VOA标准英语 World Bank to Boost Lending in Response to Economic

The major high income and developing countries that set policy for the 185 member-nation World Bank agreed in Washington on Sunday that the bank should boost its lending to help poor countries adversely¹ affected² by the global economic slowdown.
　
From left: Robert Zoellick, Agustin Carstens, Dominique Strauss-Kahn at IMF headquarters in Washington, 26 Apr 2009

World Bank President Robert Zoellick said the bank will boost its lending by $100 billion during the next three years, noting that the economic crisis has forced as many as 90,000,000 more people into extreme poverty.

"There is a widespread recognition that the world faces an unprecedented³ economic crisis," said Robert Zoellick. "Poor people will suffer the most. And we must continue to act in real time to prevent a human catastrophe⁴."

The 24 member World Bank steering⁵ committee, called the development committee, was headed by Mexico's Finance Minister, Agustin Carstens.

"The financial crisis is turning into a human and development calamity," said Agustin Carstens. "Many people have already been driven into absolute poverty."

The World Bank is providing Mexico with $200 million in loans to help it deal with the recent swine flu outbreak.

Earlier, the steering committee for the International Monetary⁶ Fund announced that it is implementing⁷ recommendations of the leaders of major advanced and developing economies, the G-20, giving the IMF more resources to help member nations in financial distress⁸.

The World Bank and the IMF are owned by their 185 member nations. The IMF is also being assigned a strengthened role to monitor financial markets - a move intended to forestall⁹ further financial crises. The bank and the fund are speeding up procedures that will give rising developing countries like China and India a greater say in the two Washington-based financial institutions.

1 adversely   

ad.有害地

参考例句：

• We commented adversely upon the imbecility of that message of telegraphic style. 我们对着这条电报式的愚蠢的留言发泄了一通不满。
• Widely fluctuating exchange rates may adversely affect international trade. 浮动幅度很大的汇率可能会对国际贸易产生有害的影响。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

4 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

5 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

6 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。

7 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

8 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

9 forestall   

vt.抢在…之前采取行动；预先阻止

参考例句：

• I left the room to forestall involvements.我抢先离开了这房间以免受牵累。
• He followed this rule in order to forestall rumors.他遵守这条规矩是为了杜绝流言蜚语。