VOA标准英语10月-President Bush Defends Financial Moves; World Sto

U.S. President George Bush is defending his government's aggressive interventions¹ in the financial crisis. He told a U.S. business group Friday the "measures of last resort" will ultimately restore the economy to stability. VOA's Kent Klein reports from Washington.
　

President Bush speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, 17 Oct 2008

President Bush told the U.S. Chamber² of Commerce, an organization of business leaders, his extraordinary measures to strengthen the financial system will work in the long term.

"The actions will take more time to have their full impact. It took a while for the credit system to freeze up, it's going to take a while for the credit system to thaw," said Mr. Bush. "These are decisive measures, aimed at the heart of our financial challenges, and they are big enough and bold enough to work. And the American people can be confident that they will."

The president said he would oppose such actions under ordinary circumstances, but he said these are not ordinary circumstances.

"People look at this crisis and say, 'Oh, it's only on Wall Street.' I don't think so. As a matter of fact, I know that if we had not acted, it was going to affect the American people directly," he added.

Stocks on Wall Street opened about 200 points lower, after Thursday's 401-point gain. The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ also started the day at least two percent lower. Part of the reason for Friday's early losses was a government report that says new home construction in the U.S. dropped by more than expected last month. Housing starts fell more than six percent in September, to the lowest level since 1991.

Mr. Bush said the U.S. is cooperating with nations around the world, and he plans to meet Saturday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and other top officials to discuss the economy. Mr. Sarkozy is expected to push for a larger international summit on the financial meltdown by the year's end.

European stock prices were higher at midday. London's Financial Times index was up almost 2.5 percent. In Paris, the CAC-40 gained more than 2 percent. And the DAX in Frankfurt advanced almost 3 percent. Germany's parliament Friday passed a $675-billion rescue package for the country's financial markets, as part of a coordinated³ European bailout effort.

Tokyo's Nikkei index closed 235 points higher, a gain of more than 2.5 percent after Thursday's 1,000-point loss, the Nikkei's biggest drop in more than 20 years. Hong Kong's Hang Seng plunged⁴ 676 points Friday, nearly 4.5 percent.

Indian stocks tumbled due to fears of a global slowdown. The Sensex index in Mumbai dropped 5.7 percent.

Many Asian countries expanded guarantees on bank deposits this week, trying to assure savers that their banks will not be affected⁵ by the problems in Europe and the United States. Singapore and Malaysia offered protection to depositors on Thursday, following Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

1 interventions   

n.介入，干涉，干预( intervention的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Economic analysis of government interventions deserves detailed discussion. 政府对经济的干预应该给予充分的论述。 来自辞典例句
• The judge's frequent interventions made a mockery of justice. 法官的屡屡干预是对正义的践踏。 来自互联网

2 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。

3 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

4 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。