VOA标准英语2015--影响希腊危机的战略性问题

Strategic Concerns Impact Greek Crisis 影响希腊危机的战略性问题

LONDON—

When Greek and other European leaders came to the 17th hour of their all-night talks that culminated¹ in an agreement Monday morning, their immediate² concerns were economic.  But experts say there were also serious strategic issues driving them toward the accord.

The leaders avoided the unprecedented³ removal of a country from the common euro currency, and possibly from the European Union — a result experts say would have had broader implications.

“That would mean that the European Union is not only not an optimal⁴ currency union, something that economists⁵ have already stressed, but it’s also a very profoundly dysfunctional political project,” Aris Trantidis of the Department of Political Economy at London’s King’s College said.

The accord will cause more hardship in Greece, but experts say an exit from the eurozone would have been worse - not only for the Greek people and Europe, but also in geopolitical terms, if Greece fell into economic depression and social unrest.

“What will happen within Greece, and also its geopolitical orientation⁶, if there is a catastrophic event of dramatic proportions that ‘Grexit’ might be?” asked Tranditis.

Russia factor

Already, the new Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has made conciliatory moves toward Russia.  And Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly tried to convince him to veto the renewal⁷ of European Union sanctions imposed on Russia for its involvement in Ukraine.

The new Greek defense⁸ minister also participated in a Moscow conference with his counterparts from Iran and North Korea.

There undoubtedly⁹ was great concern about this evolving relationship, Sarah Lain of the Royal United Services Institute says.

“It is absolutely causing alarm bells in Europe, but it’s more, I think, symbolic¹⁰ in nature rather than any further, sort of, strategic partnership¹¹, for now,” she said. 

But analysts¹² like Lain, who spoke¹³ to VOA via Skype, point out that while a difficult deal with the EU can have a positive long-term impact, Greece can’t rely on Russia for much help, as it struggles with its own economic problems.

Transditis says it would take a lot of upheaval¹⁴ for Greeks to look to the East for their future, rather than the West.

“Russia might be a profitable commercial partner, but it’s not the model that Greece should follow,” he said.

And experts say that broader concern led key non-eurozone Western powers, like the United States and Britain, to push for a settlement and avoid the possibility that a financial dispute could lead to a geopolitical shift.

1 culminated   

v.达到极点( culminate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• a gun battle which culminated in the death of two police officers 一场造成两名警察死亡的枪战
• The gala culminated in a firework display. 晚会以大放烟火告终。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

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 optimal   

adj.最适宜的；最理想的；最令人满意的

参考例句：

• What is the optimal mix of private and public property rights in natural resources?私人和国家的自然资源产权的最适宜的组合是什么？
• Optimal path planning is a key link for the sailing contest.帆船最优行驶路径规划是帆船比赛取胜的关键环节。

5 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

7 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

10 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

11 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

12 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

13 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。

14 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。