英语听力精选进阶版 14338

Ireland exits bailout programme

Summary

16 December 2013

Ireland was one of the countries most hit by the Eurozone's financial crisis. Europe and the International Monetary¹ Fund stepped in with loans to the Irish government worth totalling 67.5bn euros. Now, three years on, the bailout is formally over and Ireland will have to meet its borrowing needs in the financial markets.

Reporter:

Andrew Walker

Report

It is being called Ireland's exit from the bailout. If all goes to plan Ireland will receive no more financial assistance. It does not mean that the money has been repaid - that will take until 2042. 

Ireland will still need to borrow - and all the signs are that it will be able to do so in the financial markets at an affordable² cost. The country's economy has shown signs of stabilisation. It has grown, though erratically³, and unemployment is down from its highs. But living standards have been hit - the economy is still 9% smaller than it was six years ago. 

This is an important stage in the Eurozone's financial repair effort. Ireland is the first country to be bailed⁴ out to get to this stage. Portugal is due to do it next year, though there are concerns that it might need more financial help. 

Greece and Cyprus are further away from getting back on their feet financially. It certainly helps that the recession in the Eurozone has ended - that the economy of the region as a whole has started to grow again. But it is still feeble growth. 

Europe needs stronger performance to generate the tax revenue that could really help struggling governments get control of their borrowing needs.

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 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

3 erratically   

adv.不规律地，不定地

参考例句：

• Police stopped him for driving erratically. 警察因其驾驶不循规则而把他拦下了。 来自辞典例句
• Magnetitite-bearing plugs are found erratically from the base of the Critical Zone. 含磁铁岩的岩栓不规则地分布于关键带的基底以上。 来自辞典例句

4 bailed   

保释，帮助脱离困境( bail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Fortunately the pilot bailed out before the plane crashed. 飞机坠毁之前，驾驶员幸运地跳伞了。
• Some water had been shipped and the cook bailed it out. 船里进了些水，厨师把水舀了出去。