VOA标准英语10月-European Markets Fluctuate as Traders Search for

European markets again fluctuated Friday closing out a highly volatile¹ week of trading. Most of the markets were making gains by midday. For VOA, Tom Rivers in London reports.
　

Stock traders talk at the stock exchange in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 16 Oct 2008

As the week wound down on the European markets, extreme volatility² remained the dominant³ feature. On the one hand, fears of a global recession persist while hope in the form of easing interbank lending rates and retreating oil prices have given hope to some.

Because of these mixed messages, trade here remains⁴ frenetic. The massive stock index gains on Monday and Tuesday were mostly erased⁵ the following two days.

The weekend break may provide a pause to reflect upon what the underlying⁶ direction is. Until the markets settle down, the choppy conditions will likely remain.
　

Gordon Brown gives a press conference after a working session of a second day of a European Council summit in Brussels, 16 Oct 2008

Meanwhile, leaders like British Prime Minister Gordon Brown are trying to reassure⁷ their citizens that progress will be made in working through these tough economic times.

"My undivided attention is on talking this country through difficult times that everybody knows have been created as a result of a global problem that started in America," he said. "And, I think the whole country wants everybody who can and who is prepared to do to work together to take us through these difficult challenges."

With the financial problems now moving beyond the realm of just the banking⁸ sector⁹ and reaching into the real economy of everyday life, Mr. Brown says he is on top of the situation.

"We are rebuilding our banking system," he said. "We are acting¹⁰ to ensure that people with small businesses are helped. We are trying to make sure that the housing market can start moving forward again and of course we are helping¹¹ people with their winter fuel bills."

The latest U.S. housing data will affect where the European markets go. The U.S. Commerce Department Friday reported the number of new homes under construction fell to a 17 year low in September.

1 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

2 volatility   

n.挥发性，挥发度，轻快，（性格）反复无常

参考例句：

• That was one reason why volatility was so low last year.这也是去年波动性如此低的原因之一。
• Yet because volatility remained low for so long,disaster myopia prevailed.然而，由于相当长的时间里波动性小，灾难短视就获胜了。

3 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 erased   

v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除

参考例句：

• He erased the wrong answer and wrote in the right one. 他擦去了错误答案，写上了正确答案。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He removed the dogmatism from politics; he erased the party line. 他根除了政治中的教条主义，消除了政党界限。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

7 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

8 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

10 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

11 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。