make cuts of over 20 billion pounds over the next two years. The unions have now called a general strike for next week. Last night tear gas was fired at hundreds of demonstrators who were protesting at the bail-out plan.

The expectation that a rescue for Greece was just days away helped bring some calm to the financial markets. But the mood in Athens is increasingly against any bail-out and the Greek prime minister George Papandreou has said that the country is in a battle for survival.

Gavin Hewitt, BBC News

1 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。

2 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

3 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

4 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。