Workers in Europe protest austerity measures

    BEIJING, Sep.27 (Xinhuanet) --? As thousands of demonstrators（示威者） marched in European capitals on Wednesday to protest recent austerity measures, officials in Brussels proposed stiffening¹ sanctions（制裁） for governments that fail to cut their budget deficits² and debt swiftly enough.
    European Day of ActionIn MadridThe first general strike that Spain has witnessed for eight years ended Wednesday with a march through the streets of Madrid. The march, which was led by Union Leaders Carmona Mendez and Ignacio Toxo, began at the emblematic³ Plaza⁴ Neptuno, before moving along the city's main road the Paseo de la Castellana to Plaza Cibeles.
    Tens of thousands of workers took the opportunity（抓住机会） to join the march, organized in protest at the labor⁵ reform of Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his Socialist⁶ Party ( PSOE).
    In BrusselsTens of thousands of workers marched through streets in Brussels on Wednesday to protest the budget-slashing plans taken by many European governments to rein⁷ in deficits.
    The protest started at 1 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) at the Gare du Midi (south railway station). Workers headed for the Cinquantenaire Park near the European Union institutions, waving union flags and carrying banners saying "No to austerity," "No cuts" and "Priority for jobs and growth." The whole procession went peacefully and orderly.
    In GreekGreek labor unions of civil servants and private sector⁸ employees marked on Wednesday the European Day of Action, stepping up protests over harsh austerity measures implemented⁹ by the government this year to overcome an acute debt crisis.
    Thousands of commuters nationwide suffered, since the subway, trains and buses did not operate for four hours and dockworkers joined the protest with work stoppages at the ports earlier in the morning. Public hospitals across the country run on limited personnel all day due to a 24-hour strike organized by the doctors ' and nurses' unions.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 stiffening   

n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Her mouth stiffening, she could not elaborate. 她嘴巴僵直，无法细说下去。
• No genius, not a bad guy, but the attacks are hurting and stiffening him. 不是天才，人也不坏，但是四面八方的攻击伤了他的感情，使他横下了心。

2 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

3 emblematic   

adj.象征的，可当标志的；象征性

参考例句：

• The violence is emblematic of what is happening in our inner cities. 这种暴力行为正标示了我们市中心贫民区的状况。
• Whiteness is emblematic of purity. 白色是纯洁的象征。 来自辞典例句

4 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

5 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。

6 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

7 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

8 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。

9 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