Europe Bank Leader Sees 'Intensified' Risks

　　The head of Europe's central bank says threats to the economy in the 17 nations that use the euro have sharply increased, and growth prospects¹ have diminished.

　　European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said Thursday that the euro-bloc countries face "particularly high uncertainty² and intensified³ downside risks." He said the bank's staff is now projecting economic growth this year of no more than 1.8 percent, perhaps less, and down from a 2.3 percent prediction in June. The bank also cut its estimates for 2012.

　　Trichet said, however, that officials are now less worried about inflation. He said the bank will keep its key interest rate at 1.5 percent and not raise it for some time.

　　His negative assessment⁴ about the European economy came as other officials voiced new complaints about the pace of debt-ridden Greece's effort to implement⁵ austerity measures to cut its deficit⁶.

　　Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager said that as a "last resort" Athens should be kicked out of the eurozone if it "doesn't want to fulfill⁷ its obligations." German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Greece's financial prospects are "teetering on a knife's blade" and that its government had to reduce its debt before it could receive the next installment⁸ of the $154 billion bailout it secured last year.

　　As Athens works to assure international auditors⁹ of its intent to cut spending and impose new taxes, it is also working toward winning approval from the other 16 eurozone nations for a second $153 billion bailout negotiated in July. But Greece's austerity budgeting has proved to be highly unpopular with voters. Greek taxi drivers, hospital doctors and dentists walked off their jobs Thursday in protest.

　　Debt-plagued Ireland and Portugal have also been forced to secure bailouts from their European neighbors and the International Monetary¹⁰ Fund. Portugal, Western Europe's poorest country, said Thursday its economy stalled in the April-to-June period, which actually was an improvement from the previous two quarters when it contracted.

1 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

2 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

3 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

5 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

6 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

7 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。

8 installment   

n.(instalment)分期付款；(连载的)一期

参考例句：

• I shall soon pay the last installment of my debt.不久我将偿付我的最后一期债款。
• He likes to buy things on the installment plan.他喜欢用分期付款法购买货物。

9 auditors   

n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生

参考例句：

• The company has been in litigation with its previous auditors for a full year. 那家公司与前任审计员已打了整整一年的官司。
• a meeting to discuss the annual accounts and the auditors' report thereon 讨论年度报表及其审计报告的会议

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。