2006年VOA标准英语-World Bank-IMF Meetings End in Singapore

By Daniel Schearf Singapore 20 September 2006  World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz speaks during annual meetings in Singapore           The annual meeting of the World Bank andInternational Monetary1 Fund has ended after two days of discussions in Singapore, with leaders of both organizations calling for more free trade and warning against protectionism. The World Bank president said increased aid was needed for the poorest countries, but reminded delegates that middle-income nations should not be forgotten in the fight against poverty.  ----- The heads of the World Bank and the IMF ended two days of annual meetings Wednesday promising2 to push for free trade and a resumption of stalled world trade talks. In his closing remarks, the head of the IMF, Rodrigo de Rato, said a rising tide of protectionism needed to be stopped before it devastated3 people the world over. He encouraged the big emerging economies, such as China and India, to support free trade, and promised IMF support for the Doha round of world trade talks. "The special responsibilities of the G-7 countries and big emerging economies have also been very clear in this meeting," said de Rato. "And, we will support the movement to get the Doha negotiations4 right on track, and certainly not to give up any of the things that have been obtained up to now." The two organizations said more aid was needed for the poorest countries, especially in Africa, if those countries are to reach the United Nations' Millennium5 Development Goals of halving6 poverty by 2015. Robert Watson is a senior advisor7 for the bank on sustainable development. He says more political will and more cooperation is needed among the bank, governments and activist8 organizations before such countries can reach the goals. "I think some countries will meet it. Other countries I think, won't meet it. So, I mean, there's a spectrum9 of where we are in the development process," commented Watson. The Bank says partly developed, or "middle-income" countries are home to two-thirds of the world's poor, and should not be forgotten in the fight against poverty. World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz said lending to such countries also contributes to the Bank's income. "Middle income countries are and must remain a core client group for us to fulfill10 our mandate," he said. Bank and IMF leaders also voiced concerns that corruption12 was impeding13 development, and urged wealthy nations to prevent corrupt11 practices in developing countries, and help return stolen assets that are sitting in developed countries' banks.

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 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

3 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

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 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

6 halving   

n.对分，二等分，减半[航空、航海]等分v.把…分成两半( halve的现在分词 )；把…减半；对分；平摊

参考例句：

• You searched those halving your salary cut your enthusiasm. 你呈现，薪水减半降低了你的任务热情。 来自互联网
• Halving the repeater spacing made it possible to quadruple the bandwidth. 把增音机间隔缩小一半，就能使带宽增加三倍。 来自互联网

7 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

8 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

9 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

10 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

11 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

12 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

13 impeding   

a.(尤指坏事)即将发生的，临近的

参考例句：

• Fallen rock is impeding the progress of rescue workers. 坠落的石头阻滞了救援人员的救援进程。
• Is there sufficient room for the kiosk and kiosk traffic without impeding other user traffic? 该环境下是否有足够的空间来摆放信息亭？信息亭是否会妨碍交通或者行走？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓