VOA标准英语10月-EU Meets to Hammer Out Financial Rescue Plan

Leaders from the 27-member European Union are meeting in a two-day effort to reach broad endorsement¹ for a financial rescue plan drafted this past weekend by countries using the euro currency. From Paris, Lisa Bryant reports the summit will also tackle climate change and immigration.
　

European Union Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, right, gestures as he addresses the media together with Britain's PM Gordon Brown in Brussels, 15 Oct. 2008

The summit in Brussels comes just days after Britain and the 15 countries using the euro agreed to a package worth more than $2 trillion of guarantees and emergency aid to help banks grappling with the world's worst financial crisis in decades.

European leaders who endorsed² that deal now want the other E.U. members to agree to it, in a sign of broad European coordination³ in dealing⁴ with the meltdown. The European rescue package is similar to the one adopted in the United States.

At a press conference in Brussels. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said it was important European Union leaders also look ahead.

"Now we need to take this to the next level. Europe is leading the global response. We must continue to do so," Barroso said. "An urgent priority is to further deepen coordination on the international level and more specifically with the U.S."

Not all EU countries agree with the financial measures. Some, like the Czech government, worry about such major state intervention⁵ in rescuing banks.
　

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown

E.U. leaders are also expected to tackle another divisive issue - efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions⁶ by 20 percent by the year 2020. Some worry a possible recession may make it difficult to bankroll the measures.

But British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who spoke⁷ at the press conference, stressed the importance of cutting emissions.

"This is not the time to abandon a climate change agenda which is important for the future," Mr. Brown said. "What we have seen over the last year is that oil prices have risen significantly, so the actions to reduce carbon consumption are not the arguments about environmental decay or disaster ... they are arguments about energy security, and they are the arguments about the affordability⁸ and making us less dependent on a commodity."

On Thursday, the EU leaders are also expected to address immigration issues.

1 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

2 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

6 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 affordability   

可购性

参考例句：

• Performance-Based Logistics Affordability: Can We Afford Categorical Conversion to Performance-Based Acquisition? 基于性能的后期的可承受性：能否担负得起向基于性能的采办的无条件的转变？
• There would be no crisis of affordability, as't for food or clothing. 就想食物与服装一样，因为供给没有危机。