希腊与欧洲达成新的债务协议

Greece, Europe Reach New Debt Agreement 希腊与欧洲达成新的债务协议

In the news today…

The European Union has agreed to provide tens of billions of dollars in new loans to Greece. This financial rescue plan is the third agreement between Greece and other European countries. It came after 17 hours of negotiations¹ over the weekend.

Greece will receive almost $100 billion in loans in exchange for making economic reforms. These reforms include changes to how the country collects taxes and cutting financial assistance for retired² persons.

Greek government leaders must now persuade the country’s parliament to approve the agreement by Wednesday.

Iran nuclear negotiations continue

High-level officials are still meeting on the last day planned for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. The talks are taking place in the Austrian capital, Vienna.

Some observers believe a nuclear deal will be announced soon. But top diplomats³ involved in the talks have told reporters in the past 24 hours that important issues remain unresolved.

Iran is meeting with representatives of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. The foreign minister of the European Union has also been involved. Three other times, the negotiators failed to meet a time limit for reaching a nuclear agreement.

Talks about limiting Iran’s nuclear activities have been taking place for more than 10 years.

A number of countries have limited trade with Iran to protest what they believe are its efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has always denied that it is doing so. If a deal is reached, the economic restrictions⁴ could be cancelled.

Iraq announces plan to recapture western Anbar province

Iraqi officials have announced the start of an offensive⁵ to recapture the western province of Anbar from Islamic State fighters. The militants⁶ control large parts of Anbar, including the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah.

The Iraqi government statement said the offensive included Iraqi troops and Shi’ite and Sunni fighters.

The Iraqi government has been making plans to retake the province since the militants seized Ramadi in May. The success of the self-declared Islamic State led some observers to criticize the ability of the Iraqi military.

Mixed economic results for June in China

China says its imports and exports were 6.9 percent lower in the first half of 2015, compared to the first six months of last year. The Chinese government’s goal was a six percent increase.

The government blames the drop in trade on slower demand among Chinese consumers and in foreign markets.

Pope⁷ Francis returns to Rome after South America trip

Pope Francis returned to Rome from Paraguay on Sunday. He had been in South America for a week.

Pope Francis is the first Roman Catholic⁸ Church leader from South America. On Sunday, he visited a very poor community along the Paraguay River. Thousands of people gathered to see him.

Workers made a special altar for a religious service. They built the structure from 40,000 ears of corn, 200,000 coconuts⁹ and 1,000 squash¹⁰.

During his visit to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, the pope criticized capitalism¹¹. He said the world needs a new economic system in which both rich and poor people share the Earth’s resources equally.

Words in the News

loan(s) – n. money borrowed that usually must be returned with interest payments; something borrowed

deal – n. an agreement

offensive – n. a military campaign of attack

consumer(s) – n. an individual or organization that uses a good or service

altar – n. a structure on which offerings, including sacrifices, are made for religious purposes

1 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。

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 offensive   

adj.令人不快的，侮辱的，攻击用的；n.进攻

参考例句：

• His mode of doing business is offensive to me.他干事情的方式叫我很不喜欢。
• If all else fails,I will take the offensive.如果其他方法不行，我将采取攻势。

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

7 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。

8 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。

9 coconuts   

n.椰子( coconut的名词复数 )；椰肉，椰果

参考例句：

• We found a bountiful supply of coconuts on the island. 我们发现岛上有充足的椰子供应。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Coconuts provide "meat", drink, oil, soap and fiber for fishing line. 椰子提供“肉类”，饮料、油脂、肥皂和做钓（鱼）丝的纤维。 来自百科语句

10 squash   

n.壁球，摺皱不堪，拥挤嘈杂的人群，浓缩果汁，美国南瓜；vt.压扁，压制；vi.变扁，压榨

参考例句：

• He is drinking lemon squash.他正在喝柠檬露。
• She sprained her ankle playing squash.她在打软式墙网球时扭伤了脚踝。

11 capitalism   

n.资本主义

参考例句：

• The essence of his argument is that capitalism cannot succeed.他的论点的核心是资本主义不能成功。
• Capitalism began to develop in Russia in the 19th century.十九世纪资本主义在俄国开始发展。