2006年VOA标准英语-International Monetary Fund to Have Greate

By Barry Wood
Washington, DC
26 April 2006
 
watch IMF report

The International Monetary¹ Fund is trying to assert more authority in dealing² with global economic and financial problems. Member nations endorsed³ the move during a meeting in Washington D.C. over the weekend.

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The call for new IMF power stems from frustration⁴ that nothing has happened to correct the growing trade and financial imbalances that distort global economic activity. The heart of the imbalance is America's huge trade deficit⁵ and China's corresponding surplus.  

 

Peter Kenen   
  

Peter Kenen, economics professor at Princeton University, is a leading authority on global finance.  "For precisely⁶ the reason that people believe such a large imbalance could lead to a crisis, it could at some point trigger a crisis. You could have a flight from the dollar."

To maintain confidence in the dollar and head off what it fears could be an eventual⁷ uncontrolled decline, the IMF proposes to be more involved in some issues, for example, persuading China to allow its currency to gradually rise against the dollar.

Bill Cline  
  
Bill Cline is a researcher at Washington's Institute for International Economics says, "There's growing conflict about the Chinese currency being undervalued. And we need an honest broker⁸ who can tell the United States to get rid of its fiscal⁹ deficit, who can tell China and other Asian countries to allow their currencies to appreciate."

IMF chief Rodrigo de Rato of Spain won support during the Washington meeting for his plan to give the Fund a greater role in mediating¹⁰ economic disputes. He also wants China to have a larger voice within the IMF. Princeton professor Kenen calls that a sensible tradeoff if the IMF is pushing China on currency reform.

Rodrigo de Rato   
  
"I think the Chinese feel this very deeply. If they're being the target of criticism. They say if we're being called on to make major changes, if they're being called on to listen to world opinion, (they say) we need the voice (increased votes) to influence world opinion."

The reform plan will be debated over the next few months. It won't become operational at least until September.

1 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。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

5 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。

6 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

7 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

8 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

9 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。

10 mediating   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的现在分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• So many factors are mediating. 如此众多的因素在起作用。
• The contrast in mediating noted in the sitting room. 客厅中注重了调和中的对比。