Greece, Italy Struggle with Economic Woes

 　　Greece is predicting that its budget deficit¹ will decrease sharply next year, even as its economy continues to contract and unemployment increases.

　　The interim² Greek government unveiled its 2012 austerity budget to Parliament Friday. It says the spending plan must be adopted soon for the country to secure an $11 billion installment³ from last year's international bailout to help it avoid a default.

　　Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said the country would not need to impose any new austerity measures beyond the unpopular tax increases, spending cuts and elimination⁴ of government jobs proposed in recent weeks. He said the government deficit would fall from 9 percent of the country's gross domestic product this year to 5.4 percent in 2012, mostly because European banks have agreed to forgive about half of the country's debt.

　　The austerity measures already in place have led to a deep recession in Greece, with a 5.5 percent contraction⁵ this year and another 2.8 percent slide projected for 2012. The government projects that its current unemployment rate of more than 15 percent will increase to more than 17 percent next year.

　　Meanwhile in Rome, the government of new Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti won a second confidence vote in Parliament, as he gained new support for his austerity plan to help trim the country's $2.6 trillion in debt.

　　The lower Chamber⁶ of Deputies gave overwhelming approval Friday for the collection of bankers, business executives and university professors that Mr. Monti named to his Cabinet as he shunned⁷ selection of any politicians. The upper chamber had given the premier⁸ a clear vote of confidence on Thursday.

　　Mr. Monti pleaded with Parliament to let his government serve until the end of the legislative⁹ term in 2013 and not call early elections. Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Friday that is acceptable to him.

1 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。

2 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

3 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。

4 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

5 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。

6 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

7 shunned   

v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was shunned by her family when she remarried. 她再婚后家里人都躲着她。
• He was a shy man who shunned all publicity. 他是个怕羞的人，总是避开一切引人注目的活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

9 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。