Protests Rile Southern Europe Threatening Continent's Unity

     Social unrest is sweeping¹ southern Europe, with protesters taking to streets in Spain and Greece, angry about high unemployment, welfare cuts and their governments' handling of the economic crisis. With demonstrations² showing no sign of ending soon, Europeans are asking what the movement's lasting³ impact will be on the continent's social, political and economic unity⁵.

    Protesters - taking to the streetWalk down main thoroughfares in the Greek or Spanish capitals, and you're likely to see demonstrators - young people camped out on city streets, protesting high unemployment and their governments' handling of the economic crisis.

    David Gomez is one of those out of work in Madrid. "In this situation, it's so difficult to find a job, because there are not many opportunities," he said. "The salaries they give to us are not very good."Gomez says he feels like he's joined a pan-European movement. He's never been to Greece, but he calls protesters there his "brothers." He says if they unite, politicians can't easily ignore them. That's especially true here in Spain, with a general election expected by early next year. "They can't ignore us, because the movement is going on and on," he stated.

    Similarities/differences in southern Europe ralliesWhile protest rallies in Athens or Madrid look remarkably⁶ similar, Spanish politicians are constantly pointing out the differences. Greece, along with Ireland and Portugal, is receiving European Union money to keep its economy afloat. Spain doesn't want to have to do the same.

    Spain's finance minister, Elena Salgado, says that financial markets know the difference between a healthy economy and an ailing⁷ one.

    Salgado says she believes the markets can "distinguish perfectly⁸" between Greece and Spain. She says her government is implementing⁹ the reforms Spain needs, and that Europe as a whole has nothing to worry about when it comes to Spain.

    But people like Gomez, who has been unemployed¹⁰ for two years, offers himself up as proof that Spain's economy could be the next to fall. "We're not the first country to have very big important problems, but they think we could be the next one to get in that situation. Maybe they should be worried about that," he noted¹¹.

    With much of southern Europe teetering on the brink¹² of bankruptcy¹³, resentment¹⁴ has erupted between the continent's north and south.

    Some Germans, for example, don't like the idea of bailing¹⁵ out southern economies generally seen as more corrupt¹⁶, and less efficient. Some Greeks, on the other hand, resent the strict belt-tightening that comes with aid money.

    Conspiracy¹⁷ theories, sterotypes, envyThis week, EU finance ministers postponed¹⁸ a decision to hand Greece another vital loan, until more austerity measures are implemented¹⁹.

    Decisions like that spark more anger - and even some conspiracy theories. Spanish protester Ruben Hernandez describes the stereotype²⁰ he thinks northern Europe has about protesters in Spain or Greece.

    "They show some news saying that we are very violent, and people without studies and that we only came here to drink and smoke. I don't think that's the truth. I have studies, and a lot of my friends have careers. We came here to protest and to try to change society," Hernandez stated.

    But Hernandez also says he's envious²¹ of Germany's economy, and would take a job there in a second. "In their jobs, they earn much more than here, and they have better holidays and benefits that here in Spain we don't have. Since we came into the eurozone, all the things became expensive, but our salaries didn't grow," he said.

    Vanessa Rossi, a European economics expert at London's Chatham House, says some of that animosity between north and south might be misplaced.

    "It's like a sort of charity where they're biting the hand that feeds them. Somehow some of the problems that have been incurred²² in the eurozone have not been well explained to the public. In Greece, the explanation of what will happen if they do not fulfill²³ conditions of this bailout. If they think that there's an easy option, to default or even to leave the euro - these are not easy options that will bring very quick, pleasant surprises for their economy," she said.

    In such dire²⁴ economic times, it's important to remember: Neither Spain nor Greece is the poorest country in Europe. Places like Romania have more poverty. But Rossi says social unrest sweeping southern Europe now has more to do with the continent's north-south divide, intervention²⁵ from Brussels, unemployment and the way people perceive the legitimacy²⁶ of their own governments.

    "Populations feel disconnected from Brussels. But even more importantly, in the case of Greece, the population seems disconnected from its own body politic⁴, and Brussels cannot resolve that. It's not a Brussels problem, it's a national problem," she added.

    Rossi offers an incredible statistic²⁷. "The number of unemployed in Spain is about the same size as the total Greek labor²⁸ force," she explained.

    That's more than 4.5 million people. So while Greece struggles to fulfill austerity promises, Spain is carrying the burden of more than 21 percent unemployment. And northern Europe is left to figure out how to keep the continent's unity intact.

1 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

4 politic   

adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政

参考例句：

• He was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage.他很聪明，不会与这么重要的人争吵。
• The politic man tried not to offend people.那个精明的人尽量不得罪人。

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

7 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

8 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

9 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

10 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

13 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

14 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

15 bailing   

（凿井时用吊桶）排水

参考例句：

• Both fountains were going furiously and both pumps bailing with might and main. 两个人的口水只管喷泉似地朝外涌，两个抽水机全力以赴往外抽水。
• The mechanical sand-bailing technology makes sand-washing operation more efficient. 介绍了机械捞砂的结构装置及工作原理，提出了现场操作注意事项。

16 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

17 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

18 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

19 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

20 stereotype   

n.固定的形象，陈规，老套，旧框框

参考例句：

• He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
• There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。

21 envious   

adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的

参考例句：

• I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。

22 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

23 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

24 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

25 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。

26 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

27 statistic   

n.统计量；adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• Official statistics show real wages declining by 24%.官方统计数字表明实际工资下降了24%。
• There are no reliable statistics for the number of deaths in the battle.关于阵亡人数没有可靠的统计数字。

28 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。