希腊财长在公投后辞职

Greek Finance¹ Minister Resigns After ‘No’ Vote 希腊财长在公投后辞职

In the news today…

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis resigned Monday. His resignation² came a day after Greek voters rejected a demand by international lenders for new financial reforms in the country. The lenders promised economic aid to Greece if the voters approved, and the government carried out, the reforms.

The finance minister’s decision was a surprise, because he had said earlier that he would resign only if the Greek people voted to accept the lenders’ demands. Mr. Varoufakis has often clashed³ with foreign creditors⁵ over the past few months. A few days ago, he accused the European Union of “terrorism” because he believed it was trying to frighten Greek voters into accepting the EU’s terms. On Monday he said he believed his resignation could help reach an agreement with the country’s lenders. 

On Sunday, 61 percent of voters rejected warnings from leaders that ignoring the terms could force the country from the 19-nation union that uses the euro. Nearly 10 million people were registered to vote in the special election. Officials say more than 62 percent actually voted.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras says the government is ready to return to negotiations⁶ with Greece’s creditors. He says the election results will give him the ability to negotiate⁷ a better deal for his country.

However, officials in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, are not pleased with the election results. A spokesman⁸ for Prime Minister Angela Merkel said that because of the results of the vote on Sunday “by Greek citizens, there is no basis to enter into negotiations on a new aid program.” A German Finance Ministry⁹ spokesman said “I can see no reason to enter into discussions.”

Across Europe, stock prices fell when financial markets opened Monday, but quickly recovered. Observers blamed the drop on the vote in Greece.

In Asia, Japan’s leading measure of stock prices lost more than two percent at the close of trading. Hong Kong’s leading stock measure dropped more than three percent. Stock prices were also down in South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. However, prices in Mainland China showed gains Monday after recent severe losses.

Deadly bomb attacks in Nigeria

Officials in Nigeria say two bomb attacks have killed more than 40 people. More than 45 others were reported injured.

The bombs exploded late Sunday at an Islamic religious center and a restaurant.

The bombings continue a deadly series of attacks that left more than 200 people dead in the past week.

Nigerian officials are blaming the terrorist¹⁰ group Boko Haram for the violence.

Pope¹¹ Francis begins South America visit

Pope Francis has flown to South America for an eight-day visit to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. The 78-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic¹² Church landed Sunday in Ecuador’s capital, Quito. He met there with Ecuador’s president and church officials. Huge crowds gathered along the roads from the airport to the place where Pope Francis will be staying.

More than a million people were expected to attend a religious ceremony led by the pope -- the first South American head of the church -- on Monday in the city of Guayaquil. He was expected to talk in eight languages during the Mass. He will also lead a Mass in Quito on Tuesday.  

Later in the trip, the pope will visit a prison in Bolivia, meet with Bolivian trash collectors and stop in a Paraguayan neighborhood where people live in poorly-built shelters.

This is the pope’s ninth foreign trip in two years.

U.S. wins Women’s World Cup

In sports, the United States has won its first Women’s World Cup football championship since 1999. The U.S. soccer team easily defeated the defending World Cup champion Japan, five to two. The two teams played Sunday in Vancouver, Canada.

No team had ever scored more than two goals in a Women’s World Cup final. But American captain Carli Lloyd had three goals all by herself within just 16 minutes.

The seven combined goals in the match are the most ever in a Women’s World Cup final.

Words in The News

lender(s) – n. creditor⁴; someone or something that makes a loan

euro – n. the name of the money used in 19 European countries

trash – n. waste products; things that are no longer useful or wanted

soccer – n. the American name for European football

1 finance   

n.财务管理，财政，金融，财源，资金

参考例句：

• She is an expert in finance.她是一名财政专家。
• A finance house made a bid to buy up the entire company.一家信贷公司出价买下了整个公司。

2 resignation   

n.放弃，辞职，反抗

参考例句：

• He handed in his resignation right after the cabinet meeting.内阁会议一开完，他就提出了辞呈。
• They asked for his resignation with one voice.他们一致要求他辞职。

3 clashed   

发出撞击声（clash的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The color of the curtains clashed with the color of the carpet. 窗帘的颜色与地毯的颜色不协调。
• Her wedding clashed with my examination, so I couldn't go. 她的婚礼与我的考试冲突，因此我无法参加。

4 creditor   

n.债仅人，债主，贷方

参考例句：

• The boss assigned his car to his creditor.那工头把自己的小汽车让与了债权人。
• I had to run away from my creditor whom I made a usurious loan.我借了高利贷不得不四处躲债。

5 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 negotiate   

v.洽谈，协商，谈判，顺利通过，成功越过

参考例句：

• I'll negotiate with their coach on the date of the match.我将与他们的教练磋商比赛的日期问题。
• I managed to negotiate successfully with the authorities.我设法同当局进行了成功的协商。

8 spokesman   

n.发言人，代言人

参考例句：

• The government spokesman gave a quick briefing to the reporters.政府发言人向记者们作了情况简介。
• They drew lots to decide who should be their spokesman.他们抽签决定谁是他们的发言人。

9 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。

10 terrorist   

n.恐怖主义者，恐怖分子

参考例句：

• Without the gun,I'm a sitting duck for any terrorist.没有这支枪，我就成了恐怖分子下手的目标了。
• The district was put on red alert during a terrorist's bomb scare.这个地区在得到恐怖分子炸弹恐吓后作了应急准备。

11 pope   

n.（罗马天主教的）教皇

参考例句：

• The Pope is the spiritual leader of many Christians.教皇是众多基督徒的宗教领袖。
• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。

12 catholic   

adj.天主教的；n.天主教徒

参考例句：

• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。
• She was a devoutly Catholic.她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。