世界贸易组织简介

38 世界贸易组织简介
DATE=6-23-01
TITLE=IN THE NEWS #486 - World Trade Organization
BYLINE=Caty Weaver¹

     (start at 1'05")This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Program IN THE NEWS.
     Earlier this week, the (1) European Union and China agreed on some important trade (2) issues. China reached a similar agreement with the United States last week. These agreements have cleared the way for China to join the (3) World Trade Organization. The process of admitting China is expected to begin at a W-T-O meeting Thursday in Geneva.
     One-hundred-forty-one nations are W-T-O members now. These countries are responsible for more than ninety percent of the world's trade. The main goal of the W-T-O is to keep world trade flowing as (4) smoothly² and freely as possible.
     The World Trade Organization was established in Nineteen-Ninety-Five. It developed out of the  General Agreement on Tariffs³ and Trade or (5) GATT. GATT was created in Nineteen-Forty-Eight after the end of World War Two. It led to  (6)a series of international trade  (7) negotiations⁴ which established a world trading system. The W-T-O  (8)supervises and makes improvements to that system.
     The W-T-O organizes trade negotiations and settles  (9)trade disputes. It supervises trade agreements reached by member nations. It also provides developing countries with technical  (10)assistance and training programs in trade issues. And, it cooperates with other international organizations.
     The top decision-making group of the W-T-O is the Ministerial Conference. It meets at least once every two years in different cities around the world. W-T-O members reach agreements by (11) debate and  (12) compromise. W-T-O agreements then go to the governments of each country for approval or  (13)rejection.
     At first the trade agreements among the countries dealt mainly with goods. GATT was designed to lower import taxes and remove other  (14) barriers to trade in goods. However, W-T-O members later agreed on trade rules for the service industry. This industry includes banks, communications companies, hotels and transport businesses.
     The W-T-O also supervises an agreement on what is called  (15) intellectual property. That agreement provides rules to protect trade and investment in ideas and creative activities.
     The W-T-O says its agreements permit buyers and producers more choices in the materials and services that they use. The organization also says  (16)exporters can feel  (17) secure about the openness of foreign markets. The W-T-O says the result is a world economy that is stronger and more cooperative.
     However, not everyone approves of the work of World Trade Organization. In the last few years, there have been major demonstrations⁵ at meetings of the W-T-O, World Bank and other similar organizations. Some of the protests have been  (18)violent.
     The protestors oppose opening world markets to increased trade. They say the W-T-O and its  (19)allies are making industrial nations rich by keeping developing nations poor.
     This VOA Special English program IN THE NEWS was written by Caty Weaver. This is Steve Ember.

(1) European Union n. 欧盟
(2) issue [`isjU:] n. 论点, 问题
(3) World Trade Organization n.世界贸易组织
(4) smoothly [`smU:Tli] adv.平稳地
(5) GATT = General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade n.关贸总协定
(6) a series of 一连串的
(7) negotiation [ni9gEUFi`eiF[n] n.商议, 谈判, 流通
(8) supervise [`sjU:p[vaiz] v.监督, 管理, 指导
(9) trade disputes n.贸易争端
(10) assistance [E`sistEns] n.协助, 援助, 补助
(11) debate [di`beit] n.争论, 辩论
(12) compromise [`kRmprEmaiz] n.妥协, 折衷
(13) rejection [ri`dVekFEn] n.拒绝
(14) barrier [`bAriE] n.(阻碍通道的)障碍物
(15) intellectual property n.知识产权
(16) exporter [iks`pR:tE] n.输出者, 出口商
(17) secure [si`kjUE] adj.安全的, 可靠的
(18) violent [`vaiElEnt] adj.猛烈的, 激烈的
(19) allies [`Alaiz] n.联盟国, 同盟者

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

2 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

3 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

4 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。

5 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。