voa标准英语2008-European Markets End Week on Sour Note

Persistent¹ fears of a deep economic downturn and deteriorating² corporate³ performance are keeping the markets in Europe in a gloomy mode.
　

A broker4 is seen under the curve of the German stock index DAX at the stock market in Frankfurt, central Germany, 04 Dec 2008

Lead by disappointing November U.S. unemployment figures, the European markets finished up the week on a downward note. Oil and banking⁵ shares on Friday were among the biggest losers.

The negative mood comes just a day after European central banks slashed⁶ interest rates in the hope of stabilizing⁷ the markets.

On Thursday, the Bank of England dropped interest rates a full point down to the two percent level.

It is now up to the commercial banks to pass that on to their customers in the form of lower loan and mortgage rates but not all are enthusiastically willing to do that.
　

British PM Gordon Brown (file)

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he is doing his best to encourage the financial institutions to pass on the cuts.

"We are talking to banks. Remember the last time and interest rates came down 1.5 percent, we had to talk to the banks before things moved forward," he said. "But things did move forward and we will be talking to the banks again."

Philip Booth from the Institute of Economic Affairs says banks in Britain that have been recapitalized by the government are trying to strike a balance between retaining some of those funds while also loosening up lending to help the economy in general.

"The banks are desperate not to make the same mistakes again and at the same time they want to try to rebuild their balance sheets so that the banking market, the markets for savings⁸ and lending, can get back to normal again," he said.

In the auto⁹ sector¹⁰, carmaker BMW has announced that November sales were down 26 percent compared to a year ago.

Honda car sales in their key U.S. market meanwhile were down 30 percent last month. And that steep downward trend for the manufacturer has forced it to pull out of the glitzy world of Formula One racing¹¹.

Unless a buyer for the Honda team is found by the end of this month, its racing operations in northern England will cease with the loss of over 700 jobs.

Honda's Formula One technical manager Ross Brawn¹² concedes it is a difficult time for his staff.

"It is a great shame because this is a team that was coming together well with a plan that we are on schedule with," he said. "We had three-year plan. This year's results were poor but I would not say that was part of the plan but that was understandable what we were trying to achieve next year and the third year."

Brawn says his number one priority now is to work to keep the team alive by finding a buyer that would secure as many jobs as he can at the Northamptonshire base.

Racing enthusiasts¹³ fear that Honda might just be the first of a number of teams that will be forced out of the sport due to the current tough economic times.

1 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

2 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

3 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

4 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

5 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

6 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

8 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

9 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

10 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

11 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

12 brawn   

n.体力

参考例句：

• In this job you need both brains and brawn.做这份工作既劳神又费力。
• They relied on brains rather than brawn.他们靠的是脑力，而不是体力。

13 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册