VOA标准英语10月-European Leaders Seek Common Response to World Fi

French, German, British and Italian leaders are meeting in Paris Saturday to look for a common European response to the world financial crisis. Lisa Bryant has more for VOA from Paris.
　

French President Nicolas Sarkozy (l), and the head of the International Monetary1 Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn following their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, 04 Oct 2008

French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for the summit as European financial institutes began to feel the bite of a financial crisis that has spread from the United States to most parts of the world. The summit aims to prepare European members of the G8 Group of Industrialized Nations for a larger meeting on the crisis although no date has been set for such a meeting.

Philip Whyte, an analyst² at the Center for European Reform, supports the idea of European leaders working together to find joint³ solutions to the turmoil⁴.

"It's certainly a good idea for the leading EU countries to be concerting with each other," he said. "Two things have actively⁵ happened this past week: European countries have shown they can actively cooperate to rescue banks that have cross-border presences."

That was the case of last week's rescue by four countries of the Benelux banks Dexia and Fortis. Whyte said experts had been skeptical⁶ countries would actually cooperate in such a way. On the other hand, Ireland acted unilaterally to back its banks this past week.

It is unclear just what Saturday's summit will produce. Countries are divided over a Dutch proposal to create a European crisis fund to rescue troubled banks - somewhat similar to the U.S. rescue plan newly approved by Congress.

Thomas Klau, head of the Paris office of the European Council on Foreign Relations, doubts the leaders in Paris will back that plan. "I don't think we'll get agreement on that because the Germans for one are very much against it," he said. "But I do expect some commitment to reinforce coordination⁷."

Some believe Europe will be able to weather the financial storm better than the United States but many say it is just too early to say.

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 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

5 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

6 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

7 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。