Greek Leaders Push For Cuts Amid Backlash

 　　Greek leaders are issuing new pleas - and warnings - ahead of a crucial vote that will determine whether Europe comes to the rescue with another bailout loan.

　　Socialist¹ Pasok party leader George Papandreou and New Democracy Party leader Antonis Samaras Saturday urged lawmakers to back the latest round of budget cuts, saying there is no other viable² choice.

　　Papandreou warned any failure to pass the austerity measures would lead to the country's doom³.

　　"We are talking about chaos⁴, my dear colleagues," said Papandreou.  "We are talking about the most dangerous and most painful consequences for the country and specifically for those that don't have any money - for the unemployed⁵ , for the middle- and lower- income classes.''

　　Samaras warned his party's members campaign-style politicking⁶ will not be tolerated.

　　"I know that very well around you there are some ambitious politicians who are trying to impress with anti-bailout agreement rhetoric⁷. Whoever does this should know that with this irresponsible attempt to act like they are more Catholic than the Pope, they won't succeed in even being candidates [in the next election],'' Samaras said.

　　The Greek Cabinet approved a draft of the austerity bill late Friday and the full parliament is expected to vote Sunday.  European Union members have demanded the additional cuts in exchange for a new $172 billion bailout loan.

　　Greece must pay back $19 billion in debts next month. Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told his Cabinet Friday that Greece will descend⁸ into "a disastrous⁹ adventure" if it is unable to repay its creditors¹⁰.

　　Despite the dire¹¹ warnings, thousands of Greeks have taken to the streets, at times clashing with police, to protests the budget cuts.

　　Several thousand gathered outside the parliament building Saturday, calling on lawmakers to reject the EU's demands.

　　Protesters also turned out in the thousands in the Greek city of Thessaloniki.  Transportation ground to halt in Athens and around the country, as workers continued their strike for a second day.

1 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。

2 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

3 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

4 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

5 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

6 politicking   

n.政治活动，竞选活动v.从政( politic的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A lot of politicking preceded the choice of the new director. 在选新领导人之前进行了大量的拉拢活动。 来自辞典例句
• This colleague is always politicking. 这位同僚总是忙于政治活动。 来自互联网

7 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

8 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

9 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

10 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。