美国有线新闻 CNN IMF批准向埃及提供120亿美元贷款 助其摆脱经济困境

 

For the struggling economy of Egypt, aid is on the way in the form of the $12 billion loan from the International Monetary¹ Fund. The IMF is an organization of 189 countries. It aims to stabilize² global economies and it gives loans to member countries that need it. Egypt is one of those countries.

Since the so-called "Arab Spring" led to the overthrow³ of its leader in 2011, Egypt's economy has been on a slide. Political struggles and terrorist attacks have hurt Egypt's tourism and foreign investment and the IMF loan can help.

But in order to get it, Egypt's government had to create a sales tax. It had to stop giving financial aid to help Egyptians pay for electricity. It had to raise the price of gasoline and it had to float its currency, allowing the value of the Egyptian pound to change based on supply and demand.

Taking these steps help Egypt secure the loan it needed from the IMF. But the consequences are hurting ordinary Egyptians.

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The pinch felt hardest at the market. Food prices increased by as much as 50 percent. Overnight, the Egyptian pound lost half its value against the dollar. The Central Bank floated the currency earlier this month.

"I have four kids. I can't provide for them. Egyptian money is worthless. This 200 pound note has become essentially⁴ 20," says this street vendor⁵.

"The increase in fuel prices pushed everything up," says this fruit vendor. "Transportation from the market has doubled. So, we increase our prices too. Now, whoever used to buy two kilograms buys one kilo."

The price at the pump rose 40 percent as the government cuts subsidies⁶. Another hit came last week when Saudi Arabia's Aramco suspended a $23 billion deal, stopping a monthly delivery of 700,000 tons of refined oil products for five years. No reason was given.

The average Egyptian made the equivalent of roughly $140 a month before the difficult but necessary devaluation. Now, it's about $70, putting them barely above the poverty line.

Making things worse, there's a drug shortage. This factory produces crucial heart disease medication and antibiotics⁷. Its marketing⁸ director says they're struggling to keep up with demand because the government sets prices at the pharmacies⁹ artificially low, adding they only have enough raw materials for three to four months.

1 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。

2 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

3 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

4 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

5 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

6 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

8 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

9 pharmacies   

药店

参考例句：

• Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
• Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网