European Debt Crisis Summit Starts

 　　European leaders have started a two-day summit in Brussels in the latest effort to resolve the continent's debt crisis and save the euro.

　　Some officials have described the European summit as a moment of reckoning for the common currency, under siege by Europe's burgeoning¹ debt crisis.  But before the meeting opened Thursday night, there remained a divergence² of opinion on exactly how to resolve the two-year debt contagion³ that threatens the stability of the world economy.

　　U.S. President Barack Obama told reporters in Washington that Europe is prosperous enough to resolve the debt crisis if its leaders have the political will to act.

　　"Europe is wealthy enough that there is no reason why they can't solve this problem," said President Obama. "It is not as if we are talking about some impoverished⁴ country that doesn't have any resources and is being buffeted⁵ by the world markets and they need to come hat in hand and get help.  This is Europe with some of the wealthiest countries on earth, collectively one of the largest markets on earth, if not the largest."

　　The economy in the 17-nation bloc⁶ that uses the euro has all but stalled, with some analysts⁷ saying it has already dipped into a recession. The European Central Bank took a modest step ahead of the summit to boost lending, trimming its prime interest rate a quarter percentage point to one percent, the second cut in two months.

　　But stocks slid on European and U.S. exchanges after the bank's president, Mario Draghi, dampened speculation⁸ that the central bank would increase its purchase of the debt of European governments as one way to cut their borrowing costs. A European regulator said the continent's banks need to raise nearly $154 billion to cover possible losses on government securities they hold.

　　German Chancellor⁹ Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are calling for the eurozone nations to curb¹⁰ excessive spending and impose strict penalties on violators.  Their plan would also create a unified¹¹ corporate¹² tax rate and a new financial transaction tax.

　　President Sarkozy said an agreement is essential.

　　"Everyone can understand that if on Friday we don't find an agreement, there is no second chance," said President Sarkozy. "I call for the spirit of compromise and speedy decision making."

　　Before heading to Brussels, the German and French leaders tried to rally support for their plan during a meeting of the center-right European People's Party in the French city of Marseilles. Senior officials said late Wednesday that final agreement may not be reached at the summit.

　　One German official told the Associated Press that it might be Christmas (December 25) before a deal is reached.  Another senior official was quoted as saying that some countries "have not understood the seriousness of the situation.

　　Fears that Europe's debt crisis could spark additional problems have sent jitters¹³ through the global financial markets and have prompted warnings from several top credit rating agencies.

　　Britain, which has its own currency, the pound, has indicated that it may not be willing to sign on to new EU treaty provisions.  Prime Minister David Cameron said earlier this week that he will defend Britain's financial interests at the summit.

1 burgeoning   

adj.迅速成长的，迅速发展的v.发芽，抽枝( burgeon的现在分词 )；迅速发展；发（芽），抽（枝）

参考例句：

• Our company's business is burgeoning now. 我们公司的业务现在发展很迅速。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These efforts were insufficient to contain the burgeoning crisis. 这些努力不足以抑制迅速扩散的危机。 来自辞典例句

2 divergence   

n.分歧，岔开

参考例句：

• There is no sure cure for this transatlantic divergence.没有什么灵丹妙药可以消除大西洋两岸的分歧。
• In short,it was an age full of conflicts and divergence of values.总之，这一时期是矛盾与价值观分歧的时期。

3 contagion   

n.(通过接触的疾病)传染；蔓延

参考例句：

• A contagion of fear swept through the crowd.一种恐惧感在人群中迅速蔓延开。
• The product contagion effect has numerous implications for marketing managers and retailers.产品传染效应对市场营销管理者和零售商都有很多的启示。

4 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 buffeted   

反复敲打( buffet的过去式和过去分词 )； 连续猛击； 打来打去； 推来搡去

参考例句：

• to be buffeted by the wind 被风吹得左右摇摆
• We were buffeted by the wind and the rain. 我们遭到风雨的袭击。

6 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

9 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

10 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

11 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

12 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

13 jitters   

n.pl.紧张(通常前面要有the)

参考例句：

• I always get the jitters before exams. 我考试前总是很紧张。
• The whole city had the jitters from the bombing. 全城居民都为轰炸而心神不宁。