英语听力精选进阶版 14324

Germany to have minimum wage

Summary

22 November 2013

Germany is to introduce a national minimum wage. Chancellor¹ Angela Merkel said she'd concede this measure to the Social Democrats³ with whom she is negotiating to form a coalition⁴ government. The move was welcomed by other countries in the Eurozone. 

Reporter:

Steve Evans

Report

Chancellor Merkel said she would accept the minimum wage but, in return, would not accede⁵ to Social Democrat² calls for higher taxes.

The French finance minister welcomed the floor on German pay as a signal of what he saw as a more cooperative German attitude within overall European economic policy. 

It is not clear, though, that a German minimum wage would transform the European economic situation. It all depends on what level it is set at, and there is great resistance in Germany to doing anything which would make German exports less attractive.

1 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 accede   

v.应允，同意

参考例句：

• They are ready to accede to our request for further information.我们要是还需要资料，他们乐于随时提供。
• In a word,he will not accede to your proposal in the meeting.总而言之，他不会在会中赞成你的提议。