Greece Faces New Austerity Hurdles

     The European Union's top economic official says he expects eurozone finance ministers to sign off on the payout of $17 billion in aid for Greece on Sunday and decide on a new bailout in July. The news comes on the heels of the prime minister of Greece reshuffling his Cabinet in an effort to push through a tough austerity package that has many Greek citizens in uproar¹.

    EU Economic Affairs Commissioner² Olli Rehn said Thursday the two-step approach means that the funding of the Greek debt can now be ensured until September, saving it from the immediate³ risk of default. But, he said, a decision on a new longer-term bailout will be delayed until July amid disagreement over the role of private investors⁴.

    Rehn said it was "regrettable" that the efforts to build national unity⁵ in Greece failed Wednesday, but that he still expected parliament to pass new austerity measures.

    On Wednesday, Greek citizens came out in the tens of thousands to protest the measures that Prime Minister George Papandreou is determined⁶ to push through parliament.

    Papandreou responded by saying he will reshuffle his Cabinet and seek a vote of confidence for his new government in parliament.  Papandreou added he will continue on what he called the "road of duty," together with his party members, officials, and the Greek people.

    His plan to reshuffle the Cabinet came on the same day that anti-austerity riots hit Athens and coalition⁷ talks with the opposition⁸ failed.

    Even some members of Papandreou's Socialist⁹ party are not behind his measures. On Thursday, two lawmakers from his party stepped down.

    In Greece, the reaction to Papandreou's policy was mixed.  A recent poll carried out by a market research company called Public Issue showed the main opposition party is beating the ruling Pasok socialist party in voter support.

    Greek citizen Amalia Stinga says the prime minister is not making the effort he needs to make.  She believes Papandreou is afraid. She adds that if he were not afraid, he would have done things differently.

    Greece is in major debt and unable to pay back the money it owes.  Last year, the European Union and the International Monetary¹⁰ Fund (IMF) pledged multi-billion-dollar loans in order to help Greece out of its financial troubles. But that money is conditional¹¹ upon a tough austerity program.

    Simon Tilford, chief economist¹² at the Center for European Reform, based in London, says the current political turmoil¹³ in Greece was unavoidable given the terms set by the EU and the IMF.

    "What they are trying to do is almost impossible economically," noted¹⁴ Tilford.  "The Greeks have met the terms of their fiscal¹⁵ austerity program. They have cut public spending by more than any other developed economy has ever done in such a short space of time. But because those public spending cuts have hit economic growth harder than the EU or the IMF thought they would, they are still in breach¹⁶ of their agreement."Tilford adds that there is a limit to how much any country can cut spending. And right now, spending cuts are only serving to stifle¹⁷ the Greek economy. He calls the situation a "death trap.""Unless there is a change of track by the EU and the IMF, further political instability is all but guaranteed," Tilford noted.

    On Thursday, world stocks hit a three-month low and the euro slumped¹⁸ to a one-month low.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

 

1 uproar   

n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸

参考例句：

• She could hear the uproar in the room.她能听见房间里的吵闹声。
• His remarks threw the audience into an uproar.他的讲话使听众沸腾起来。

2 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

3 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。

4 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

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 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 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。

10 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。

11 conditional   

adj.条件的，带有条件的

参考例句：

• My agreement is conditional on your help.你肯帮助我才同意。
• There are two forms of most-favored-nation treatment:conditional and unconditional.最惠国待遇有两种形式:有条件的和无条件的。

12 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

13 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

14 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。

15 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

16 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

17 stifle   

vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止

参考例句：

• She tried hard to stifle her laughter.她强忍住笑。
• It was an uninteresting conversation and I had to stifle a yawn.那是一次枯燥无味的交谈，我不得不强忍住自己的呵欠。

18 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。